History

The Spark in the Dust: Amritsar  (1879)

Anjuman e Islamia Amritsar established first ever Muslim School in Amritsar in 1879 with the name of Madrasah tul Muslemeen in Masjid Khair Din. This Madrassah was given the status of School in 1883 with the name of Muhammadan Anglo Oriental (M.A.O) School Amritsar. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan visited the school on January 26, 1884.

Due to pressing demand of Muslim’s of Amritsar, the school was given the status of intermediate college on June 5, 1933. Minister Education Punjab Malik Feroz Khan Noon attended the inauguration ceremony as the Chief Guest and arrived specially from Shimla for the purpose.  The college was elevated to the status of degree college during April-May 1936 with the kind approval of The Right Reverend George. D. Brane, the then Vice Chancellor, University of the Punjab. 

S. Mercedo was appointed as the first Principal of the newly established M.A.O College Lahore. He was initially appointed as head master of the then M.A.O School in 1904 and later served the college as principal till 1936. 

Sahibzada Mehmood ul Zafar (BA, Oxford, History, Economics), Prof. Imdad Hussain (PhD Edinburgh, English), Inayat Ali Qureshi (Mathematics), MA Azim (B.Sc Hons., M.Sc 1st Class Chemistry), Baseer Ahmed Paal(M.Sc Physics 1st Class), Sufi Abdul Aziz(MA Arabic, Persion, Munshi Fazal -Arabic, Persian). Sher Ahmed (Biology).

Later in 1935-36 session, Prof. Karamat Hussain Jaffery(MA Philosophy 1st Class), Prof. Dildar Khan Muqbal and Faiz Ahmed Faiz joined the college as faculty member.

In 1936-37, a major change was appointment M.D Taseer as Principal of the College.

In 1939-40, Nazir Ahmed Qureshi BA Oxen joined as Vice Principal of the college. Qazi Muhammad Farid(BA University of Cambridge) & Muhib ul Hassan (BA London History) also joined Department of Economics and History as teacher respectively.

The major change was observed in the session 1942-43, when M.D Taseer was replaced by Prof. Dilawar Hussain (MA Ali Garh, MA Cambridge) as principal of the college.

The college played active role in Pakistan Movement and was among the first buildings which were burned by hindus and sikhs in 1947. The college with all its students and teachers was shifted to Lahore in the building evacuated by Sanatan Dharma College Lahore (S.D College ).

In 1916, the S.D College was set up in Lahore, under the influence of Bharat Ratna Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya Ji, known for his nationwide enlightenment movements based on culture-preservation, education-dissemination, social reforms and nation-deliverance. The core inspiration for the establishment of the institute was provided by Bhai Vir Singh Ji, the great Saint and social worker of the undivided Punjab. Sanatan Dharma College Society became a registered society in Lahore in April 1916. Rai Bahadur Lala Ram Saran Das donated his famous Peeli Kothi, which stood in front of the Punjab University sports-field, for the college building. Initially, the college had only graduate courses to offer to its students but with the changing times and the need for upliftment of the society, post-graduate courses were included in the curriculum.

Government M.A.O. (Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental) Graduate College, Lahore has produced notable figures across literature, politics, sports, and academia.

Government Muhammadan Anglo Oriental (M.A.O.) Graduate College is a public educational institute located adjacent to Civil Secretariat Lahore. It is among the oldest educational institutions in the country. It was established in 1933 as M.A.O. College by Anjuman-e-Islamia at Amritsar on the pattern of M.A.O. College Aligarh and Professor S. Mercado was appointed as the first principal. It had played a significant role in the creation of Pakistan. In 1947, after the independence of Pakistan, the college was shifted to Lahore in the former Sanatana Dharma College premises.

Government M.A.O. Graduate College stands towering among the comparable institutions in providing quality education at Higher Secondary, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels. This college is offering its students opportunities for development and growth, amid a disciplined and peaceful environment in multiple phases.

Government M.A.O. Graduate College has an enviable atmosphere not only conducive to academic pursuits but also fruitful for co-curricular and extracurricular activities with emphasis on sports. There are many literary, science and cultural societies contributing to the balanced personality development of the future generations of Pakistan. The college, thus, provides ample opportunities for the students to discover themselves, realize their potentials and prepare for the challenges of life.

During more than eighty years of its history, this college has left indelible imprints in every phase of human life. The alumni of Government M.A.O. Graduate College have won laurels not only for their alma mater but served the country in different capacities in almost all spheres of life.

Government M.A.O. Graduate College reached the heights of glory in the headship of Dr. M.D. Taseer, and Sahibzada Mahmuduzaffar, an Oxford graduate and a renowned Marxist. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the leftist poet, was also a lecturer in English at this college. Professor Dilawar Hussain, Professor Karamat Hussain Jafari and Professor Maksud-ul-Hassan Bokhari also contributed to adding grace and glory to this illustrious institution.

Prof. Dr. Ali Muhammad Khan

Welcome to Gems of Mao, a dedicated space on the Government MAO Graduate College Lahore website celebrating the remarkable lives, journeys, and achievements of our esteemed alumni who carry forward the glorious legacy of this historic institution.

Date of Birth: September 7, 1941

Place of Birth: Panipat, India

MAO College: Intermediate Class, Session 1959–60, Roll Number 303.

Higher Education: PhD in Urdu from Oriental College, University of the Punjab.

Family Background: Born into a respected landlord family of Panipat. His father, a landlord by profession, shared a close friendship with the legendary poet and intellectual Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali and was among the honorable attendees at Maulana Hali's funeral.

College Leadership & Mentorship: During his student years, the institution was under the visionary leadership of Prof. Dr. Dilawar Hussain, who served as Principal from 1940 to 1967. He was taught by the renowned Economics author and educator, Professor Sheikh Manzoor Ilahi.

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Teaching Career: Served as a distinguished Professor of Urdu at Forman Christian College University (FCCU), Lahore, shaping the minds of countless students. Prior to that, he also taught at the Government College of Science, Wahdat Road, Lahore.

Literary Contribution: He is the author of more than 80 books and the architect of his PhD thesis Lahore Ka Dabistan-e-Shairi.

Literature, Arts & Media

Amjad Islam Amjad
Poet, playwright and lyricist; served as teacher.

Atta-ul-Haq Qasmi
Poet, columnist, humorist and former diplomat.

Masood Akhtar
Veteran Pakistani actor.

Saifuddin Saif
Poet, songwriter and filmmaker.

Jalil Aali
Renowned Urdu poet and academic.

Sports

Saqlain Mushtaq
Legendary off-spin cricketer and former national coach.

Saeed Ajmal
Former world No. 1 spin bowler for Pakistan.

Taufeeq Umar
Former Pakistani international cricketer.

Salman Akbar
Former Pakistan national hockey goalkeeper and captain.

Politics & Public Service

Khawaja Saad Rafique
Senior politician and former Federal Minister for Pakistan Railways.