“Let us sink all our differences and stand united together under the same banner under which we truly achieved Pakistan and let us demonstrate once again that we can, united, face all dangers in the cause of glory of Pakistan, the glory that the Quaid-i-Azam envisaged for Pakistan.”
–Fatima Jinnah – 1965
Not much has been written about the personal life of Fatima Jinnah but her struggles are well-known for she dedicated a big chunk of her life to build Pakistan. Born on July 30, 1893, Fatima Jinnah was a permanent companion, supporter and a sister of the founder of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. She spent 28 years of her life with her brother advising him on all political matters of importance, comforting him in stressful times and looking after him till his death. She was a leading figure in the Pakistan Movement and an advocate of women’s rights. She was also a highly educated woman of the time and a practicing dental surgeon. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was once reported to have said, “My sister was like a bright ray of light and hope whenever I came back home and met her. Anxieties would have been much greater and my health much worse, but for the restraint imposed by her”. Unfortunately, she lost the 1965 elections and soon her influence in the political arena began to decline. Her speeches were often censored by the establishment as she was very outspoken. However, she continued to write about the ideology of Pakistan and the hard work of her brother. She died a sudden death on July 9, 1967, some claiming her to have been murdered while others said that she suffered from a heart failure. Her death was a great loss to the nation which hailed her as “Madr-e-Millat” or the “Mother of the Nation”.