“Social reform of women in the light of Madr-e-Millat's thoughts and national struggle.”

KARACHI, July 27(PR): The members of the Shura Hamdard Karachi chapter remembered Madr-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah with reverence and respect in an online Shura meeting, held yesterday on the topic of “Social reform of women in the light of Madr-e-Millat's thoughts and national struggle.” The meeting was presided over by speaker Shura Hamdard, Justice (r) Haziq-ul-Khairi.

The grandson of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s sister Maryam Bai, Liaquat Merchant was invited as a guest speaker. He could not attend the meeting due to illness, as he was in London for treatment. However, his message was read by Commodore(r) Sadeed Anwar Malik.

In his message, Liaquat Merchant said: “She was not only the doting sister of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah but a dental surgeon, one of the most visible female figures of the Independence Movement and a stateswoman. Post-independence, she continued to contribute towards the progress of Pakistan and even entered electoral politics in this pursuit.”

He also said: “She became one of the closest associates and advisers to Quaid-e-Azam. She was a strong proponent of the two-nation theory. She accompanied her brother to every public appearance that he made. She is popularly lauded as the Madr-e-Millat, or Mother of the Nation for her role in the freedom struggle.”

Justice (r) Haziq-ul-Khairi said that Fatima Jinnah valiantly fought for all Muslim women –for equality, economic independence, liberation, and for their political empowerment. She became a symbol of hope for generations to come. “She will always be remembered in the golden pages of history. She assumed the role of taking Quaid-e-Azam’s legacy forward and ran for the presidency of Pakistan as a candidate for the Combined Opposition Party of Pakistan (COPP).

“In 1965, she contested elections at the age of 71. She stood against the dictator Ayub Khan—the self-installed president of Pakistan. Her political campaigns attracted massive crowds, swarming all over the country, particularly in Dhaka and Karachi. Mohtarma’s defeat left the populace in disbelief. Ayub Khan dabbled in filthy election tactics such as rigging, coercion, and manipulation,” he added.

Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan said that Fatima Jinnah’s socio-political contributions gave us a unique framework for women’s empowerment in the country. “As she actively pursued women’s participation in all spheres of life, for that she established institutions to create a stable and long-lasting impact on society. Therefore, following her ideals, a women federation of chambers of commerce must be established to promote entrepreneurship among women,” he said.

Dr. Rizwana Ansari said: “Empowering women is the most enduring way of accelerating social and economic development. Women can be a powerful ‘force multiplier’ for the overall progress of society, and that notably includes the well-being of the family unit, if they are treated as equals in letter and spirit and can make their contribution in all fields of human endeavor.”

She also said: “Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah’s ideals and views give us a clear perspective about what is needed legally and administratively to make a real difference. For that, we have to adopt the vision of Fatima Jinnah for our country as a tolerant and progressive society.”

Ms. Sadia Rashid, President of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan paid tribute to Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah for her passionate and devoted struggle for the independence of Muslims of the subcontinent. She fondly remembered her meetings with Mohtarma, as Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was often invited by Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said to Hamdard Pakistan’s events.

Shura members cdre(R) Sadeed Anwar Malik, Dr. Amjad Jafri, Abubakr Shaikh, and others also spoke on the occasion