December 25 marks the birthday of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, reverently called Quaid-i-Azam (The Great Leader) and Baba-i-Qaum (Father of the Nation) by the Pakistani people. This day is celebrated all over Pakistan in commemoration of his struggles and sacrifices for achieving a separate homeland for his people. Jinnah’s staunch support for a united front against the British imperialist government and his ardent advocacy of Indian self-rule in the early years of his career earned him the title of “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity” among the people of the subcontinent. His steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, his staunch resistance to the French occupation of African territories, his strong opposition to the Dutch attack on Indonesia, and his promise to provide all diplomatic and material support to Muslim freedom movements in Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, Malaya and Morocco gave him a high reputation in the Muslim world and beyond. A number of memorial structures have been erected across Pakistan and around the world to recognize, respect and glorify Jinnah’s admirable services.
The Quaid-i-Azam University, formerly known as the University of Islamabad, was established in July 1967 under an Act of the National Assembly. Its foundation was laid by Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan on the birthday of the Holy Prophet (as). Until 1976, the university was named after Jinnah at the time of the leader’s birth centenary celebration to honor his vision of educated youth. Being a public sector federal university, it invites students from all over Pakistan. Famous among students as “mini-Pakistan” due to its cultural diversity, this esteemed institute is an amalgam of all the cultures of Pakistan, including Hindu culture. Here the force of national integration transcends the boundaries of ethnic, religious and racial strife. Multiculturalism is the beauty of this prestigious institution, but the actual greatness attributed to the name of this university is its international reputation due to its outstanding performance in various fields of research, giving it a place among the top four hundred universities. good of the world. This makes it attractive to a large number of foreign students. Included in its alumni are prominent politicians, journalists, educators, bureaucrats, diplomats and military generals.
Pakistan’s Antarctic program dates back decades to 1991, when the country sent its first expedition to the South Pole with its top-level scientists and logistical personnel – being the first Muslim country to achieve this major feat. The expedition was carried out under the auspices of the National Institute of Oceanography which was established by the country’s Ministry of Science and Technology nearly a decade ago. Between 1991 and 1992, Pakistan succeeded in establishing two scientific research stations: Jinnah Antarctic Station I and II. The Pakistan Navy provided logistical support for the research effort as well as the establishment of these stations. Currently, the country has a summer research station and a weather observatory, while its scientists are also participating in Chinese expeditions to Antarctica.
A six-pillared monument with a dome-shaped structure, the Jinnah Tower, was built around 1945 in the heart of Guntur on Mahatma Gandhi Road in India. According to an anecdote, Xhina was invited by Lal Jan Basha to speak at a public meeting in the city of Guntur. Unfortunately, he could not attend and sent Liaqat Ali Khan as his emissary. The minaret-like tower was then built by the organizers to commemorate the event. A historical account mentions that the mayor of Tellakula Jalayya was responsible for the construction of the tower during his tenure. The monument, also referred to as the Jinnah Centre, is one of the few examples of Muslim architecture in the region. On 26 January 2022, when India celebrated its 73rd Republic Day, the Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) painted the tower with the national tricolor; saffron, white and green. The symbol has been a subject of controversy in India, where the BJP and other Hindu organizations have called for the city’s landmark to be renamed. However, despite the ongoing public feuds and enduring enmity between the two South Asian neighbors, this pre-Independence tower built to commemorate Jinnah still stands as a symbol of peace and harmony.
In 1948, the council of the Trinidad Muslim League (TML) came up with the design of a mosque, the foundation of which was laid by Mirza Abdul Hassan Isphani, the Pakistani ambassador to the United States. It was designed by British architects Mence and Moor. The plot of land was given to TML by the then colonial government. The founder of the mosque, Moulvi Ameer Ali, and supporters of TML, contributed huge donations for the construction of this mosque. Construction was completed in 1954 and the monument was named the Jinnah Memorial Mosque. Located in St. The six smaller narrow domes give the mosque a hexagonal structure. The erection of this extraordinary shrine in a Caribbean island country is an emblem of worldwide recognition of Jinnah’s invaluable contributions.
Located in the heart of the capital of Turkey, Ankara, is a major street Cinnah Caddesi (Jinnah Street), one of the most important traffic arteries in the political and commercial center. It is built as a multi-lane all-weather road. Along the road are the embassies of the foreign nations of India, Canada and Afghanistan, as well as various residential buildings, private institutions, shopping malls and offices of important banks and corporations. The road was named after the Founder of Pakistan, who not only praised the efforts of the “father of the Turks” Mustafa Kamal for the modernization of the Muslim state, but also took inspiration from his nation-building efforts. He called Mustafa “a leading figure in the Muslim East” and “an inspiration” to Indian Muslims in their struggle for an independent state. This road is not just a symbol of the similarity between the thoughts of the two founders of the nations, but also of the long friendly ties between Pakistan and Turkey.
The list of places and structures commemorating Jinnah in Pakistan and abroad is very long; Jinnah Sports Stadium Islamabad, Jinnah Bridge Karachi, Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Jinnah Hospital Karachi, Jinnah Garden Faisalabad, Jinnah Park Rawalpindi, Jinnah Naval Base Ormara, Muhammad Ali Jinnah House Delhi, Muhmmad Ali Jenah Expressway Tehran, Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali Jinnah Street Jinnah Way Chicago, Jinnah Court in Bradford and many more.
Erecting structures and attributing places in the name of leaders shows the recognition, respect and appreciation of a nation for the commendable services, struggles and sacrifices rendered by them to secure and protect the freedom of their people. Visiting such places makes us feel the intangible antiquities and hear the whispers of history. It encourages people to think and talk about their history, making them understand and revitalize their identity by stretching an unbreakable link between their present and glorious past. Memorial structures must be polished before our connection to history and our heroes is broken.
-The writer is a Defense and Strategic Studies (DSS) student at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. He previously worked as a research intern at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad (ISSI).
