When Quaid E Azam M. Ali Jinnah Visited My Family Pre Partition!

[El_Swordsmen]

@Meengla beautiful share Sir, Quaid came to your house, what a honor for you !!
reading your story gives a glimpse of hardships people faced & how they sacrificed their everything for this beloved Pakistan, just amazing !!

 

[Areesh]

With great pride, I am sharing this photo here. This story has been told to me by my mother (who lives in Karachi) a few times and finally today here is a picture to relate to that historic event.

Basically, my Urdu speaking (and very large) extended family migrated from different parts of India before or around the Partition of 1947. According to my mother, there were Hindu-Muslim tensions to the point of threats to life to my maternal grandfather ("Nana") and other members of the family in India. My Nana and his brothers were very successful businessmen in India and they even gave Rs. 100,000 in cash to Quaid e Azam. But their love for the future country of Pakistan put them in grave danger.

Long story short, Quaid e Azam and Moh. Fatima Jinnah, along with other prominent Muslim League were invited to a big lunch event to my Nana's home in Ahmedabad India. You could see my Nana marked in the picture--standing besides at least one of his brothers. This picture, I think, is recovered from a photo album of one of my uncles. Probably taken between 1943-1947? I think there are some other M.L members standing besides the Quaid-- Suhrawardi?

Jinnah advised them to migrate to Pakistan asap. Which they did--chartered a plane full of cash and valuables and landed in Karachi shortly before the Partition.
View attachment 348655
PS. Most of my father's family and he himself migrated to Pakistan full of cash, business experience, and valuables. Both sides thrived in the new country of Pakistan and my parents married in 1955.

Great story bro.

All of us whose ancestors migrated from different parts of India have stories of our own. My grandfather migrated from Hyderabad(India). He came to Karachi on train through monabao-khokrapar border. He had almost nothing except clothes. He got a small plot in Hyderabad colony in Karachi where around 3 families used to live in a small home of 3 rooms. 1 family was of my grandfather while other 2 were of my grandfather's friends from Osmania University Hyderabad. My father was a kid and he tells us about that small home where all 3 families lived those early days. Those were days of struggle for us. My grandfather got a government job and that's how we started with nothing.

And today mashaAllah all of us their children are successful and living prosperous life either in Pakistan or abroad. All are engineers, doctors, business professionals and chartered accountants. It feels so great that we started with nothing and today Pakistan has given us so much.

The only remaining s witness of those days in my family was one of those 2 of my grandfather friends that used to live in that hyderabad colony home. He passed away 2 years ago. He was such a huge patriot that even in his last days when he was extremely old nobody could say something bad about Pakistan in front of him. Pakistan was like a romance for your and my grandfather's generation. My grandfather passed away within months after 1971 war. He couldn't accept Dhaka fall and all that. The disintegration of Pakistan was too much for him. Anyways we all are proud of what our ancestors opted for and i hope we share the same love for this country tat they had.

Long Live Pakistan.
Pakistan Zindabad.

 

[haviZsultan]

With great pride, I am sharing this photo here. This story has been told to me by my mother (who lives in Karachi) a few times and finally today here is a picture to relate to that historic event.

Basically, my Urdu speaking (and very large) extended family migrated from different parts of India before or around the Partition of 1947. According to my mother, there were Hindu-Muslim tensions to the point of threats to life to my maternal grandfather ("Nana") and other members of the family in India. My Nana and his brothers were very successful businessmen in India and they even gave Rs. 100,000 in cash to Quaid e Azam. But their love for the future country of Pakistan put them in grave danger.

Long story short, Quaid e Azam and Moh. Fatima Jinnah, along with other prominent Muslim League were invited to a big lunch event to my Nana's home in Ahmedabad India. You could see my Nana marked in the picture--standing besides at least one of his brothers. This picture, I think, is recovered from a photo album of one of my uncles. Probably taken between 1943-1947? I think there are some other M.L members standing besides the Quaid-- Suhrawardi?

