10/4/2016

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.|cyrusdurant

cyrusdurant
ThisWordPress.comsiteisthebee's
knees

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.
PostedonJune28,2012

HelloEveryone!
ImverysorryforthelongdelayIvebeenworkingmuchmorethanIexpectedbutaspromisedheresparttwoof
mybioofMuhammadAliJinnahfocusingontheGood,Bad,andUglythingshedidforPakistan.Enjoy!
TheGood:
Jinnahstrenuouslystrovetoprotectminorities:JinnahsvisionofPakistanasexemplifiedinthespeechI
reprintedinpartoneofthisbiowasonewhereminoritiesofeverykindcouldliveandthriveinpeaceand
prosperityplayinganactiveandimportantroleinthestoryofPakistan.
Hebelievedinequalrightsforwomen:Jinnahfoughtallhislifefortheempowermentandrightsofwomen
correctlypointingoutthatIslamdidnotsanctionthetreatingofwomenassecondclasscitizensorpropertywho
hadtobekeptwithinthewallsofthehouseatalltimes.Infactmostoftheantiwomencustomsthatpredominate
inthePakistanhavenobasisinIslambutareinfactrelicsofculturalrestrictionsimposedlongbeforeIslamor
evenHinduismarrivedintheIndiansubcontinent.
HefashioneddiverseMuslimcommunitiesintoaunifiednation:Jinnahspentdecadesfashioning
theincrediblydiverseMuslimcommunitiesofIndiaintoaunifiednationworkingtoachievethecreationof
Pakistanaremarkableachievementbyanystandard.
HewasastaunchsecularMuslim:Asevidencedbysomeofthequotesinpartoneofthebio,Jinnahhadno
intentionofPakistanbecominganysortofIslamicstate.Hebelievedverystronglythatmosqueandstatehadto
beseparatedandthatallreligionshadtobeabletopreachfreeofanysortofdiscrimination.
Heencouragededucationforall:Jinnahwasalifelongadvocateofeducationforallparticularlywomenand
thepoor.Jinnahhimselfwashighlyeducatedaswashissister.
Hedidhisbesttopreventviolencebefore,during,andafterpartition:Jinnahabhorredviolenceand
demandedhisfollowersobeythelawandresistfromretaliatingwhentheywereattacked.When
violencespiraledoutofcontrolduringthepartitionofthePunjab,JinnahdidhisbesttoorganizePakistaniforces
toprotectMuslims,Hindus,andSikhsalike,andevenpleadedwiththeBritishgovernmenttodeployBritish
troopswithshoottokillorderstothePunjab.
Hewasveryfrugalandstaunchlydeploredcorruption:Despitemakingaverylargeincomefromhislaw
practiceJinnahlivedquitefrugally(apartfromhissuitsperhaps).DuringcabinetmeetingsinPakistanherefused
toallowChaitobeservedarguingthatitwasaneedlessexpense.Jinnahconstantlyrailedagainstcorruption
whichhebelievedwoulddestroyPakistan.
https://cyrusdurant.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/muhammadalijinnahthegoodthebadandtheuglyparttwo/

