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The Founding Party of Pakistan:op-ed


by Dr Farid A Malik in Pakistan Today, Nov 12, 2020
The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation.
As the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has claimed to be the founding party of Pakistan, as a Muslim League child I decided to counter that false claim. The All India Muslim League (AIML), the real founding party of Pakistan, was formed in 1906 at Decca. When the movement picked up the headquarters of the party was moved to Lucknow. First it was led by Dr Muhammad Iqbal, who envisioned the creation of an Islamic Republic in the Indian Subcontinent, and was given the title of ‘Mufakar-e-Pakistan‘ (He who conceived the idea of Pakistan ). Some scholars argue that it was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan who brought the Muslims into the mainstream of the Indian political and administrative system. His Aligarh University produced the change managers who then played a pivotal role in the creation of the new state and then ran it with honesty and ability. When Iqbal’s health started to fail, he traveled to London to convince the most outstanding lawyer of his time, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to fight the case for Pakistan’s freedom. Jinnah was upright, able and honest. Selflessly he led the freedom struggle. After the partition of India on August 14, 1947, AIML, the party of Iqbal and Jinnah ceased to exist. Jinnah took oath as the first Governor General (GG ) of the republic. He then inducted a six-member cabinet under Liaquat Ali Khan to run the country. Being a constitutionalist, the father of the nation desired to introduce a new constitution for what remained of AIML as the other faction stayed back in India. When his genuine efforts to create a constitutional party were thwarted, Jinnah resigned and walked out of the Executive Committee, severing all ties with the League. Chaudhry Khalique uz Zaman was elected President in place of the Baba-e-Qaum.

Some of the founding fathers remained in the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) as it was then called, while others who were cornered or sidetracked left. Hussain Shaheed Suharwardy, the former Chief Minister of United Bengal and a brilliant lawyer, formed the Awami League which then became the founding party of Bangladesh. After the death of Jinnah in September 1948, the old colonial establishment that the new country inherited started to flex its ‘imperial muscles’. It started with the murder of Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister (PM). Khawaja Nazimuddin, the GG, was pushed to step down to replace the PM while Baboo Ghulam Muhammad managed to become the GG. The tussle continued between the political and colonial forces till Ayub Khan imposed the first Martial Law on 27 October 1958, a bad day for both Pakistan and Kashmir. For political legitimacy he then formed the first King’s Party called Pakistan Muslim League (Convention) with headquarters on Davis Road Lahore. The building is currently occupied by another King’s Party by the name of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) which emerged from Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) after Musharraf’s Martial Law in 1999. Around 120 legislators left King Zia’s Party to join the new outfit. I remember Ghulam Haider Wyne, the first post-IJI ( Islami Jhamoori Ittehad ) Chief Minister of Punjab who replaced Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif who was awarded the Premiership for his loyal services to the King, used to reside in Muslim League House. As an old AIML fellow worker, he used to visit my father on his bicycle. Wyne Sahib in many ways resembled the current CM, obedient and loyal to the boss. Most PML(N) stalwarts or their parents in some cases remained in the establishment camp and actively supported Ayub Khan against Fatima Jinnah in the 1965 Presidential elections which was stolen by the King’s Party. Had they an iota of respect for the Baba-e-Qaum and his party they would not have dared to even raise their voice at the Mazar-e-Quaid.

Hounding, not founding, parties like the PML(N) were all approved at Gate No. 4 of GHQ, but were launched at the Muslim League House on Davis Road Lahore. PML (Pagaro) and then PML(N) were the brainchildren of the third dictator Zia-ul-Haq, and were formed to steal the mandate of Bhutto’s People’s Party. It is the only party that has been able to achieve absolute or two-thirds majority, not once but twice, mostly by manipulating the electoral system by use of their appointed loyalists in the ranks of the all-powerful patwaris and police. Almost all civilian institutions have been hounded by the likes of the Gullu Butts of the party. PML-Nawaz and its leadership have nothing in common with the AIML led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Allama Iqbal personally convinced Jinnah to take over the leadership of the Muslim League while Mian Nawaz Sharif had to polish the shoes of Generals to land in the corridors of power. Nothing was earned through honest hard work, instead it was a power grab which has continued till today.

Once I had the opportunity to discuss the selection credentials of Mian Sahib with Lt Gen (retd) Ghulam Jilani Khan, who discovered his latent potential as he was a very ordinary student at Government College Lahore. The only positive quality he could think of was the ability to reach consensus, or in other words ‘muk muka‘. The Quaid never compromised on principles. He never faked illness to gain personal favours, instead he put up a brave face despite suffering from a serious life-threatening ailment. Till today no one has been able to know the latest platelets count of Mian Sahib after he landed in London. My father Nazir Ahmed Malik, the soldier of the independence movement and Tehreek-e-Pakistan Gold Medalist, at the top of his do and do not’s has penned in his own words, “No compromises do not fear confrontation.” Muk Muka was unknown to the founding fathers of Pakistan. Muslim League perished with the death of Baba-e-Qaum. His sister tried to resist but was opposed by these so called fake Leaguers who were a product of the establishment at various junctures.

A reference should be filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the anti-state statements and activities of the former establishment child PML(N), after which no party should be allowed to exploit the name of the founding party of Pakistan, the one and only All-India Muslim League, which was founded in 1906 at Dacca. At least there should be some respect for Jinnah’s party. Why are the trademark and copyright laws not being invoked to protect the legacy of Baba-e-Qaum?
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/11/11/the-founding-party-of-pakistan/