Fatima Jinnah

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Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah
Fatima Jinnah

Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, sister of the founder of Pakistan
Born 30 July 1893
Karachi, Sindh, British India
Died July 8, 1967 (aged 73)
Karachi, Pakistan
Political party (1) Muslim League
(2) Pakistan movement
Religion Shia Khoja Islam[1]

Fatima Jinnah (Urdu: فاطمہ جناح) (July 30, 1893 — July 8, 1967) was the sister of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and an active political figure in movement for independence from the British Raj. She is commonly known in Pakistan as Khatoon-e-Pakistan (Urdu: — "Lady of Pakistan") and Madar-e-Millat ("Mother of the Nation.") She was born in Karachi, Pakistan, then a part of British India. She was admitted to the Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College in the University of Calcutta in 1919 and went on to open her dental clinic in Bombay in 1923. She was an instrumental figure in the Pakistan movement and the primary organiser of All India Muslim Women Students Federation. After the formation of Pakistan and the death of her brother, she remained an active member of the nation's politics. In 1965, Miss Fatima Jinnah ran for President as a candidate of the Combined Opposition Party (COP); widely belived to win the election, her loss came as a shock to the world community. The elecction is still regarded as rigged by most historians. She continued to work for the welfare of the Pakistani people until she died in Karachi on July 8, 1967.

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[edit] Early life

Fatima Jinnah was born in Karachi Pakistan on July 30, 1893. Jinnah's parents, Poonja Jinnahbhai and Mithibai Jinnahbhai, had seven children: Muhammad Ali, Ahmad Ali, Bunde Ali, Rahmat Ali, Maryam, Fatima and Shireen. Of a family of seven brothers and sisters, she was the closest to Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Her illustrious brother became her guardian upon the death of their father in 1901. She joined the Bandra Convent in Bombay in 1902. In 1919 she got admitted to the highly competitive University of Calcutta where she attended the Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College. After she graduated, she opened a dental clinic in Bombay in 1923.

[edit] Quaid's companion

M.A. Jinnah with Fatima Jinnah (left) and daughter Dina (right)
M.A. Jinnah with Fatima Jinnah (left) and daughter Dina (right)

Jinnah lived with her brother until 1918, when he married Rattanbai Petit. Upon Rattanbai's death in February 1929, Jinnah closed her clinic, moved into her brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah's bungalow, and took charge of his house. This began the life-long companionship that lasted until her brother's death on September 11, 1948.

Paying tribute to her sister, the Quaid once said, "My sister was like a bright ray of light and hope whenever I came back home and met her. Anxieties would have been much greater and my health much worse, but for the restraint imposed by her".

[edit] Political life

During the transfer of power in 1947, Jinnah formed the Women's Relief Committee, which later formed the nucleus for the All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA). She also played a significant role in the settlement of Muhajirs in the new state of Pakistan.

In the 1960s, Jinnah returned to the forefront of political life when she ran for the presidency of Pakistan. She described her opponent, Ayub Khan, as a dictator. Her early rallies nearly 250,000 people turned out to see her in Dhaka, and a million lined the 293 mile route from there to Chittagong. Her train, called the Freedom Special, was 22 hours late because men at each station pulled the emergency cord, and begged her to speak. The crowds hailed her as the mother of the nation.

In her rallies Jinnah argued that, by coming to terms with India on the Indus Water dispute, Ayub had surrendered control of the rivers to India. Jinnah lost the election, but only narrowly, winning a majority in some provinces. The election did not conform to international standards and journalists, as well as subsequent historians, have often suggested it was rigged in favour of Ayub Khan.

[edit] Biography of Jinnah

Main article: My Brother (book)
My Brother
My Brother

Fatima Jinnah's unfinished biography of the Quaid, "My Brother", was published by the Quaid-i-Azam Academy in 1987.

[edit] Death

Fatima Jinnah died in Karachi on July 8, 1967. The official cause of death was heart failure, but rumours persist that she was murdered by the same group who killed Liaquat Ali Khan. In 2003, the nephew of the Quaid-i-Azam, Akbar Pirbhai, reignited the controversy by suggesting that she was assassinated[2]

[edit] Quotes

The following are excerpts from some of her statements.

  • 1963 - Madar-i-Millat's Message to the Nation on Quaid-i-Azam's Birthday:

"The movement of Pakistan which the Quaid-i-Azam launched was ethical in inspiration and ideological in content. The story of this movement is a story of the ideals of equality, fraternity and social and economic justice struggling against the forces of domination, exploitation, intolerance and tyranny".

"Let us sink all our differences and stand united together under the same banner under which we truly achieved Pakistan and let us demonstrate once again that we can, united, face all dangers in the cause of glory of Pakistan, the glory that the Quaid-i-Azam envisaged for Pakistan."

"The immediate task before you is to face the problem and bring the country back on the right path with the bugles of Quaid-i-Azam's message. March forward under the banner of star and the crescent with unity in your ranks, faith in your mission and discipline. Fulfill your mission and a great sublime future awaits your enthusiasm and action. Remember: 'cowards die many times before death; the valiant never taste death but once.' This is the only course of action which suits any self-respecting people and certainly the Muslim Nation."

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ The Indian Express, International Newspaper. "The secular Mussalman". Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  2. ^ New twist to Miss Jinnah controversy - Dawn Pakistan

[edit] References

  • Hector Bolitho (1982). Jinnah Creator of Pakistan. Greenwood-Heinemann Publishing; Reprint edition. ISBN 0-313-23052-8. 
  • The official website [1] contains photographs and details of Fatima Jinnah's early life, education, political career and portrays her efforts along with Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for Pakistan.

[edit] External links

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Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Pakistan Movement Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Personal life
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