Mr CHAUDHRY MUHAMMAD ALI
(1905-1980)
The late Chaudhry Muhammad All,
former Prime Minister of Pakistan was born in 1905 in Nagal Ambia, a village
near Jullandar, Punjab into a family of agriculturists.
After completing his education
Chaudhry Sahib appeared in the civil services examinations and was inducted
into the service in Audit and Accounts Group. He rose rapidly through the ranks
of the services.
He served for a time as the
Accountant-General to the Nawab of Bahawalpur and thereafter was transferred
and posted at Delhi. The eve of Second World War found him as one of the very
few Muslims who had secured a high position in the Government of India. By 1945
he was appointed Financial Advisor, War & Supply and was the first Indian
to hold this key position.
By the early 40’s the struggle
for independence had entered into a critical phase, Chaudhry Sahib became a
close aide to the Quaid-e-Azam.
The complete trust that the
Quaid-e-Azam had in Chaudhry Sahib is demonstrated by the fact that he was the
person chosen by the Quaid to represent Pakistan as one of the two members of
the Steering Committee through which the Partition Council acted, dealing with
all those vital issues which had to be decided before partition.
Pakistan was represented on the
Partition Council by the Quaid-e-Azam and Liaquat Ali Khan. At that time
Chaudhry Sahib was but barely in his early 40s and it speaks volumes for his
ability, integrity and complete dedication to the Muslims’ cause that he was
chosen by the Quaid himself to act in such a sensitive and key position.
In 1946 the Interim Government in
India composed of members of Congress on the one hand and the Muslim League on
the other. The Muslims were, because of heir lack of education and experience
in commercial and financial matters, typically regarded by the Hindus as
incapable of having, and indeed lacking in any financial sense at all.
At the urging of Chaudhry Sahib
himself, the Muslim league accepted the Finance portfolio and on February 28,
1947 Liaquat All Khan, who held the portfolio of Finance Minister, presented
his budget.
This was the first budget made by
a non-British Finance Minister in undivided India; it was also the last and
most controversial. The entire work for the preparation of this budget was done
by Chaudhry Sahib himself.
The budget is known to history as
the Poor Man’s Budget and it produced consequences of fundamental importance at
that key stage of the struggle of independence. The budget directly hit the
Hindu Mahasaba, ie the leading Hindu capitalists and businessmen, where it hurt
them the most, namely, in the their pockets.
The budget brought home to the
Hindus like nothing else before it, the fact that in a united India, the
relatively poorer Muslims would constantly demand in the name of social
justice, a share in the wealth of Hindus.
The Budget proved to be and
served as, the final proverbial straw that broke the back of the camel and led
to the acceptance by the Congress leadership of the fact that the sooner the
Muslims were got rid of by partition, the better.
Thus, at the most critical
juncture and on the eve of the most crucial period in the emergence of
Pakistan, Chaudhry Sahib’s efforts led directly to the final step that ended in
the creation of Pakistan.
After partition Chaudhry Sahib
was appointed, again on the direct instructions of Quaid-e-Azam and Liaquat All
Khan, as the very first Secretary General of Pakistan, a post that was
specifically created to deal with the problems of setting up a newly state
virtually from scratch. He also held the post of Cabinet Secretary.
A few years later at the request
of Liaquat All Khan and Khawaja” Nazimuddin, Chaudhry Sahib reluctantly left
the security of Government service, and entered politics. He held the post of
Finance Minister and subsequently became Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1955.
It is a historical fact that he
is the only Prime Minister of Pakistan to have resigned his post although
enjoying the confidence of the majority of the Central Assembly, as the
legislative house was known at that time.
He also had the honour of
steering through the Central Assembly the very first constitution of Pakistan
in 1956 which served as the model for all subsequent such endeavours in this
country. After leaving office in 1956, Chaudhry Sahib remained actively
involved in politics for a number of years till about 1970.
His struggles during the ‘60s,
when he was the head of the Nizam-e-Islam Party, to oppose and dislodge the
regime of Ayub Khan are too well documented and known to require any detailed
examination. The important part that he played in the presidential campaign of
Mader-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah at that time was only one chapter in the long
struggle.
Although Chaudhry Sahib had
suffered a major heart attack in 1953, that never Deterred Or stopped him in
his ceaseless efforts to serve the nation. However, in 1970 he suffered another
heart attack and this time the doctors told him that his health could not take
such strains any longer and that he would have to necessarily retire from
active politics.
He did so only with the greatest
reluctance. Thereafter he assumed the role of a senior statesman in the
country.
His doors always remained opened
to all who sought his advice on matters large or small and he was unofficially
consulted several times by various dignitaries and other important
personalities.
The selfless devotion with which
he had ceaselessly toiled throughout his life for the service of the nation had
however, taken its toll in his health. He suffered a series of heart attacks
throughout this period and finally left this earth for his heavenly abode in
December, 1980.
