Fatima Jinnah

Fatima was born on 31 July 1893, the youngest of seven children to Jinnahbhai Poonja and his wife Mithibai, in a rented apartment on the second floor of Wazir Mansion, Karachi. Fatima had six siblings: Muhammad Ali, Ahmad Ali, Bunde Ali, Rahmat Ali, Maryam, and Shireen. Of her siblings she was the closest to Muhammad Ali Jinnah who became her guardian upon the death of their father in 1901.She joined the Bandra Convent in Bombay in 1902. In 1919, she was admitted to the highly competitive University of Calcutta where she attended the Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College. After she graduated, she opened a dental clinic in Bombay in 1923.Fatima Ali Jinnah is generally regarded as the 'Mother of Pakistan'. Born to a large family in what was then a colonial territory, Fatima grew up with very strong-minded men. After her father died, she was enrolled in a disciplinarian school where she received high quality education. She later parleyed her knowledge to win a coveted spot at a prestigious university, from where she later graduated with flying colors. Utilizing her education, Fatima became a pioneer by opening one of the first dental clinics operated by a Muslim woman, in her native country of India. Later, as her brother rose to prominence in regional politics, she followed him across the world and then back home again after he successfully founded a new country. Continuing her devotion to his ideals, Fatima continued to engage herself in charitable work after her brother's sudden and untimely death. Finally, in the later years of her life, she rose to political prominence when she challenged a military dictator who had her nation in his iron grip. Although she failed to win the election, she was hailed nationwide as a patriotic hero and an inspiration to millions. After her death, she became a source of universal respect and admiration.

• Fatima Ali Jinnah was born on 30th July 1893, in Karachi, British India. She was the youngest of seven surviving children: Muhammad Ali, Ahmad Ali, Bunde Ali, Rahmat Ali, Maryam, Fatima and Shireen. 
• Her mother was named Mithibai and her father was named Jinnahbhai Poonja. When their father died in 1901, her brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah became her legal guardian. 
• At age 9, Fatima was sent to live in the ‘Bandra Convent’ in Bombay. In 1919, Jinnah enrolled in the ‘University of Calcutta’. Her field of study was dentistry.

Fatima Jinnah is widely considered as the spiritual role model for women in her native Pakistan. She dedicated her entire life to the service of poor and weak. She used her education and position to create awareness regarding women and prenatal health among other social issues.Fatima never married and spent the majority of her life caring for her brother. Because of her fame for being such a devout sister, she is known today as the 'Mother of Pakistan'. In 1986, Jinnah's biography of her brother, 'My Brother', was published posthumously. There are four schools of higher learning in Pakistan named after Jinnah, including a dental college. There is also a park named after her in Islamabad, where houses her tomb

POLITICAL LIFE:

