Timeline: 25th December; A Date to Remember - Aabi Asif

Note: This article is dedicated to my grandfather, Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui, who was a journalist. He not only worked alongside the Quaid, but he shared his experiences of the partition. I consider myself to be lucky to have recieved first hand information from someone who actually had seen Pakistan made. He gave me the best gift anyone could have given me, a treasurey of knowledge; the beautiful collection of his books that I refer to from time to time. The speeches I have included in this article are from one of the books he gave me. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen.

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As soon as the first of December arrives there is an air of celebration in the air all over the world. People adorn their houses with lights, streamers, wreaths. They invite each other over, exchange gifts and cards, sing carols and praise their lord as it is the month when Jesus Christ was born.

We in Pakistan also celebrate however in a unique style. All over Pakistan official buildings, roads and in some cases houses also are decorated with lights and the whole nation is also celebrating; our festivities are two fold as we show solidarity with the Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. Secondly, it is also the day our beloved founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born.

Jinnah was born on 25th December 1876, in Karachi at the Wazir Mansion to a merchant family of Khoja sect. He was educated in Karachi and Bombay. He left for England in 1892 to study Law at Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the bar in 1897. After returning to Bombay he joined the Bombay High court.

Jinnah at first stayed away from the sub-continent politics; however, he then started to propagate a united India free from the rule of the British and for the benefit of Hindus and Muslims.

“My message to the Mussalmans is to join hands with your Hindu brethren”. {Jinnah and Gandhi; their role in India’s Quest in freedom: Pg 37}

However, after seeing the connivance of the Hindus Quaid-e-Azam decided to part ways and fight for a separate homeland for the Muslims. He wanted that the Muslims should be able to breathe in an environment where they are able to practice the teachings of Islam freely. Where they were not afraid to pray, to offer sacrifice and in short to lead their lives in free land.

He worked hard day and night along with his devoted team of freedom fighters to establish a country without the British or the Hindus. After that there was no looking back and it was with sheer hard work and dedication that Quaid-e-Azam managed to create a homeland for the Muslims which the Hindus and the British thought not possible.

He won Pakistan for his people with his own unflinching spirit and people’s trust in his sincere and dauntless leadership. Quaid-e-Azam in his message to the nation on 15th of August 1947 said:

“My thoughts are with those valiant fighters in our cause who readily sacrificed all they had including their lives to make Pakistan possible”.

It indeed was because of the tireless efforts of these great leaders that we are what we are today and are living a life of freedom where our children can live without any fear.
We still posses the same spirit and enthusiasm that the Muslims had when Pakistan was being created. The youth of today can very easily give up their life for the sake of protecting what is ours, Our Nation, Pakistan.

December 25th rejuvenates the spirit each year as we show our appreciation to the Quaid by seeing documentaries, plays based on his life.

“Pakistan had come to exist forever and it will by the grace of God exist forever”

Quaid-e-Azam’s words, “Pakistan had come to exist forever and it will by the grace of God exist forever” makes me more energized as I am filled with hope and aspiration that there is still light at the end of the tunnel and we are on the right track.

Pakistan Zindabad!!!