QUAID-E-AZAM (OR) OUR NATIONAL HERO

Quaid-e-Azam is our national hero. He made a very hard struggle for a separate homeland for the Muslims of Sub-continent.

He was born in the year 1876 at Karachi. It was the 25th of December, the Christmas day. He was the son of a merchant of Karachi, but he had a thirst for knowledge. Devotedly he studied and at the age of seventeen he started for England to study Law there. In due course of time, he became a Barrister-at-Law. He returned home and started his career as a lawyer. In the legal profession he soon made a mark.

In those days, British were the rulers of India. The Indians had started a struggle for their freedom. In the beginning, Quaid-e-Azam joined the All-India National Congress and was in the forefront of the struggle for freedom. He was a man with clear nationalistic attitude in him. He found out that the Hindus were narrow-minded and hated the Muslims from the core of their heart. Then, he discovered that Hindus and Muslims were different in every respect. Soon, he was disappointed due to the communal attitude of the Hindu leaders. At first, he stood for communal harmony. He had a high hope for Hindu-Muslim 

unity. But soon he realised that the Hindus were not willing to give to the Muslims their due share in political power. When he wanted certain safeguards for the Muslims, he was bitterly criticised by the Hindus.

The hypocrisy of the Hindus, discouraged him. He then joined the All-India Muslim League. Allama Iqbal put forward the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims. Mr.Jinnah liked the idea and managed to table a resolution in the All-India Muslim League meeting at Lahore in 1940. This resolution was known as Pakistan Resolution because in this resolution, a demand of a separate country for the Muslims of India, was made. The Hindus opposed this idea, but Quaid-e-Azam stuck to his guns. He had faith in the constitutional fight. He made long and extensive tours to explain the meaning of Pakistan to his followers. Unfortunately, some of the Muslim leaders opposed Quaid-e-Azam in his freedom movement. For attaining his purpose, he travelled widely, fought ceaselessly and at long last was able to force Britain to divide India. Pakistan came into being on the 14th August, 1947.

Mr. Jinnah gave a nationhood to the new sovereign state consisting of all the people and all the communities. On broad principles of tolerance, fairness and justice the new State started functioning. Unfortunately, he did not live long. He died in September 1948. He was the maker of Pakistan, the father of the Nation. He saved Pakistan, during the most crucial crisis of its birth.

Mr. Jinnah was a practical statesman. He won the hearts of his people through his sincerity and diligence, one advantage he had over his great rival in India. Whereas Mahatma Gandhi received only lip service from his followers, and was even compelled to use the weapon of fast against them, the Quaid-e-Azam got the obedience of his followers. On his death Sorojni Nydo paid a tribute to him and said, "The true criterion of his greatness lies not in the range and variety of his knowledge but in the faultless perception and flawless refinement of his subtle mind and spirit, and in a lofty singleness of purpose and the lasting charm of a character animated by a brave conception of his duty and an austere and lovely code of private honour and public integrity."