MM Ahmad's biggest contribution was in the signing of the Indus Basin Treaty and the procurement of development assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors for the construction of Mangla and Tarbela Dams as well as a huge irrigation network.
M M Ahmad's contribution to the process of economic development was recognised by President Ayub Khan in a presidential address in 1967, celebrating 20 years of an independent Pakistan.
MM's success was attributable to his ability to assemble a highly capable team of economists, planners and engineers such as the late Mahbub ul Haq, Sartaj Aziz and many others.
On 15 September 1971 a CDA employee and lift operator named Aslam Qureshi attempted to stab MM Ahmad to death inside the Finance Ministry, inflamed by the conspiracy theories circulated in publications like Chattan.
MM Ahmad had been the target of a number of attacks in the right-wing Urdu press on account of his faith and the prominence of his position.
Many radicalising messages were put out during the campaign for Pakistan's first general election in December 1970 and the subsequent atmosphere of crisis - religious parties were upset about their poor showing, and redoubled attacks on the Ahmadi community which had backed the successful PPP.
Aslam Qureshi was subsequently tried and convicted for attempted murder by a military court, but released early by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as part of his accommodation with Islamist parties in 1973-74.
Aslam Qureshi's temporary disappearance in February 1983 was used by his Khatm-e-Nabuwwat movement to pressure General Zia's government into the passage of Ordinance XX, once again with the support of Raja Zafar ul Haq who was serving at the time as Minister for Religious Affairs.