QUAID-E-AZAM -- The Founder of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan.

Baba-e Qaum, Quaid-e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born in Karachi on <st1:date Year="1876" Day="25" Month="12">December the 25th, 1876, in a building known as <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Wazir <st1:PlaceType>Mansion. He got his early education at <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi and <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay. He did his barristery from <st1:country-region><st1:place>England. He saw the name of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) on the top of the gate of <st1:City><st1:place>Lincoln's <st1:place>Inn. So he decided to study there. After his return, Jinah started his practice in barristery. He joined All India National Congress in 1906. He attended for the first time a meeting of All India Muslim League in 1912. Later he Joined All <st1:country-region><st1:place>India Muslim League in 1913. The third political party he joined was the Home Rule League.

He was member of both the Congress and Muslim League at the same time. Initially he remained working with the Hindu leaders of Congress. He was given the title of "Ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity" by prominent politicians. With the passage of time he realised that the Hindu leaders of Congress have a different agenda. He left Congress and became fully involved with Muslim League.

Jinah was a man of principles. He was probably the only person among all the big leaders of the subcontinent, who never went to jail. His motto was: Unity, Faith and Discipline.

When Muslim League finally decided to have a separate country for Muslims of the subcontinent, it was the leadership of Jinah which led the nation to achieve this goal. Because of these leadership qualities and his firm stand on the issue, Britishers found no way to reject the demand of Muslims of the subcontinent for a separate homeland. He took charge as the first Governor General of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan on 14th of August 1947 in a ceremony at <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi.

<st1:country-region><st1:place>India never took risk of invading <st1:City><st1:place>Hyderabad or Junagarh in his life.

Jinah died on <st1:date Year="1948" Day="11" Month="9">September the 11th, 1948, at Ziarat near <st1:City><st1:place>Quetta. He was buried in <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi. His tomb is a beautiful piece of architecture and is worth visiting.

The Life of Quaid-e-Azam at a Glance

It would not be untrue to say that with the electronic age, the attention span of the average reader has suffered tremendously. There is no longer any time to read lengthy biographies and life histories. But each new generation of Pakistanis increases our responsibility of introducing these new members to the outstanding and exemplary leadership which was the backbone of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan’s creation. Following is a compilation of the Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s life at a glance:

• 1876—Born early morning, Monday, December 25 in <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi
• 1883—Admitted in Class 1, Gujrati, Passed IV in early 1877
• 1887—Admitted in Standard I English, <st1:place>Sind Madrasatul Islam, <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi, July 4. Left for <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay, admitted in <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Anjuman <st1:PlaceName>Islam <st1:PlaceType>High School, came back to <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi soon and was readmitted in Sind Madrasatul Islam.
• 1892—Left Madrasa while in Standard V for marriage on January 30. Admitted in Church Mission school on return from his marriage ceremony. <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Left <st1:PlaceType>Church <st1:PlaceName>Mission <st1:PlaceType>School for good while in Standard VI, October 31. Signed two documents known as Hundis (Promissory notes) in November and December in due course for business.
• 1893—Sailed for <st1:country-region><st1:place>England in January to promote his business an and establish commercial connections but business proved abortive. Decided to stay on to study law. Appeared in Preliminary examinations and passed with ease. Enrolled in <st1:City><st1:place>Lincoln’s <st1:place>Inn in <st1:City><st1:place>London on June 5.
• 1894—His mother’s death, whom he loved very much, was a great shock for him and he returned to <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi for few weeks.
• 1895—On return to <st1:City><st1:place>London he started living at <st1:Street><st1:address>35 Russel Road, Kensington, <st1:City><st1:place>London. His father Jinnah Poonjah, shifted to <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay with his children leaving <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi for good.
• 1896—Called to the Bar on April 29, he sailed for <st1:place><st1:City>Bombay, <st1:country-region>India from <st1:country-region><st1:place>England in July. He was enrolled as an advocate on the original side of the High Court of Bombay on August 24. Started his legal career living in Apollo Hotel in <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay with an initial hard struggle.
• 1900—Appointed Presidency Magistrate, <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay for three months. He left the job in November though a permanent assignment was offered to him by the Law Department Bombay. The refusal of the offer was a turning point in his life. He celebrated his 24th birthday and restarted his legal career with the same zeal and perseverance.
• 1902—His father Jinnah Poonjah died on April 17. The responsibility of Miss Fatima Jinnah and Master Ahmed Ali Jinnah fell on his shoulder.
• 1903—He started living in a bigger house in Band Stand area of <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay.
• 1906—Purchased his own bungalow in Malabar Hills in <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay, one of the best areas in <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay. Started his public career with his maiden speech on “Mussalman Waqf Alal-aulad” at Congress session <st1:City><st1:place>Calcutta in December. His speeches on Self Government and Education in this session saw his emergence among the top rankers of Indian Politics.
• 1907—Congress delegates were divided into two factions, extremists and moderates at <st1:City><st1:place>Allahabad session on December 26. Jinnah sided with the latter.
• 1909—Elected from <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay Muslim Constituency to the Imperial Legislative Council. Jinnah contested against Molvi Rafiuddin, one of the founder of All India Muslim League and defeated him in the election.
• 1910—Took oath as a member of the Imperial Legislature on January 25. Attended Congress session at <st1:City><st1:place>Allahabad on December 26 and spoke on separate electorate for Muslims.
• 1911—Attended Hindu-Muslim Leaders Conference at <st1:City><st1:place>Allahabad on January 1 to discuss Muslim representation in Legislature and inservices and also to solve Hindi-Urdu problems. Introduced and spoke on “Mussalman Waqf (Trust) Validating Bill”.
• 1912—Spoke on Elementary Education bill in the Imperial Legislative Council and pleaded for inclusion and amendments in the interest of Muslims otherwise warned to oppose it. Attended on special invitation, the Council meeting of the Muslim League at Bankipur on December 31 and proposed “Self Government suitable to <st1:country-region><st1:place>India” for the in Indian Politics and that too from the Muslim League platform of which he was not yet a regular member.
• 1913—Spoke on Report of the Select Committee on the “Mussalman Waqf Validating Bill” in the Imperial Legislative Council. The Bill received the Viceroy’s assent on March 7 and became a law of critical importance to the Muslims in <st1:country-region><st1:place>India. Attended All <st1:country-region><st1:place>India Muslim League Annual Session at the <st1:City><st1:place>Lucknow on March 22-23. The new motto of the Muslim League’s struggle for “Self Government Suitable to <st1:country-region><st1:place>India” was endorsed in the session.

