‘Quaid-e-Azam stood for democracy, constitutional supremacy and independence of judiciary’

As we approach the 74th death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, we must remember and re-emphasize that the Quaid was the man who stood for and firmly believed in democracy, constitutional supremacy, independence of the judiciary, freedom of speech, expression and worship, rule of law, equality before the law, protection of human and women’s rights, protection of minorities, promotion of education, honesty, integrity, justice and fair play in all walks of life.

According to a statement issued by the Managing Committee constituted under authority of the Board of Management Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Flagstaff House), the Quaid was the man for whom an obituary was published in The Times, London, which read: “Mr. Jinnah was something more than Quaid-i-Azam, Supreme head of the State, to the people who followed him; he was more even than the architect of the Islamic nation he personally called into being. He commanded their imagination as well as their confidence. In the face of difficulties which might have overwhelmed him, it was given to him to fulfil the hope foreshadowed in the inspired vision of the great lqbal by creating for the Muslims of India a homeland where the old glory of Islam could grow afresh into a modern state, worthy of its place in the comity of nations. Few statesmen have shaped events to their policy more surely than Mr. Jinnah. He was a legend even in his lifetime.”

The Quaid was the man who Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III categorized by stating that “of all the statesmen that I have known in my life -- Clemenceau, Lloyd George, Churchill, Curzon, Mussolini, Mahatma Gandhi — Jinnah is the most remarkable. None of these men in my view outshone him in strength of character, and in that almost uncanny combination of prescience and resolution which is statecraft.”

To remember, commemorate and pay homage to our founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, we the Members of the Managing Committee of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum do hereby commit ourselves to continue propagating the principles, ideals and vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a nation-building exercise for the younger generation of Pakistanis not only on 11th September, 14th August and 25th December each year but throughout the year at every available opportunity in order to build a disciplined, honest, stronger and a prosperous Pakistan -- a Pakistan which is resilient and capable of meeting and dealing with its adversaries and other natural disasters with confidence and courage by binding ourselves in the fabric of Pakistan and to function with Unity, Faith and Discipline.

“The difficulties which the Pakistani population is currently facing on account of the unprecedented rainfall and devastating floods throughout the country has led us to postpone an event at Quaid-e-Azam House Museum for students of schools, and in keeping with the need for austerity measures, we are only passing this resolution and pledge to abide by it during our lifetime.”