Being a great admirer and follower of the Father of the Nation, I get fascinated by the history of Pakistan, learning about people Quaid used to meet and his innumerable qualities and conduct in the overall sphere of life.
I consider it a blessing of God that Jinnah meant to create Pakistan where we all breathe without much fear. Accordingly, visiting Ziarat was my childhood dream, which came to reality only two years back. I have also been following up on the news items with respect to Quaid's last journey involving Ziarat and Karachi with dismay and a lot of uneasy feeling.
To my surprise no one came out with credible and believable information as to what happened on that dreadful day, ie, September 11, 1948. The matter to me as a Pakistani carries tremendous importance, particularly when it has now become part of history. I cannot resist and would like to speak my heart out without any concern as to who will think what.
It is reported that the Quaid was gravely ill in 1948. As Father of the Nation, he could have been provided with the best of medical and rest facilities while the most comfortable atmosphere could have been "specially" created anywhere in Pakistan. Even if one believes that he needed an atmosphere like Ziarat, that place still does not resemble a proper town where basic amenities might be available. What it was like in 1948 is not difficult to imagine. As they say when there is a will, there is a way, I happened to meet an elderly man sometime after visiting the Ziarat Residency.
He had distinct memories of the days while his father was an occasional helper around that place. On my insistence, he narrated and I believed the story when he informed how difficult it had become to bring the body of our Quaid from the first floor due to very narrow staircase of the Residency. It was then decided to lower the charpoy with the help of slings from the balcony.
According to him he was right in front as a very young boy and while the staff members there were either grimly silent or weeping without sound. This leads to an apparent conclusion that the Quaid had died in Ziarat and was to be moved to Karachi for burial.
Obviously the question arises that when keeping him in Ziarat was a necessity and assuming he was alive, why and who decided to shift him in that condition to Karachi? Also assuming that the people had not been that inhuman in yesterdays, he must have died in Ziarat. My heart cries out each time I think of that vehicle that broke down on the deserted Mauripur Road and remained there for sometime without any alternate arrangement by its side.
I do not want to even think that it was part of some conspiracy for heaven's sake. The common sense, however, says that the mess must have been as a result of the fact known to the then Administration that the Quaid had died otherwise there should have been adequate escorts/ protocol/top of the line medical aid and every conceivable alternate arrangements for the ailing Head of the State who happened to be the Father of the Nation too.
Nevertheless, if there is any God-fearing soul left who knows the truth, please speak up.
May I ask the nation to recite Fateha for the soul who laid his life so that we can breathe and live as a free nation? We should have been able to do this as part of Independence Day celebrations.
May Allah also grant him peace and bless his soul with the best of eternal life, A'min.