GIVEN the genocidal treatment of non-Hindu citizens, especially Muslim and Christian citizens of India, by Hindu Supremacist government, led by PM Modi in India, the least that was expected of descendants of former Anti-Jinnah/AIML families was, to accept ground realities. However, distortion of history and a malicious propaganda by likes of Ishtiaq Ahmed, facilitated by few, whose ancestors had opposed creation of Pakistan, continues. It would have been far better to benefit from hindsight, in the light of continued abusive hatred of Muslims in India, to seek pardon for mistakes by their ancestors and reconcile to ground realities. While their ancestors, may get benefit of doubt, perhaps overawed by the powers of Colonial Raj and their poverty, this benefit cannot be given to their descendants who witness events in post-Modi tenure and the fate of others living in Rohingya, Palestine etc.
It goes to the credit of MAJ, Allama Iqbal, Nawab Mohsinul Mulk and other pioneers of AIML that they had the vision to access mindset of Hindu Supremacists, which likes of Maulana Azad and Unionists of Punjab failed to do. It was the commitment of the Quaid, Allama Iqbal and others that despite re-enactment of roles of Mir Jaffar and Sadiq, who fell victim to temptations and greed, that Pakistan was established in 1947. MAJ was disgusted by betrayals and intrigues by beneficiaries of British Raj. He decided to leave and settle in London, after the postponement of Round Table conference in January 1931. In his absence, Sir Muhammad Shafi took charge of the affairs. However, he was offered membership of Viceroy’s Executive Council and became too preoccupied with it. He fell ill and died in January 1932.
Sir Fazale Hussain and his colleagues associated with Unionist Party, embarked on plans to wind up ML and join Muslim Conference. They initiated plans to wind up the ML in December 1931 while attending its Annual Session at Delhi by electing Sir Muhammad Zafarullah as its President and amalgamating it with All India Muslim Conference. In June 1932 Sir Zafarullah joined the Viceroy’s Council and resigned. Mian Abdul Aziz, from Peshawar, one of the founding members of ML, took over and ensured that their evil designs did not succeed.
Many prominent Leaguers, members like Hakim Ajmal, Maulana Muhammad Ali, Maharaja of Mahmoodabad had passed away. In such dire circumstances the only leader who could salvage the ML and lead it had self-exiled himself to London. The ML Council deliberated upon it and by March 1933 they sent an urgent cable to MAJ. Allama Iqbal played an active role in convincing the Quaid to return back and lead the political struggle. Before the Quaid could return there was another attempt to sabotage the League. The ML Council met on 28 May 1933 and removed Mian Abdul Aziz from presidentship and appointed an interim president Hafiz Hidayatullah, till such time MAJ returned to rescue it. MAJ arrived in December 1933. Mian Abdul Aziz agreed to dissolve his faction and rejoin ML. On March 4, Quaid was unanimously elected as President with Hafiz Hidayatullah as Hon Secretary.
MAJ had to return back to England to wind up his affairs. However, as soon as he left, the intriguers became active. Nawab Chatari and Sir Fazal-e Hussain, at the behest of Agha Khan, called together some leaders including Nawab Muhammad Yosuf, Syed Raza Ali, Muhammad Yamin Khan, Khan Bahadur Hafiz Hidayat Hussain to a meeting at Simla, where they decided to form League-Conference Parliamentary Majlis, to contest elections to Central Legislature to be held in Oct-Nov 1934 under the 1919 Act. Meanwhile Ch Khaliquzzam and Raja Saleempur met at Lucknow to set up a Unity Board of their own. MAJ came to the rescue when he returned back in October 1935. The League Council met at Delhi in December 1935 which was attended by Muhammad Yaqub, Nawab Liaquat Ali Khan, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Abdullah Haroon, Nawab Ismail, Malik Barkat Ali and over 30 other members to discuss restructuring of the ML and decided to meet again in Bombay. This session was held in April 1936. Allama Iqbal, Malik Barkat Ali, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Abdur Rab Nishtar, Nawab Ismail, M A H Ispahani, Raja Saheb of Mehmood etc worked to make his mission a success. In May 1936, a 54-member board was formed. It held its first meeting in Lahore at the residence of Mian Abdul Aziz, to define policy, programme and manifesto of AIML. The meeting elected the Quaid as its president, Raja Amir Khan of Mahmoodabad as Treasurer and Abdul Matin Ch as Secretary. Although the League won only 102 of the Muslim seats, but its organizational structure came into being. In Punjab the ML managed to win only two seats, namely Malik Barkat Ali and Raja Ghazanfar. The latter, however defected to Unionist Party after results were announced.
It is an unfortunate reality, that valuable record of the freedom movement from 1906 to 1947 was irreparably damaged when it was dumped on the roof of ML House in Karachi, exposed to rain and the elements, when martial law was imposed in 1958. It remained there till 1966. This was criminal intent of Ayub Junta and others, who perhaps wanted to destroy evidence of their tyrannical role. What was more detestable was the wilful distortion and perversion of political and constitutional struggle by the bureaucracy in connivance with Ayub Junta and taught to our youths, as a doctored version of Pakistan Studies. —To be continued
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
