Jinnah was a visionary leader, says Al-Ghamdi

Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) celebrated Quaid-e-Azam Day — the 138th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.
Saudi intellectual, writer and former diplomat Ali Al-Ghamdi presided over the event, with Saeed Al-Farha, former head of coordination International Civil Aviation Authority for the Kingdom in Canada, as the chief guest.
Hamid Islam Khan opened the session and elaborated PRC’s effort in solving the issues related to stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh and Kashmiris. He paid rich tributes to Quaid-e-Azam.
Al-Ghamdi said in his presidential address that he considers himself a Pakistani and Muhammad Ali Jinnah as his leader. “Jinnah was not only a great leader of Pakistan but of of the entire Muslim world,” he said.
He said in the beginning Jinnah joined the Congress but when he realized that his and the Hindu majority’s views were divergent he decided that it was not possible to work together and later joined the Muslim League championing the cause of a separate state for the Muslims of the subcontinent. This was eventually established in 1947 with a lot of sacrifices of Muslims of Bihar and other minority provinces of India.
He quoted what Western historian Stanley Hedley wrote about Jinnah: “Few individuals significantly change the course of history; fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all those three.”
He added: “In 1947, a lot of Muslims moved to East Pakistan but they became captive in 1971 after the creation of Bangladesh, so it is the duty of Pakistan to bring them back by repatriating and rehabilitating them.”
Al-Farha strongly condemned the recent act of barbarism meted out to innocent students at a Peshawar school. In fact, the entire Muslim world is suffering from such so-called Muslim extremist terror organizations that like to kill innocent Muslims and non-Muslims to satisfy their ego; their acts are totally against the tenets of Islam.
Choudhry Riaz Ghumman of Kashmir Committee praised Ghamdi for his support to Pakistan’s cause of Kashmiris and stranded Pakistanis.
Tayyab Mosani, secretary general of Pakistan Memon Association, said Pakistan was achieved after a lot of sacrifices, especially of Muslims of minority provinces of India. Even today patriotic Pakistanis are suffering in Bangladesh, which denies them the basic rights of citizenship.
Community leader Shamsuddin Altaf said Jinnah promised to implement the Islamic system in Pakistan where not only Muslims but the rights of non-Muslims will also be protected, and justice given to all.
Azeez Ahmed, general secretary of Pakistan Engineers’ Society, said Quaid-e-Azam’s honesty, vision and wisdom were unique.
Writer and social worker Mohammad Amanatullah said: “We must stop the linguistic, religious and parochial thinking and become united Pakistanis as per teachings of Quaid-e-Azam.”
Maqboolur Rahman Abbassi of Pakistan Journalists Forum (PJF) and community member Mohammad Akram Agha also extolled the services of Jinnah.
Convener Syed Ehsanul Haque said Jinnah’s personality of strong character, honesty and courage, and his firm commitment toward the mission helped in realizing Pakistan — the dream of Allama Iqbal.
PRC Secretary General Abdul Qayyum Wasiq gave a presentation on Jinnah and conducted the proceedings.