He was enrolled as member of the All India Muslim League by Moulana Mohammad Ali and Syed Wazir Hassan.

• 1914—Joined a delegation to <st1:country-region><st1:place>England in May. His statement published in The Times, <st1:City><st1:place>London June 3 read: “<st1:country-region><st1:place>India is perhaps the only member of the <st1:place>British Empire without any real representation and the only civilized country in the world that has no real system of representative government”.
• 1915—Spoke at <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay Muslim Students <st1:place>Union as a Chief Guest, February 3. Due to his efforts, All India Muslim League and All India Congress Committee annual sessions were held in <st1:City><st1:place>Bombay at the same time.
• 1916—Presided over the All India Muslim League held on December 30-31. Famous Lucknow Pact was signed between Muslim League and Congress as an accord between Hindu and Muslims due to his efforts as the Champion of the accord.
• 1917—Spent the summer at Darjeeling Hill Station with Sir Dinshaw Petit. Protested against the internment of Mrs. Anne Besant and her coworkers. Spoke at Allahabad Home Rule League in October.
• 1918—Married to Begum Rutty, April 19, the Parsi lady who embraced Islam day before her marriage. Jinnah Pacific Hall was built to commemorate his services to the people of <st1:country-region><st1:place>India.
• 1919—Resigned from the Imperial Legislative Council as protest against the Rowlatt Act which he termed a “Black Law”. His daughter Dina was born on August 15. Attended the All India Muslim League session at <st1:City><st1:place>Amritsar and was elected its President.
• 1920—Presided over Extra-Ordinary Session of All <st1:country-region><st1:place>India Muslim League <st1:City><st1:place>Calcutta, September 7. The banners at his side read: Be true to your religion and <st1:City><st1:place>Liberty is man’s birthright. He departed from the All India Congress Committee for good.
• 1924—Reelected the President of Muslim League for another three years.
• 1926—At <st1:City><st1:place>Delhi session of the Muslim League in December, he proposed for speedy attainment of a full responsible Government.
• 1928—Addresses the <st1:City><st1:place>Calcutta session of the Muslim League and declared, “A constitutional war has been declared on <st1:country-region><st1:place>Great Britain. We are denied equal partnership and we will resist the new doctrine to the best of our power. Jalianwala Bagh was a physical butchery, the Simon Commission is a butchery of our soul”.
• 1929—Fourteen Points of Jinnah were formulated in March. It was a proposal for the settlement with majority.
• 1930—During the <st1:City><st1:place>Allahabad session of the Muslim League, Allama Iqbal presented his proposal of “Muslim India within <st1:country-region><st1:place>India”. Jinnah, much despaired, with the affairs of <st1:country-region><st1:place>India, left for <st1:country-region><st1:place>England in a self imposed exile. He purchased a house at West Heath London and started legal practice in Privy Council as a barrister.
• 1933—A resolution was passed at Delhi Session of the Muslim League in November by one group to take advantage of Jinnah’s non presence and the League was divided into two groups.
• 1934—The split in ranks of the All India Muslim League ended at a combined meeting of both the sections on March 4. A resolution was passed electing Mr. Jinnah the President of the United Body. Within a month Jinnah returned to <st1:country-region><st1:place>India and started re-organization of the Muslim League.
• 1936—At the Bombay session of the All India Muslim League in April his services rendered in connection with the Shahidgunj Mosque (Lahore) question was lauded. At this session he proposed that Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan be elected Honorary Secretary of hte Muslim League for a term of three years.
• 1937—At the Muslim League session in <st1:City><st1:place>Lucknow, Mr. Jinnah advocated for the government of the people, by the people and for the people. He advised the people,”Think a hundred times before you take any decision but once a decision is taken, stand by it as one man. Be true and loyal and I fee confident that success is with you”.
