The Pakistani nation and the Pakistani missions abroad are celebrating today the 139th birthday of Jinnah born on December 25, 1876 in the port city of Karachi. The day is a national holiday and dignitaries and people from all walks of life gather around his mausoleum to pay homage to him and pray for his departed soul. His father Jinnahbhai Poonja was a modest businessman. He had three sons and three daughters - Jinnah being the first-born. As a child, Jinnah was like any other ordinary boy, but had a better sense of cleanliness. Not only he kept his books, bed, dress and hands clean, he wished his friends as well to keep clean and play at a clean place. He played cricket, football and marbles with them. He also rode horses as his father owned a stable. His father wanted to drag him into his family business, but Jinnah showed more inclination to law and be a barrister in his life. After his early education in Karachi, it was decided that he should be sent to England for his studies but his mother urged him to get married to her cousin Emibaj Jinnah. Soon after his marriage, he left for England and joined the Lincoln's Inn in June 1893. He was called to Bar when he was only 19 and the youngest barrister in England.
On his return from England, he set up his legal practice in Mumbai (Bombay). In 1906, he joined Congress to bring about the Hindu-Muslim unity. He resigned from the Congress due to the increasing prejudices. At the invitation of Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, he joined All India Muslim League in 1913, which was divided into factions due to a lack of direction and needed a dynamic leadership to steer it. At first, he brought the divided factions under the banner of All India Muslim League with his political acumen and farsightedness, which won him the title of Quaid-e-Azam. On March 24, 1940 the Muslim League at its historical session, held at Iqbal Park, Lahore under the Chairmanship of the Quaid-e-Azam, considered the 'Two-Nation' theory of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, saying that the Hindus and the Muslims were two different nations, had different language, religion, customs, traditions and architecture, hence they needed a separate homeland in the subcontinent for their living in peace without any pressure. Not only did Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar demand a separate homeland for the Muslims, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal also hinted at it in his first speech delivered in 1930. The Resolution was fully endorsed and came to be known as the "Lahore Resolution". Now it is called "Pakistan Day". The "Lahore Resolution" was a turning point in the politics of the subcontinent and caused a great stir in India, and was opposed tooth and nail. A furor was caused and the Hindus let loose bloodshed of the Muslims and the situation seemed to be getting out of control of the British rulers.
The Quaid-e-Azam hurriedly met the Congress leader M. K. Gandhi to fast unto death to stop the communal clashes forthwith. The Quaid-e-Azam also called on the British Viceroy Lord Louis Mountbatten to convey to his government that the ongoing clashes were not going to stop, unless the Muslim demand for a separate homeland was accepted by the British rulers of India. At last, the division of the Indian subcontinent was announced by Lord Louis Mountbatten on All India Radio on June 03, 1947. Thus Pakistan came into being as the Eastern Wing and the Western
Wing of Pakistan. The Quaid-e-Azam became the first Governor General and Khan Liaquat Ali Khan the first Prime Minister of the newly-born Pakistan. Thus the decades-long struggle of the All India Muslim League for Pakistan came to its logical end on August 14, 1947, which is celebrated every year to commemorate the day. The obsessive work by the Quaid-e-Azam badly told on his failing health. He was rushed to Ziarat, a holiday resort in Balochistan, hoping that it would give him a much-needed break to regain his health, but his condition instead getting better deteriorated and he was brought back to Karachi. Alas! He breathed his last on September 11, 1948 at the age of 72. His untimely passing away was a severe blow to the newly-born Pakistan, as many issues were left unsettled. Quaid-e-Azam was an epoch-making personality. His death was condoled not only by M. K. Ghandi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojni Naido but was also condoled by the world figures, viz Bertrand Russell, Lord Mountbatten, Sir Winston Churchill, apart from many other world politicians. The resolution of the Kashmir issue was the top priority of the Quaid-e-Azam. It is unfortunate that in 1971, the Eastern Wing of Pakistan, after 23 years of the Quaid's death, declared itself an Independent Sovereign Muslim State called "Bangladesh".
Jinnah was a charismatic and persuasive leader. Pakistan is considered as biggest political achievement, not only of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah alone, but his persuasive efforts, sacrifices of his devoted associates also were in it. Not a Muslim Leaguer was jailed even for a day for demanding Pakistan. Pakistan was an obsession for the Quaid, who worked for it day and night even when his health was fragile. But it did cost us colossal loss of human life and property in the wake of Partition in 1947 due to migration of millions of Muslims from India.
Pakistan, since its inception, has seen both civilian and military dictators' rules that profoundly hampered country's progress. Pakistan is now experimenting with elusive democracy. The masses are still groaning under the poverty and were awaiting for the promised fruits of democracy. They feel deprived of education, health benefits and getting no employment. Begging and corruption still at their peak. Sadly, the Bhutto family has paid dearly for democracy. Benazir Bhutto, the Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party and a champion of democracy, was assassinated while addressing a mammoth gathering of her party-men. The deaths of Benazir Bhutto and that of her brother Murtuza Bhutto, although they have been investigated separately, yet it is clueless.
Pakistan is fighting a decisive war the "Zarb-e-Azb" against terrorists in North Waziristan who refuse to recognise the government's writ. Rangers are also carrying out the "Karachi operation" against terrorists, land grabbers, target-killers, ransom-seekers, hired assassins and all other anti-social elements, who want to destabilise Pakistan by creating unrest in the country by their destructive moves for their selfish motives. Many a proven criminal has so far been sent to the gallows, and many more are also doomed for their anti-state acts. Thanks to the Rangers' operation in Karachi, the local traders, businessmen, kidnappers of the influential people, threatened earlier by the anti-social elements, now heave a sigh of relief and sleep at night without a break. Army Chief General Raheel Sharif is now more of a national hero for his undaunted role in the fight against terror. Pakistan is proud of having him and the fighting soldiers.