BabaeQuam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: An Apology
If the nation cannot defend its founder, his grandson must be called in
SENATOR Walid Iqbal, the grandson of Dr Muhammad Iqbal Lahori, while addressing the Senate, challenged the goons of PML(N) to dare to desecrate the mausoleum of his grandfather as they did at the last resting place of the BabaeQaum. “We, the grandchildren of the Poet of the East, will not only throw you out, we will also tear your clothes”. On hearing his roar, I felt sorry for Jinnah as there is no one in his immediate family to stand up for him. His grandson and great grandson (Nusli Wadia and his son Ness Wadia) live in Bombay where the battle for the control of Jinnah House is being waged between their family and the governments of both India and Pakistan. We have failed the Father of the Nation. He cannot even rest in peace in a country that he created with his sweat and blood through his selfless struggle. On my part, I am tendering an unconditional apology as I bow my head in shame and utter helplessness, together with my 220 Millionstrong countrymen and one of the best armed forces of the world. I am appealing to Nusli Wadia the grandson of the Quaid to come and protect the grave of his grandfather as we are unable to do so.
Walid’s grandfather Allama Iqbal, as he is called in this country that he envisioned, was born in Sialkot in November 1877. He then moved to Lahore for higher education and then settled here to practice law and inspire the nation with his revolutionary poems. The creation of an Islamic Republic was his dream, he led the Muslim League and when his health failed he convinced Jinnah to lead the freedom movement. Allama Sahib died in April 1938 and was buried close to the steps of the grand Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. Nusli’s grandfather was born in Karachi in December 1876 and died there in September 1948, to be buried in the city of his birth. Karachi is rightly called the city of the Quaid. Only in Iran, Allama is known as Dr Iqbal Lahori, otherwise both the cities of Sialkot and Lahore lay claim on him. Dr Iqbal always praised Maulvi Hasan of Sialkot for laying the foundations of this thought process and then Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi of Konya for his spiritual awakening. Jinnah belonged to Karachi, he studied at the historic Sindh Madrassa and then was trained to be a barrister at the famous Lincoln’s Inn in London. As Governor General he arrived at the city of his origin, appointed the first elected government of the republic to start the journey of a new nation.
Senator Walid Iqbal also said that we should first learn to respect the BabaeQaum. The slogan should be ‘ Quaid Ko Izzat Do (Respect the Leader)’. While insulting the Quaid how can we expect respect for the vote? This is the dilemma of the Sarkari Leagues like the PML(N). While they do not follow the impeccable character of Jinnah, they expect to command the same respect as he did. They steal votes using ‘Patwaris’ and the Police, then expect their mandate to be honoured. The standing and status of Captain (retd) Safdar Awan is also not clear. Now that he is involved in dubious activities unbecoming of an officer, his rank needs to be cleared. Did he retire or was he released from the Army? Can he carry the rank of a Captain as reported in the media? I request ISPR to clear this ambiguity. The course of future legal action will be determined by this clarification. He may have to be stripped of his rank.
Through this article I want to draw the attention of the following to preserve the sanctity of MazareQuaid: President, Prime Minister,
Chief Minister Sindh, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, Army Chief, Naval Chief, Air Chief, IG Police Sindh, DG Rangers Sindh, DG ISI, DG MI, DG IB, in case they are unable to protect the last wordily remains of BabaeQaum, I will have no option but to write to his grandson to step in. After the death of the only child of the Quaid, Ms Dina Jinnah in 2017, her son Nusli Wadia has now replaced his mother in the legal battle to take ownership of the Jinnah House in Bombay. His grandfather also created a state in which he is not even allowed to rest in peace. Now it is up to his legal heirs to come and protect his last worldly remains. In January 2021 I will personally write to Nusli who is a leading businessman of Bombay to play his role as we have failed to do so. It is in the best interests of BabaeQaum to hand over the Mazar to his family members. I also request the Army Chief, now that he has taken notice of the situation, to put Safdar Awan on 24/7 surveillance to stop him from desecrating the resting places of our leaders. We, the 220 million people of Pakistan, feel vulnerable to such acts of vandalism. He should be allowed to visit the graves of his family members only, and the rest should be declared out of bounds for loose cannons like him. Where are we heading? My sincere apology to the Quaid as we have failed him. I agree with Senator Walid, let us learn to respect the Quaid and follow in his footsteps. After him, his party, Muslim League, has become a brand name that has been misused over and over again by dictators and their leftovers, and such a party must come an end. Since the first dictator Ayub Khan laid the foundations of his Pakitsan Muslim League (Convention), politics have not been the same. Power grabbing has been the norm. Real and orderly transfer of power has not taken place. The PML(N) was able to grab power through an establishment alliance put together by Generals Beg and Durrani together with President Ishaq Khan by the name of Islami Jahmoori Ittehad (IJI). Since then there has been no looking back. The party and its leaders have turned out to be ‘ Political Monsters’ who can attack vital state institutions and then get away with their highhandedness. The MQM remained untouchable in Karachi and urban Sindh till their influence was neutralized by state intervention. Free and fair elections are not possible till the PML(N) is dealt with in a similar fashion. In the meantime, please let the founders (Jinnah, Iqbal) rest in peace or hand over this responsibility to their family members.