Jinnah advised them to migrate to Pakistan asap. Which they did--chartered a plane full of cash and valuables and landed in Karachi shortly before the Partition.
View attachment 348655
PS. Most of my father's family and he himself migrated to Pakistan full of cash, business experience, and valuables. Both sides thrived in the new country of Pakistan and my parents married in 1955.

Bro as a migrant from Lucknow I know what you are talking about. Not only my grandfather and grandmother but both my parents moved to Pakistan and that also much after the partition year 1947. That is why I feel I have a special place for Lucknow and want it merged with Pakistan. Most Pakistanis don't understand this feeling but it is only logical.

My grandparents came to Pakistan on camels since the move was too difficult, even after 47 when most violence occured. Trains and caravans were too dangerous as many were slain as they made their way. My grandfather by the way when he came to Pakistan was a school teacher and used a bicycle. Now we all have cars, internet, tvs and all amenities of modern life. Pakistan gave us that.

My mother and father came to Pakistan because of severe discrimination. Some of our properties were even taken by hindutva mobs. Still 3/5th of my family is still in Indian occupied parts. The partition in my eyes is incomplete because many loyal to Pakistan including my grandfather from my mothers side stayed in Lucknow despite loving Pakistan.

 

[SQ8]

Houses destroyed, families torn apart; neighbours and friends turned mortal enemies... Yet with all of Mountbatten's chicanery; nothing could have prepared all the descendants of these migrants for "sons of soil" asking them " You are Indian right?"

 

[Meengla]

Houses destroyed, families torn apart; neighbours and friends turned mortal enemies... Yet with all of Mountbatten's chicanery; nothing could have prepared all the descendants of these migrants for "sons of soil" asking them " You are Indian right?"

Yes. And I didn't like having to point out 'Urdu Speaking' and all the seeming boast of money being brought into Pakistan by both sides of my family in my OP. But I thought, with Altaf Hussein so thoroughly hellbent on ruining the image one of THE MOST patriotic groups of Pakistan, I had to point out both patriotism angle and to point out that the Urdu Speakers contributed heavily toward the fledgling country of Pakistan--unlike what some sons of soil say: "Bhookey, Nangey [Hungry, Naked] Mohajirs came to the new country and looted the locals."

In an anti-Pakistan forum, Altaf is portrayed as the 'Future President of Jinnahpur'. Hahaha!

PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!

 

[SQ8]

Yes. And I didn't like having to point out 'Urdu Speaking' and all the seeming boast of money being brought into Pakistan by both sides of my family in my OP. But I thought, with Altaf Hussein so thoroughly hellbent on ruining the image one of THE MOST patriotic groups of Pakistan, I had to point out both patriotism angle and to point out that the Urdu Speakers contributed heavily toward the fledgling country of Pakistan--unlike what some sons of soil say: "Bhookey, Nangey [Hungry, Naked] Mohajirs came to the new country and looted the locals."

In an anti-Pakistan forum, Altaf is portrayed as the 'Future President of Jinnahpur'. Hahaha!

PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!

It was these very "Urdu Speakers" that laid the navigational planning, the Strategy and idea for Dwarka raid.. those that pushed for the Trench submarine.. it was also an "Indian Mohajir" that dropped the FIRST bomb on Indian soil during 65.

 

[dexter]

With great pride, I am sharing this photo here. This story has been told to me by my mother (who lives in Karachi) a few times and finally today here is a picture to relate to that historic event.

Basically, my Urdu speaking (and very large) extended family migrated from different parts of India before or around the Partition of 1947. According to my mother, there were Hindu-Muslim tensions to the point of threats to life to my maternal grandfather ("Nana") and other members of the family in India. My Nana and his brothers were very successful businessmen in India and they even gave Rs. 100,000 in cash to Quaid e Azam. But their love for the future country of Pakistan put them in grave danger.