1/6

10/4/2016

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.|cyrusdurant

HeemployedanAhmadiforeignminister:Jinnahdidnotbelieveindiscriminationandappointedavery
talentedAhmadiashisforeignminister.AhmadisaretheMuslimequivalentsofMormonsandmanymore
orthodoxMuslimsdespisethemahatewhichJinnahcondemned.
Hewasabrilliantlawyerandagreatorator:JinnahwasaveryhardworkingverysuccessfullawyerwhoI
thinkservesasawonderfulrolemodelofhowmuchhardworkandperseverancecanpayoff.Hewasalsoa
renownedorator.IhappentohaveasoftspotforpublicspeakingbutIthinkwecanallagreethatitisquitea
wonderfulthingwhenthewordsofanotherpersoncanmoveustodogreatthingsasJinnahsspeecheswilled
IndianMuslimstopushforPakistan.
HehelpedendtheBritishRaj:Jinnahhelpedendalongandviolentsubjugationof400millionpeopleand
forthathecertainlydeservespraise.
Hedemandedthatthemilitarywastobeunderciviliancontrol:Pakistanssubsequenthistoryof
frequentmilitarycoupswouldhaveneverhappenedifJinnahaslivedashemadeclearmanytimesthatthearmy
hadnoroletoplayexceptwhatitwasorderedtodobytheGovernmentofPakistan.
Hewasaverystylishdresser:JinnahwasoneoftheNewYorkTimesbestdressedmenof1946helooked
damngoodinasuit.ReputedlyJinnahownedover200suitsandneverworethesamesilktietwice.
TheBad:
Hebearssomeresponsibilityforthebloodbaththatwaspartition:PartitionwasacomplexeventthatI
willgetintoinalaterpost,andcertainlynoonepersoncanbeblamed.Butatleastamillionpeoplewerekilled,15
millionpeopleforcedtofleetheirhomesforever,hundredsofthousandsofwomenrapedandoftenmutilated,and
atleast75000womenabductedwithcountlesshomes,placesofworships,andbusinessburnttotheground.
IndiasleadershipatthetimemustbeheldaccountableforsuchhorrendousnumbersandJinnahwasforemost
amongthatleadership.WithoutJinnahsdemandforPakistanthereneverwouldhavebeenaPartitionofthe
PunjabandBengalthereforesomeoftheblamecanbelaidatJinnahsfeet.
Mostofhisdeputiesweremediocritiesatbest:ForeignobserversbelievedthatmostofPakistansearly
leadershipwiththeexceptionofJinnah,hisrighthandmanLiaquatAliKhan,andhisAhmadiforeignminister,
weremediocritieswhowouldbeincapableofleadingPakistan.WhichwassadlytoprovetrueafterJinnahsdeath
andKhansassassination.
Hesmoked50cigarettesaday:ImnotcriticizingJinnahjustbecausehewasasmokerinanagewheremany
ifnotmostmenwerebutforthehighnumberofcigaretteshesmokedaday.50cigarettesadayisaveryserious
addictionanditshowsIthinkthatJinnahhadproblemscopingwithallthestressinhislifeandthatthecigarettes
wereawaytoletofsomeofthatstress.Imnotfaultinghimforaveryhumanweaknessbutifyousingle
handedlycreateandthensetouttoruleanewcountryyoushouldbeabletobetterhandlestressespecially
withouttheaidofdrugs.
HehadtuberculosisandinsistedontakingamajorroleinPakistansaffairs:Those50cigarettesa
daymanifestedthemselvesintheformoftheTuberculosisthatJinnahcontractedsometimeinthe1940s.Despite
knowingthathislifewouldnotbealongoneJinnahinsistedonbecomingheadofstateofPakistanin1947.Itis

https://cyrusdurant.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/muhammadalijinnahthegoodthebadandtheuglyparttwo/

