Sahibzada Mohammad Khurshid (, 21 July 1901– 14 January 1950) was the first Pakistani Muslim and Pashtun governor of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa previously known as the N.W.F.P (North West Frontier Province) of Pakistan and a former Agent to the Governor General (Chief Commissioner) of Balochistan whilst being an Agent to the Governor General.Balochistan - Pakistan Provinces Prior to the independence of Pakistan, the governor had been appointed by the government of British India (based in Calcutta and later Delhi). For almost two years after independence, Pakistan continued to have British governors until the appointment of Sahibzada Khurshid.
Sahibzada Muhammad Khurshid was the son of Sahibzada Khalil-ur-Rahman educated at Islamia College University, located in Peshawar. He was also educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant onto the Unattached List for the Indian Army on the 31 August 1922.London Gazette 1 September 1922 He was attached to the 2nd battalion, the Cameronians, as of 12 October 1922,Indian Army List April 1923 as all new Indian Army officers did a year attached to a British Regiment in India. He was admitted to the Indian Army and posted to the 1st battalion 14th Punjab Regiment as of 23 October 1923. He was promoted Lieutenant 30 November 1924.London Gazette 16 January 1925 p 374
He transferred to the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India 30 June 1927, and by January 1931 he was the Assistant Political Agent, Zhob (Baluchistan).Indian Army List January 1931
He was promoted Captain 31 August 1931.London Gazette 9 October 1931
By January 1939 he was the Assistant Political Officer, Chitral,Indian Army List January 1939 and by October 1939 he was the Political Agent Dir, Swat & Chitral.Indian Army List October 1939
Due to his administrative career, he gained the professional support of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, subsequently receiving a high-level political nomination in KPK region.
In 1950, he died of a heart attack while in office.
References