Long story short, Quaid e Azam and Moh. Fatima Jinnah, along with other prominent Muslim League were invited to a big lunch event to my Nana's home in Ahmedabad India. You could see my Nana marked in the picture--standing besides at least one of his brothers. This picture, I think, is recovered from a photo album of one of my uncles. Probably taken between 1943-1947? I think there are some other M.L members standing besides the Quaid-- Suhrawardi?

Jinnah advised them to migrate to Pakistan asap. Which they did--chartered a plane full of cash and valuables and landed in Karachi shortly before the Partition.
View attachment 348655
PS. Most of my father's family and he himself migrated to Pakistan full of cash, business experience, and valuables. Both sides thrived in the new country of Pakistan and my parents married in 1955.

That was a good read.
My grandfather and maternal grandfather both sacrifised for Pakistan twice, once in 47 and then 71.
Dada was from Siwan,Bihar and Nana was from U.P.
My maternal grandfather was studying at Aligarh Muslim University at the time of partition was a active member of All India Muslim Students Federation and despite heavy opposition from his father he chose Pakistan.And in his last days my mother told me he missed his family because all of them were in India except him.
They both migrated to Ishadi, East Pakistan and were neighbours there ,nana got job in Dacca Universiy while dada joined Pakistan Railways until 1971 when riots in east Pakistan broke out and thousands of west Pakistanis and biharis were slaughtered. A lot can be found about bengali genocide in books but no account of millions of biharis mass execution by mukti bahini and indian army specially after surrender of Pakistan Army. They travelled thousand of miles on foot to somehow get into india and from thier to Nepal and then to Pakistan.
Still a large population of Pakistanis live there who weren't fortunate enough to get back to their country and they are still willing to get back here.
Alhamdulilah due to their sacrifice and love for this country we live a better life here and achieved that much we couldn't have thought.
May ALLAH S.W.T. grant our forefathers the highest reward in Jannah.

 

[PaklovesTurkiye]

Why I m crying............I always go into deep thinking whenever I think about those of my ancestors (as I m descendant of Muhajir) too....

I really have no words for them...They were heroes....Also remember those who fought for Pakistan in 1971 and got trapped in BD yet their love towards Pakistan never got lower....

@Meengla ....bro...I hate you....U just make me extremely sad now....

Thanks 4 reminding us how fortunate and at the same time jerks we are....benefiting and enjoying lives in Pakistan peacefully with absolute disregard towards our ancestors, who did so much...

I didn't know about you but believe me, I have not a fraction of guts my forefathers used to had....

Stay blessed, bro...I m saving this pic of yours....I hope it has been become part of our history...

Peace, love and Respect to you from Karachi, Pakistan

 

[Meengla]

Great story bro.

All of us whose ancestors migrated from different parts of India have stories of our own. My grandfather migrated from Hyderabad(India). He came to Karachi on train through monabao-khokrapar border..

So did my father! From Rajasthan to Karachi the trains were a short AND much safer route than the one between Lahore and Amritsar. I don't know why the Sindh-Rajasthan crossings didn't see the kind of bloodshed and hatred; but that's really good!

@PaklovesTurkiye : I am very glad to have shared this story and the pic. I felt like I had to share the pic asap--who knows about tomorrow?!

 

[EyelessInGaza]

Some more info just learned:
.......................So, possibly few months after the Quaid visit, the kids were awakened in hushed voices (my mother distinctly remembers that!) one early morning, taken in three family cars to some 'Dum Dum Airport' in Ahmedabad where the extended family boarded a propeller plane. ..............

Meengla thanks for your narrative. It is always interesting to read the intersection of personal memoir and history, although it was a bloody, unfortunate time.

However, there seems to be space for further information gathering. To the best of my knowledge the only Dum Dum airport in India was in Calcutta.

Which could tie in to the post below.

........................

The portly gentleman next to Mr. Jinnah had the pounds to be Suhrawardy, but what he would be doing there, at such a time, when he was totally engrossed by goings on in Bengal, is not clear. The probability is very low. He was also not so close to Jinnah as to turn up at such a lunch in the west of the country. Not impossible, but improbable.