2/6

10/4/2016

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.|cyrusdurant

hardtofaulthimforwantingtoplayaroleinthenewnationhehadcreatedbuthisearlydeathin1948wasto
havedisastrousconsequencesforPakistan.
HebecameGovernorGeneralbutranthegovernment:Pakistansinternconstitutionwasbasedoffof
BritishtraditionsandtheGovernorGeneral,representingtheKingwastheheadofstateandalllegalorders
flowedfromhiminrealitythoughitwastheofficeofthePrimeministerthatheldrealexecutivepower.Jinnah
ratherthanremainingatitularheadofstatealsochairedcabinetmeetingsandusurpedmanyoftheP.M.s
functions.ThisdangeroustrendofHeadofStatesactinglikeHeadofGovernmentshasbeenahugeproblemin
Pakistanshistory.
HeencouragedBengaliMuslimstoagitateforPakistanbutdidnottrulywantthemin
Pakistan:JinnahonlywantedBengalifitcameintoPakistanasanundividedterritoryincludingitsmaincityof
Calcuttawhichwasawealthyport.HoweverCalcuttaandWestBengalweremainlyHinduandwouldnotaccept
beinginPakistansoBengalwaspartitionedwithonlythepoorerMuslimmajorityEastBengalgoingtoPakistan
whichsetupthedangeroussituationofBengalisbeingthemajorityinanewcountrythatwasnotsupposedto
haveincludedthem.
HeworkedwiththeFeudalclassinsteadofempoweringthepeople:Jinnahwasneververyintouch
withthecommonmananddecidedtoworkwiththeFeudalclassthatcontrolledmostofthelandinWest
Pakistan.Jinnahbelievedthatpoliticswasagentlemensgameanditwasmuchmoregentlemanlytositdownand
negotiatewithwealthylandownersthanitwastotravelamongthepoorandearntheirvotes.Tothisdaythe
feudalclasscontrolsmostofthelandandkeepsmanypoorfarmersintheirthrallasnoseriouslandreformhas
everbeenundertakeninPakistan.
HehadapoorgraspofUrdu:JinnahdeclaredUrduthesoleofficiallanguageofPakistanyethehimselfcould
barelyspeakitnoranyoftheothervernacularlanguagesofPakistan.InsteadhehadtocommunicateinEnglish,a
languagewhichmostofthepopulationcouldnotunderstand.SinceallofhisfamousspeecheswereinEnglish
mostpeopleinPakistantodayhavenoideathatJinnahwantedPakistantobeasecularstate.
HebearspartoftheresponsibilityfortheKashmirdispute:ThewholeKashmirdisputeisverycomplex
butbasicallyKashmirwasaMuslimmajoritystateandshouldhavegonetoPakistanbutitsHinduleader
supportedbyIndianPMNehruwenttoIndiainstead.ItwasNehruwhoescalatedtheKashmirdisputebutJinnah
didnothingtostopthePashtuntribesmenfromadvancingintoKashmirspreadingwidespreaddevastationin
theirwake.HislaterordertoadvancethePakistanarmyintoKashmirwasaseriousescalationofquestionable
legality.WorseitstartedalongtrendofthePakistanistateusingprivatemilitiastofurthertheStatesobjectives
ortoprovideacoverbeforeeventualofficialintervention.
HetriedtoaccepttheaccessionofseveralHindumajoritystatesintoPakistan:Therewereseveral
HindumajoritystateswithinIndianterritorythathadMuslimleadersandJinnahaggressivelycourtedthem.It
wascertainlyhypocriticalforJinnahtobesoopposedtoMuslimmajorityKashmirsaccessiontoIndiawhilst
tryingtogaintheaccessionofHindumajoritystatestoPakistan.
HereferredtoIndiaasHindustan:ThetermHindustanwasanarchaiconeandbynotcallingIndia,India,
JinnahwasimplicitlystatingthatIndiaslargeMuslim,Sikh,christian,Buddhistandotherminoritieswouldhave
noplaceinIndia.
https://cyrusdurant.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/muhammadalijinnahthegoodthebadandtheuglyparttwo/

