SARWAT PASHA, ABDEL KHALEK (1873-1928) , Egyptian statesman, was educated in Cairo, and became secretary to the Legal Control Commission. In 1905 he became vice president of the native courts of Kena Province, and judge in the Cairo children's correctional court. In 1907 he was appointed governor of Assiut Province and in 1908 procureur-general of the native courts, a post which had for many years been filled by European officials. In 1914 he was appointed minister of justice in Rushdi Pasha's cabinet, formed after the declaration of a British protectorate. He resigned with Rushdi in 1919. In 1921 he joined Adly Pasha's cabinet as minister of the interior, and acted as prime minister during the latter's absence in London during the negotia tions with Lord Curzon. The declaration of 1922, recognizing the independence of Egypt as a sovereign State, which, with the help of Lord Allenby, he was instrumental in obtaining, was a great success for him, and on March 21, 1922 he became prime minister. He resigned in Nov. 1922, because King Fuad claimed a greater degree of power than Sarwat Pasha could reconcile with the terms of the Constitution.
As Government candidate for the presidency of the Chamber in March 1925, he was defeated, and only took office again in June 1926, as minister for foreign affairs in Adly Pasha's cabinet. On
the fall of Adly Pasha in April 1927, Sarwat Pasha, an independent like Adly, formed a new ministry. He came into conflict from time to time with his Wafdist supporters, and within a month of his appointment had to face the serious Anglo-Egyptian crisis result ing in the despatch of three British battleships to Egypt. (See EGYPT: History.) It is sufficient evidence of Sarwat Pasha's tact and ability that in his statement on his correspondence with Lord Lloyd and the conclusion of the dispute he was able to carry with him a majority of the Wafdist chamber of Deputies. He accom panied King Fuad to England on his visit to Europe in 1927, but his visit was interrupted by the death of Zaghlul Pasha, which obliged him to return to Egypt.
For the history of the Anglo-Egyptian negotiations of 1927-28 see EGYPT, History. The negotiations, which Sarwat continued again in London and concluded in Cairo resulted in the proposal of a treaty of alliance. This was rejected by the Wafd leaders, whom Sarwat consulted, and he then resigned (March, 1928). The king entrusted the formation of a new cabinet to Nahas Pasha, Zagh lul's successor in the leadership of the Wafd party. Sarwat Pasha died in Paris on Sept. 22, 1928.