• 1938—At the special session of the Muslim League at <st1:City><st1:place>Calcutta, Mr. Jinnah said in the presidential address, “Don’t depend upon anybody. You must depend upon your own inherent strength. The Musalmans have not yet realized what power and strength they would possess if they were properly mobilized as one solid people”. Mr. Jinnah was now popularly known as Quaid-e-Azam. Two great leaders of the Muslim India, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal and Maulana Shaukat Ali passed away.
• 1940—Presided over the famous Lahore Session of Muslim League in March, which passed the Lahore Resolution, later known as the Pakistan Resolution. His 64th Birthday was celebrated officially by the Muslim League.
• 1941—Presided over the Special session of the Punjab Muslim Students Federation March 2. He said let our motto be: Money is lost, nothing is lost Courage is lost, much is lost Honor is lost, most is lost Soul is lost, all is lost
• 1942—At <st1:City><st1:place>Allahabad session in April, he said, “Now let us talk less and work more”. Cripps proposal was discussed at length. At this session a resolution giving full power to Mr. Jinnah was carried with a single dissenting vote of Maulana Hasrat Mohani.
• 1943—In a message to Frontier Muslim Student Federation April 4, he said, “You have asked me to give you a message. What message can I give you? We have got the greatest message in the Quran for our guidance and enlightenment”. He faced an assassin on July 26. The last annual session of the All India Muslim League was held in December at <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi. Mr. Jinnah said in the presidential address, “Just as we have after seven years (since the 1936 revival of the Muslim League) established our unity of ideals and unity of thought, so we must in the next period of our program establish complete unity of action”.
• 1944—Gandhi-Jinnah talks were held. Gave an interview to the Associated Press of America on November 8 explaining the geographical, political and economic position of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan.
• 1945—Elections to the Central and Provincial Legislatures were held. The elections were fought on the issue of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan. The Muslim League won all the Muslim seats in the center and overwhelming majority in the provinces. Viceroy’s Executive Council was expanded. Talks failed as neither the Viceroy nor the Congress conceded the League’s claim to nominate all Muslim members.
• 1946—All India Muslim League Legislators Convention in Anglo-Arabic Hall, <st1:City><st1:place>Delhi was held in the month of April. This historical convention was actually the meeting of the parliament of Muslim India.
• 1947— Quaid-e-Azam broadcast message of Partition Plan June 3. At the last (Pre-partition) council meeting o of the Muslim League the supporters shouted, Shahensha-e-Pakistan (Emperor of Pakistan). Mr. Jinnah strongly objected being called Emperor of Pakistan and said, “I am the soldier of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan not its emperor.” <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi was decided to be the Capital of Pakistan. Quaid-e-Azam along with Miss Fatima Jinnah arrived in <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi August 7. Addressed Constituent assembly of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan on August 11. <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan appeared on the Globe on August 14.
• 1948—As Governor General Addressed the establishment H.M.P.S. Dilawar January 23 saying,”While giving the fullest support to the principles of the United Nations Charter, we cannot afford to neglect our defenses. The primary responsibility for the defense of our country will rest with us.” At public meeting in <st1:City><st1:place>Dacca, March 21 he said,”Having failed to prevent the establishment of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan, thwarted and frustrated by their failure, the enemies of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan have now turned their attention to disrupt the State by creating a split amongst the Muslims of Pakistan.”

Message to the Muslims of the World, August 7, it was his last wish to put up a united front of the Muslim world. Last message was on the 1st Independence day. Returned to <st1:City><st1:place>Karachi, his birth place, and within a year of the creation of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan, the Quaid-e-Azam, greatest figure in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Pakistan’s history, breathed his last on September 11.