Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah

By S. Razi Wasti Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah became Governor General of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, but he had worked for the betterment of the Muslim world throughout his political life. In order to understand his views and policy about the Muslim world, a reference to the policy of Muslim India, before the birth of Pakistan, would be pertinent. Many Muslims believed that India, became dar-ul-harb , after the Battle Plassey in 1757. According to them it was obvious that the British now possessed power to interfere with the religious observances of their Muslim subjects. It was, therefore, incumbent upon them to wage a holy war ( Jihad ) against the British to reconvert the country into dar-ul-Islam . Another school represented by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan declared that Jihad against the British was not desirable for the reasons that Muslims enjoyed peace and religious freedom under the British rule. It was the former conception that provided the inspiration for the Mujahideen

By Mukhtar Zaman Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had many qualities, but he tops the list in three of them; as a lawyer, as a parliamentarian and as a public leader. As a public leader, with odds against him, he performed the political miracle of this century by founding an independent country. In all the three his mental powers, oratory, determination, honesty and straightforwardness help him. But, here, let us confine to discuss only one of his achievements i.e., as a parliamentarian. Mr. Jinnah was still in London studying law when he was attracted by politics. Politics often leads to Parliament and law helps both of them. He attended the British Parliament regularly and attentively watched from gallery, the ways, manners, gestures and even the dress of prominent honourables members. Men like Gladstone, T.P. Connor, Joseph Chamberlain formed a lasting impression on his mind. Hector Bolitho has pointed out that his reader’s tickets of the British Museum still exists in the British

A plane monitors the situation on McLeod Road, Karachi

"You have mesmerized the Muslims", claimed Gandhi. Jinnah retorted, "You have hypnotized the Hindus".   Mr Jinnah's secretary K H Khurshid can also be seen here.

Mr M A H Ispahani is following the founder. MAH Ispahani was in Cambridge in the 20's and invited Jinnah to the city for a talk. MAH was a key figure in the All-India Muslim League. He was at St John's College, University of Cambridge.                                         His book 'The Quaid-i-Azam as I knew him' from which this picture is taken is very well written.

Ayub Khan wouldn't let the project be completed. Yahya Khan assigned a high priority to it leading to its completion in 1970