Quite apart from his public
service and career, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali did one more outstanding service for
Pakistan.
This was his monumental work, The
Emergence of Pakistan, which describes in detail the events that led to the
creation of Pakistan. According to one reviewer of the work, “Chaudhry Muhammad
Ali has given his readers just the kind of inside view that Liaquat All Khan
and Quaid-e-Azam himself would have written, had the opportunity been given to
them.
Much has been written about the
period involved by British and Hindu writers; it took a man of Chaudhri Sahib’s
calibre to present, definitively and elegantly, the Muslim perspective to the
world.
The book reviews and presents a
critical stage in the history of our nation with clarity, depth and vision.
Contributed by the Chaudhry
Muhammad All Charitable Trust.
SIR ADAMJEE HAJI DAWOOD
(1880-1948)
Late Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood was
born in Jetpur, a small town in the present Gujrat state of India in 1880. His
education was though limited, he had an immense potential in trade and commerce
which led to his early business career at the age of 15 in Rangoon, Burma.
In a short period of time,
Adamjee made phenomenal progress in business and was probably the first Muslim
to enter into the field of Industry. In 1923 he established his first
industrial venture by setting up a match factory in Rangoon.
In 1927 he further expanded his
business by setting up a Jute Mill in Calcutta, which became the first Muslim
owned public limited company in India. Adamjees outstanding performance earned
him recognition in various business and political circles and he was elected
the first President of All India Muslim Chamber of Commerce.
Sir Adamjee took keen interest in
philanthropic activities, as welfare of the Muslims was a subject close to his
heart. During his life Adamjee established many welfare institutions such as
Adamjee Hospital in Jetpur and several student hostels all over Muslim India.
Apart from this be founded the
Memon Educational and Welfare Society in 1933 and collected funds to mitigate
the sufferings of the people of Bengal, Bihar and Quetta on account of natural
calamities in 1933-35.
Adamjees work was recognized and
appreciated by Mr Muhammad All Jinnah, Mr Gandhi, Nizam of Hyderabad Deccan Sir
Mir Usman Ali Khan and several British Generals. Mr Jinnah and Adamjee became
close friends and Adamjee was appointed Treasurer and Financial Advisor of the
Muslim League and All India Press Fund.
At the request of Mr Jinnah,
Adamjee was put incharge to oversee the problems faced by Muslims businessmen
due to Hindu domination. Adamjee identified two major areas that needed attention,
and alongwith the support of Mr M.A.H. Ispahani established the Muslim
Commercial Bank and Orient Airways in 1946. After partition the Orient Airways
was transformed into Pakistan International Airlines.
In 1938, King George VI awarded
Knighthood (The title of Sir) to Adamjee in appreciation of his social
activities.
Sir Adamjee’s greatest
contribution was at the time of partition when the Government of Pakistan fell
in financial emergency and was in urgent need of funds. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad
Ali Jinnah called upon Sir Adamjee to contribute in this cause and Sir Adamjee
said whatever I possess belongs to Pakistan’ and handed over a signed blank
cheque to Mr Jinnah. Sir Adamjee was then again called by Quaid-e-Azam for
discussion for the establishment of State Bank of Pakistan where he suffered a
Heart Attack and collapsed after that meeting on 26th January 1948.
Quaid-e-Azam made a public announcement on the death of Adamjee.
“I am deeply grieved on the sad
demise of Adamjee Haji Dawood. He was a True Muslim. He gave full support in
the struggle of freedom. We have lost him when we needed him the most. It is
very difficult to fill his gap in the business community of Muslims. His death
is a big blow for Pakistan.
MAULANA ABDUL HAMID BADAYUNI
(1898-1970)
Maulana Abdul Hamid Badayuni was
a religious scholar and renowned leader of Pakistan Movement. Educated at
Badayun he started teaching at Madrassa-i-Shamsul Uloom, Badayun. In due course
he became a Mufti.
Participated in National
Movements, specially in Khilafat Movement and Anjuman-i-Khuddam-i-Kaba.
Associated with All India Muslim League since 1918, but after the
reorganization of All India Muslim League. Spoke at Minto Part in support of
Lahore Resolution in March 1940.
Popularised the demand for Pakistan
throughout India by delivering speeches. Member, All India Council of All India
Muslim League.
Called All India Sunni Conference
at Banaras in 1946 to support Pakistan on religious basis, worked for the
organization of jamiat-i-Ulama-i-Pakistan and became its president. Founded
Jamia Taleemat-i-Islamia at Karachi. Died in 1970 and buried at Karachi.
Courtesy: Quaid-e-Azam Academy,
Karachi.
To commemorate the Pioneers of
Freedom Pakistan Post Office is issuing a set of 3 commemorate postage stamps
of Rs 2 (each) denomination on August 14, 1999.