3/6

10/4/2016

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.|cyrusdurant

HeusedforcetobringBaluchistanintoPakistan:JinnahsentinthePakistanArmytoensure
theaccessionofthevariousstatesthatcomprisedBaluchistanthefirstinalonglineofviolentcrackdownsbythe
governmentofPakistanonthepeopleofBaluchistan.
HedidnothingtorepealtheFCRorbringthetribalareasintothemainstream:Jinnahkeptinplace
theFrontierCrimesRegulationsasetofbrutalBritishlawsdesignedtodenythePashtunpeoplesofthetribal
areasoftheformerNWFPbasiclegalandpoliticalrights.TheFCRallowsforcollectivepunishment,indefinite
detention,norightofappeals,andcasesareheardbycivilservantsoftheFederalgovernment.TheFCRwas
implementedtobringtheoftrebellioustribestoheelandshouldhavebeenrepealedimmediatelyafterPakistan
gainedIndependence.InsteadJinnahchangednothing,andtragicallynootherleadersincehaseither.Tothisday
thepeopleoftheTribalAreasaredeniedbasicrightsandarenottrulyapartofPakistanbutratherruledby
Pakistan.
TheUgly:
HesowedtheseedsofEastPakistanssecession:JinnahdeclaredUrdutobethesoleofficiallanguageof
Pakistandespiteitbeingspokenonlyby7%ofthepopulation,mostofwhomhadfledfromIndiatoPakistan
duringPartition.TheBengalisofEastPakistanwhomadeup54%ofPakistanstotalpopulationandproduced
mostofPakistanswealthwereenragedthatBengaliwasnotmadeanofficiallanguage.Demonstrationsandriots
brokeoutandthesituationgrewsoseriousthatJinnahhimselfhadtoflytoDhaka(thecapitalofEastPakistan)
inMarchof1948tocalmthesituationinsteadJinnahmadewhatwasinmyopinionthestupidestspeechofhis
career.
AddressingacrowdedmeetinginDhakaJinnahreiteratedthatonlyUrducouldserveas
PakistansofficiallanguageandhelptouniteallherMuslims.Healsodeclaredthatthosewhowereagitatingfor
BengaliasanofficiallanguageweretraitorsandenemiesofPakistan.Toaddinsulttoinjuryhethendeclaredthat
BengaliwasaHindulanguagenotfittobespokenbyMuslims.
Jinnahscontentionthatalanguagespokenbyatinyminorityofthepopulationcouldsomehowuniteafractious
countrywasludicrousandhisdisregardforthelanguageofthemajoritypopulationwasinsane.Keepinmind
thatJinnahhimselfcouldbarelyspeakUrduandhetoldtheBengalisthattheirlanguagehadnoplaceinPakistan
whilehimselfspeakingEnglish.HisassertionthatBengaliwasaHindulanguagewasshockinglyignorantforsuch
anintelligentman.BengaliisnotverycloselyrelatedtoHindi(thelanguageofIndiasHindus)whereasUrduand
HindiaresosimilarthattheyformasharedlanguagecalledHindustani!
MostaccountsoftheroadtoBangladeshsIndependencehavetheirstartingpointatsomepointinthe1950s
whenBengaliagitationflaredanewbutthemostlogicalstartingpointisMarch1948whenJinnahsrefusalto
heedtheBengalisperfectlylegitimatedemandssowedtheseedsofabloodyharvestthatwastodestroyPakistana
mere23yearslater.ThePakistanigovernmentwouldeventuallyrecognizeBengaliasanofficiallanguagein1956,
startinganunfortunatetrendofgovernmentsonlymakingtherightchoicesaftertremendouspressurehasbeen
broughttobearandwhenitistolatetodoanygood.
JinnahinsteadofdismantlingtheRajcontinueditwithDesimasters:TheBritishRajwasdesignedto
subjugatethepeopleofIndiaandplundertheirwealththroughrestrictivelawsandtheregularuseofforceto
crushdissent.JinnahhadauniqueopportunitytodismantletheoppressivegovernmentstructureoftheRaj
https://cyrusdurant.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/muhammadalijinnahthegoodthebadandtheuglyparttwo/

