Quaid e Azam’s special fondness for Islamia College Peshawar

PESHAWAR, Dec 22 (APP):Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Founder of Pakistan, has special fondness with historic Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) due to momentous role of its students in completing his mission for Pakistan.

As only two days left in 142 birthday of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, preparations reached to its peak in KP and Fata where political, social and cultural organizations have chalked special programs to celebrate the day in most befitting manner.

Great enthusiasm is being witnessed especially among students and youth who were found busy in purchasing national flags, stickers and banners with photographs of Mr Jinnah and others national heroes of Pakistan Movement.

Quaid e Azam had a special love for ICP and came here on a number of occasions and openly interacted with students here. He considered students of ICP and people of KP, Fata as a frontline force in his constitutional and peaceful struggle for independence of Pakistan.

He visited ICP in 1936, 1945 and 1948, and was greatly impressed by its domes, lush-green lawns, majestic edifice of its beautiful architecture and outstanding role of its students during Pakistan Movement.

In his last visit to the ICP as Governor General of Pakistan on April 12, 1948, he presented glowing tributes to the services of ICP students towards making of Pakistan in these words. “I am indeed very happy to be present here today and to have the privilege of addressing the students of this great Darul Uloom, who are the future builders of Pakistan.”

In fact, he reminded the students that now we had achieved the national goal of Pakistan and it is our collective responsibility to work hard in our respective professions with high-level of dedication, commitment and sincerity to make it one of the greatest state of the world.

Mr. Jinnah advised students to develop a sound sense of discipline, character, initiative and a solid academic background and devote wholeheartedly towards studies. “Now we had our own government, therefore, we must be constructive in criticism and students can make a big contribution towards promotion of harmony, unity and development of Pakistan.”

Quaid e Azam further said, “Remember your Government is like your own garden. Your garden flourishes by the way you look after it and the efforts that you put towards its improvement. Similarly, your Government can only flourish by your patriotic, honest and constructive efforts to improve it.”

On students’ demands, he said establishment of a quality university in Peshawar was very nearer to his heart, which would be great centre of culture and learning from where the rays of knowledge and culture can spread throughout the Middle East and Central Asia and soon people of this province would get a university here.

Following a gap of one year, the Government of Pakistan, had established a state of the art University of Peshawar near Islamia College Peshawar.

Professor Dr Naushad Khan, Pro Vice Chancellor ICP University told APP that Quaid e Azam has special love with ICP and became an honorary member of the Khyber Union, a debating society of the college in 1936.
“Mr Jinnah love for ICP could be judged from his will written on May 30, 1939 in Bombay in which he had declared ICP, Muslim University Aligarh and Sindh Madrassatul Islam, Karachi, as among the inheritors of his property,” he explained.

The Quaid Trust later paid Rs10.81 million in different instalments to the college. The amount was spent on the establishment of Quaid-i-Azam College of Commerce, University of Peshawar, construction of Jinnah residential quarters for the college employees, Jinnah College for Women and the newly-constructed Takbeer block.

Quaid-e-Azam when came to ICP in 1945, was warmly welcomed by the students and President of Muslim Students Federation ICP who presented him Rs8000 and assured him to present 8000 committed educated workers for accomplishment of his mission when he came again to ICP that had pleased our beloved Quaid.

On this occasion, the people of KP (former known as NWFP) has decorated their houses, bazaars, towns besides markets and cities with Muslim League flags inscribed with different slogans of Pakistan and Quaid e Azam Zindabad to welcome their beloved leader.

It was the love of people of KP with Quaid Azam that Muslim League had won more than 50 seats in this province and after that nobody can stop independence movement of Pakistan from here, Dr Naushad informed.

Mr Jinnah was a great symbol of independence and democracy who strongly believed in power of masses, rule of law, equality and supremacy of constitution and that was the major reasons that he had created Pakistan after a short time of seven years following adaptation of historic Pakistan Resolution at Lahore on March 23, 1940.

The Islamia College founded in 1913 has now attained the status of a university besides completed 100 years of its grandeur and academic excellence in 2013.

The best tribute to founding father of the country on his 142 birthday was to strictly adhering to his golden principles of unity, faith and discipline to make Pakistan developed country of the world.

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