 

[Meengla]

However, there seems to be space for further information gathering. To the best of my knowledge the only Dum Dum airport in India was in Calcutta.
Which could tie in to the post below.

I am giving her account almost verbatim. She was probably 6-7 years old then and the picture was probably taken in the first half of 1947. So we need to make an allowance for her age and for the timeframe (almost 7 decades!). The 'Dum Dum' airport maybe some made-up name told to kids by elders. I also think, other than her elder brother (the one who barely escaped with his life), there's anyone else left from those days to give more info. But I will ask her again. BTW, she's very excited to have found a picture of her deceased father and that too besides the great Quaid. But she has no real nostalgia about India--her even better days came when the family moved to Karachi.

 

[EyelessInGaza]

I am giving her account almost verbatim. She was probably 6-7 years old then and the picture was probably taken in the first half of 1947. So we need to make an allowance for her age and for the timeframe (almost 7 decades!). The 'Dum Dum' airport maybe some made-up name told to kids by elders. I also think, other than her elder brother (the one who barely escaped with his life), there's anyone else left from those days to give more info. But I will ask her again. BTW, she's very excited to have found a picture of her deceased father and that too besides the great Quaid. But she has no real nostalgia about India--her even better days came when the family moved to Karachi.

Cheers. Dum Dum is a real name.

On a parallel note, I won't get into details but I once got into an online conversation with a Pakistani who was mentioning his grandfather's relocation from a very small town in India (population 5,000 if that) to Pakistan. Turns out that the place was/ is my mother's home town and that my maternal grandfather knew his grandfather. 60+years later, here we were. It's a funny old world.

 

[Meengla]

Bumping it up for the newer members.
I have vivid memories of my grandpa. He was a generous person. he first time I ever cried in life for days when he died. I used to briefly massage his head and he loved me and his other grand kids.

He and his brothers not only contributed handsomely to the then Pakistan Movement led by M.A. Jinnah but they also brought back a lot of cash and established several textile mills employing anyone without consideration of their backgrounds. These were not some 'Bhookey Nangey' migrants and even if people who came over to Pakistan as poor were generally far more educated and did great for the very fledgling Pakistan than given credit for.

 

[shah_123]

M

Bumping it up for the newer members.
I have vivid memories of my grandpa. He was a generous person. he first time I ever cried in life for days when he died. I used to briefly massage his head and he loved me and his other grand kids.

He and his brothers not only contributed handsomely to the then Pakistan Movement led by M.A. Jinnah but they also brought back a lot of cash and established several textile mills employing anyone without consideration of their backgrounds. These were not some 'Bhookey Nangey' migrants and even if people who came over to Pakistan as poor were generally far more educated and did great for the very fledgling Pakistan than given credit for.

MashAllah, nice read.
My Grandpa migrated from tehsil Kalanaur, district Gurdaspur --- He was a vet doctor by profession (as you said these people were educated)- He started with Grandma, my father (7 years old), couple of father's siblings and few other family members.

His destination was Lahore as my Grandma is from Mozang area of Lahore. I don't know but they must have crossed Narowal border. --- They all reached safe and sound (empty handed, everything left behind).

One of Grandpa's cousin couldn't make to Lahore, so he decided to go back -- People tried to stop him but he said that he can't leave his sister at the mercy of enemies --- He again went back with couple of friends (who had weapons) and brought back his cousin and his husband+ kids.

It really saddens me to see that our media shows nothing relating to Pakistan movement, our new generation is totally disconnected .-- for them it's just abt doing halla gulla on 14th August.

 

[Meengla]

Happy 75th Independence Day to Pakistan! I got hold of the original print when I last visited Pakistan in December 2019 and went to my eldest uncle's house in Karachi. Alas, my trip was too brief to ask him about his memories from the Quaid visit; he would certainly knew more than my mother, being a few years older.
Anyway, here is the pic.