4/6

10/4/2016

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.|cyrusdurant

tragicallyforPakistanhekepttheRajinplacewithbrownmasters.ThetransferofEastBengalswealthtoWest
PakistanwasstraightoutoftheRajsplaybook.Jinnahdealtharshlywiththesecularnationalistswhoopposedhis
policiesbutheleftPakistanssmallbutveryvocalIslamistpopulationuntouched.Jinnahstartedtheauthoritarian
streakthatallofPakistanslatergovernmentswhethercivilianormilitaryweretohaveatraitwhichhascost
Pakistandearly.
JinnahdividedIndiaonreligiouslinesbutwasagainstaTheocracy:Jinnahsmostdangerouschoice
wastodeclareIndiasMuslimsaseparatenationandagitateforaseparatehomelandinwhichMuslimscould
controltheirdestinywhileatthesametimeinsistingthatPakistanwasnottobeanIslamiststateie.aTheocracy
runbyMullahs(Muslimpriests)throughSharia(Islamic)law.CertainlyitwasagoodthingthatJinnahwanteda
secularstate,butthedistinctionbetweenastateforMuslimsandanIslamiststateisanarrowonethatwasloston
thelargelyuneducatedmasses.
ThesituationofMuslimsduringPakistanscreationandtoaverylargeextenttodayissimilartothelot
ofChristiansduringtheMiddleages.ThebiblewasonlywritteninLatinwhichalmostnooneinEuropecould
speakorread.ThereforeChristianswerewhollyreliantonwhattheirprieststoldthemwasintheBible,despite
thefactthatmanypriestscouldntreadLatinthemselves.OnlywhentheBiblebegantobepublishedinthe
VernacularlanguagesofEuropecouldpeopletakechargeoftheirreligiouslives.InPakistanandacrossthe
MuslimWorldtheQuran(IslamicBible)isonlysupposedtobereadandspokeninArabic.Unfortunatelyin
Pakistanonly1%ofthepopulationcanspeakArabic(thenumberwaslikelyloweratIndependence)whichmeans
thatthevastmajorityofthepopulationhasnoideawhattheQuranactuallysays.Whatsworseisthatmany
MullahscannotreadorspeakArabicthemselves.InmanypartsofPakistanagoodwaytosecuresocialstandingis
tomemorizetheQuranwordforwordinArabicunfortunatelysincetheydontreadArabictheyhaventaclue
whattheyrereciting.
AnironyofPakistanscreationisthatIslamistsopposedthecreationofPakistansinceitwasntgoingtoan
IslamiststatebuttheymanagedtoswiftlyhijackthepoliticaldiscourseofPakistan.Jinnahmadeagraveerrorin
usingaMuslimidentitytocreatePakistanthenrefusingtodoanythingtostopthatidentitybeingtakentoits
logicalconclusionofaTheocracy.
FinalAnalysis:Jinnahwasahighlyintelligentdrivenmanwhosinglehandedlyforgedanation.Hisvisionof
Pakistanhaditbeenfulfilledwouldhaveresultedinaprosperouspeacefulcountry.Howeversomeofhismost
importantdecisionsweretohavedisastrousconsequences.AtJinnahsfeetcanbelaidtheresponsibilityforEast
PakistanssecessionandfortheriseofanIslamistfringethathasdonegreatdamagetoPakistan.
JinnahslastwordsrepudiatinghiscreationofPakistanshowsjusthowquicklythingswentwronginPakistan.I
haverefrainedfromlabelinghiscreationofPakistanasablundersimplybecausethestoryofPakistanisstill
beingwrittenalthoughtimeisrapidlyrunningoutfortheretobeaHappyendingforPakistan.
PakistansonlyrealhopeofmakingthingsrightistorebuildthestateonJinnahsvisionofafreepeacefulsecular
statethatwastobeahomeforallregardlessofreligion.Whetheritcanachievethatvisionwilldecidethefuture
ofmillions.
CyrusDurant.

https://cyrusdurant.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/muhammadalijinnahthegoodthebadandtheuglyparttwo/

5/6

10/4/2016

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,andTheUgly.PartTwo.|cyrusdurant
Abouttheseads

Sharethis:

Twitter

Facebook 4

Like
Bethefirsttolikethis.

Related

MuhammadAliJinnah:TheGood,TheBad,
andTheUgly.PartOne.
In"Pakistan"

TheGood,theBad,andtheUgly
In"Pakistan"

Pakistan:19472007
In"Pakistan"

Aboutcyrusdurant
I'mjustaman(orwoman,I'llnevertell)withastrangeobsessionforPakistan.Ialsoliketopretendthatmyopinionsonthings
matter.Ihopeyouwillstaywithmeonthisjourneytowhateverthefutureholds.
Viewallpostsbycyrusdurant

ThisentrywaspostedinPakistan,TheGoodTheBadandTheUglyandtaggedAli,Biography,Jinnah,Muhammad,Pakistan,Partition,Quaideazam,TheBad,TheGood,
TheUgly.Bookmarkthepermalink.

cyrusdurant
BlogatWordPress.com.

https://cyrusdurant.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/muhammadalijinnahthegoodthebadandtheuglyparttwo/

6/6