Sir Mohammad Shafi

The City District Government Lahore has invited public opinion on naming a newly-built road as ‘Sir Mohammad Shafi Road’. Sir Mohammad Shafi (1869-1932) was a leader of the All India Muslim League (Punjab chapter). No doubt his efforts for the wellbeing of Muslims of the Subcontinent are praiseworthy. But Mohammad Shafi was also responsible for causing a split in the League at a time when Muslims’ struggle to have due share in the constitution after the publication of the Nehru Report and Quaid-e-Azam’s Fourteen Points was passing through a crucial stage, He headed one of the League factions.

It was the time when the Simon Commission was visiting India to formulate the basics for the new constitution. The split weakened the bargaining position of the League. Quaid-e-Azam did participate in roundtable conferences thereafter but he was so upset and disheartened at this disunity that he decided to settle in Britain. In view of the involvement of Sir Mohammad Shafi in certain controversies, the road should be assigned any other suitable name after any other undisputed leader of the League.

Ahmed Noman

Islamabad