She accompanied her brother to every public appearance that he made.During the transfer of power in 1947, Jinnah formed the Women's Relief Committee, which later formed the nucleus for the All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) founded by Rana Liaquat Ali Khan. She also played a significant role in the settlement of Muhajirs in the new state of Pakistan.In the 1960s, she returned to the forefront of political life when she ran for the presidency of Pakistan as a candidate for the Combined Opposition Party of Pakistan (COPP).She described her opponent, Ayub Khan, as a dictator.In her early rallies, nearly 250,000 people thronged to see her in Dhaka, and a million lined the 293-mile route from there to Chittagong. Her train, called the Freedom Special, was 22 hours late because men at each station pulled the emergency cord, and begged her to speak. The crowds hailed her as Madr-e-Millat, (Mother of the Nation).In her speeches, she argued that by coming to terms with India on the Indus Water dispute, Ayub had surrendered control of the rivers to India. She narrowly lost the election, winning a majority in some provinces. The election did not involve direct democracy of the population, and some journalists and historians believe that if it had been a direct election she could have won.Jinnah, popularly acclaimed as the Madr-e-Millat, or Mother of the Nation for her role in the Freedom Movement, contested the 1965 elections at the age of 71.Except for her brief tour to East Pakistan in 1954, she had not participated in politics since Independence. After the imposition of martial law by Ayub Khan, she once wished the regime well.Yet after martial law was lifted, she sympathised with the opposition as she was strongly in favour of democratic ideals.Being sister of her beloved brother, she was held in high esteem, and came to symbolise the democratic aspirations of the people. The electoral landscape changed when Jinnah decided to contest the elections for the president's office in 1965. She was challenging the dictator and self-proclaimed "president" Ayub Khan in the indirect election, which Ayub Khan had himself instituted.Presidential candidates for the elections of 1965 were announced before commencement of the Basic Democracy elections, which was to constitute the Electoral College for the Presidential and Assembly elections. There were two major parties contesting the election, the Convention Muslim League and the Combined Opposition Parties. The Combined Opposition Parties consisted of five major opposition parties. It had a nine-point program, which included restoration of direct elections, adult franchise and democratisation of the 1962 Constitution. The opposition parties of Combined Opposition Parties were not united and did not possess any unity of thought and action. They were unable to select presidential candidates from amongst themselves; therefore they selected Jinnah as their candidate.Elections were held on 2 January 1965. There were four candidates: Ayub Khan, Fatima Jinnah and two obscure persons with no party affiliation.There was a short campaigning period of one month, which was further restricted to nine projection meetings that were organised by the Election Commission and were attended only by the members of the Electoral College and members of the press. The public was barred from attending the projection meetings, which would have enhanced Jinnah's image.Ayub Khan had a great advantage over the rest of the candidates. The Second Amendment of the Constitution confirmed him as President till the election of his successor. Armed with the wide-ranging constitutional powers of a President, he exercised complete control over all governmental machinery during elections. He utilised the state facilities as head of state, not as the President of the Convention Muslim League or a presidential candidate, and did not hesitate to legislate on electoral matters. Bureaucracy and business, the two beneficiaries of the Ayub Khan regime, helped him in his election campaign. Taking advantage of political opportunities, he brought all the discontented elements together to support him; students were assured the revision of the University Ordinance and journalists the scrutiny of the Press Laws. Ayub Khan also gathered the support of the ulema who were of the view that Islam does not permit a woman to be the head of an Islamic state. Jinnah had detached herself from the political conflicts that had plagued Pakistan after the founder's death. The sight of her moving through the streets of big cities, and even in the rural areas of a Muslim country, added to her popularity. She proclaimed Ayub Khan to be a dictator. Jinnah's line of attack was that by coming to terms with the Republic of India on the Indus Water dispute, Ayub had surrendered control of the rivers over to India. Her campaign generated tremendous public enthusiasm. She drew enormous crowds in all cities of East and West Pakistan. The campaign however suffered from a number of drawbacks. An unfair and unequal election campaign, poor finances, and indirect elections through the Basic Democracy System were some of the basic problems she faced.Jinnah won the popular vote in the presidential election of 1965. However through post election rigging, coercion and manipulation of the electoral college, Ayub Khan got himself elected as the President of Pakistan.It is believed that had the elections been held via direct ballot, she would have won. The Electoral College consisted of only 80,000 Basic Democrats, who were easily manipulated. The importance of this election lay in the fact that a woman was contesting the highest political office of the country. The orthodox religious political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami led by Maulana Maududi, which had repeatedly declared that a woman could not hold the highest office of a Muslim country, modified their stance and supported the candidature of Jinnah. The election showed that the people had no prejudice against women holding high offices, and they could be key players in politics of the country.During a lawsuit, Matloobul Hassan Syed deposed that during Jinnah's election campaign against General Ayub Khan, when some local Shia leaders told her that they would vote for Ayub, she contended that she could represent them better as she was a Shia.According to Liaquat H. Merchant, "the Court was inclined to repose more trust in the avowed non-sectarian public stance of the Quaid and his sister".Both Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his sister "carefully avoided a sectarian label."

TIMELINE:

• In 1923, she graduated from university and opened a dental clinic in Bombay. 
• In 1929, Jinnah closed her dental clinic to take care of her brother full-time. She was prompted to do this after his wife’s demise. 
• In 1930, when her brother Muhammed Ali moved to London, she followed. She stayed there four years and perfected her English. 
• In 1940, she attended a session of the ‘Muslim League’ in Lahore. A year later, she founded the ‘All India Muslim Women Students Federation’ in Delhi. 
• In 1947, when India became independent from Britain, Fatima became much more politically active. She formed the ‘Women's Relief Committee’. 
• At the same time, her brother and guardian, Muhammed Ali Jinnah founded the nation of Pakistan. She attended most of his public rallies and speeches. 
• In 1948, she toured refugee camps in Kashmir. Afterwards, she pushed her brother to accept more immigrants into the country. 
• After her brother's death on September 11, 1948, she continued her work with charitable organizations. 
• In 1949, she organized a festival as part of world health day. She did this to promote better prenatal and newborn health in her country. 
• In 1955, Jinnah helped organize a committee to help victims of a flood in East Pakistan. Two years later, he helped raise funds to build a number of hospitals and clinic to treat victims of tuberculosis. 
• In 1960, she was elected as a member of parliament. Fatima ran as an independent candidate. She held the position for seven years. 
• In 1962, the constitution was amended. Democratic elections for president were scheduled for three years hence. 
• In 1965, Jinnah ran for President of Pakistan. She was the candidate for a group of opposition parties. She narrowly lost the election to Ayub Khan. Because the voting tallies for Jinnah and Khan had been so close, Jinnah's campaign called for a recount of the votes. Khan ultimately remained president. 
• In 1967, Jinnah gave a historical speech to the nation. She warned that 'cowards die many deaths, the valiant never taste death but once', a sharp jab at the ruling president. 
• On July 9, 1967, Jinnah died after a brief illness.

Jinnah remained extremely popular and is considered as one of the greatest female figures Pakistan has produced.Jinnah is a source of the awakening of women's rights.In Pakistan, she rose to stand as Pakistan's national symbol.Jinnah received tremendous honours from the society after her death.Later, the Government of Pakistan built a monument in honour and remembrance of her.