‘Quaid-e-Azam’s legacy also lives on through his contributions to education, journalism’

Senior Vice Chairman of the Board of Management of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum Liaquat H Merchant has said the demise of Pakistan’s founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah only 13 months after the country gained independence was an unfortunate event.

Reflecting on Jinnah’s enduring legacy, Merchant highlighted that the Quaid's profound wisdom on governance, state-citizen relationships, the role of the armed forces, and minority rights remained invaluable to Pakistan. He referred to the book ‘Quotes from the Quaid’, recommended by renowned historian Stanley Wolpert, as a vital resource for every citizen.

He was speaking at a commemorative assembly of the Board of Management of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum on Wednesday titled ‘Jinnah’s Legacy and the Role of the Armed Forces in Protecting and Safeguarding the Territorial Integrity of Pakistan’.

Merchant elaborated on Jinnah’s physical legacy, citing his last will, penned on May 30, 1939, in Bombay. In it, the Quaid-e-Azam made provisions for his immediate family and allocated substantial portions of his estate to educational institutions, including Aligarh University, Islamia College Peshawar, and Sindh Madressatul Islam in Karachi. While Sindh Madressah and Islamia College received their full bequests, the Indian government’s restructuring of Aligarh University led to a legal dispute.

The Sindh High Court later directed Jinnah's bequest to Aligarh to be allocated to the Quaid-e-Azam Aligarh Education Scholarship Trust. Since its inception in 1985-86, this trust has awarded over 7,000 scholarships to deserving Pakistani students, providing more than Rs65 million to support education at 46 institutions across the country.

These beneficiaries, referred to as ‘Jinnah Scholars’, belong to various fields, and studied at educational institutions such as the NED University of Engineering and Technology, Dow University of Medical Sciences, and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences among others.

Merchant also underscored Jinnah’s contribution to Pakistan’s media landscape through the establishment of Dawn newspaper. Founded by Jinnah under the Dawn Trust in 1946, the paper was intended to provide Muslims with a platform for news and public discourse. Dawn, which continues to carry the proud note of being "founded by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah", remains a significant part of his legacy to Pakistan, he said.

The Quaid-e-Azam House, formerly known as Flagstaff House, was purchased by Jinnah in 1943 with the intention of residing there after retirement. Though Jinnah himself never lived in the house, his sister Fatima Jinnah resided there from 1948 to 1964.

The property, now managed by the Sindh government and renamed Quaid-e-Azam House Museum, serves as a venue for activities aimed at nation-building particularly focused on youth development.

“Each of these contributions from Mr. Jinnah continues to play a vital role in shaping Pakistan today,” Merchant said, stressing that the legacy of Quaid-e-Azam lives on, not only in the ideals he stood for but also through tangible contributions to education, journalism and nation-building.