Peshawar   -  Following the unsuccessful war of independence of 1857, the Muslims of Subcontinent were given a new hope and direction by the great educationist and reformer, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan who brought about an intellectual revolution among them through his educational, political and social reforms.

Keeping cognizance of educational backwardness of Muslims of British India, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s All India Muhammadan Educational Conference at Aligarh founded in 1875, had carried forward his vision of modern education, socioeconomic empowerment and political unity, which soon enabled millions of Muslims to compete with other communities including Hindus in all sectors of life besides provided a launching pad for initiation of peaceful political struggle for a separate homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. 

Sir Syed’s reforms had helped excelled Muslims in education, social, economic and political sciences and their voices were strongly heard by British rulers. Seeing the charisma and strong determination of Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslims got united under the flag of All India Muslim League (AIML) established on December 30, 1906 that gave new impetus to the Independence Movement.

The historic movement witnessed further acceleration after historic Allabad address delivered by the legendary poet Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal during 25th annual session of AIML in 1930 in which he outlined a clear vision of an independent state for Muslims majority provinces in the northwestern India, thus becoming the first politician to articulate about two nation-theory that Muslims are a distinct nation and deserve political independence.

Following adoption of Pakistan Resolution on March 23, 1940, Quaid-i-Azam reorganised AIML by making repeated visits to all Muslims majority provinces of British India including NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) to mobilise masses and students for creation of Pakistan. He also visited the historic Islamia College, Peshawar (ICP) in 1936, 1945 and 1948 to acknowledge the outstanding role of its students during Pakistan Movement. 

The great Quaid received a rousing welcome when he came to ICP in 1945 where students and Muslim Students Federation (MSF) presented him Rs 8,000 as fund for Pakistan Movement and assured him to present 8,000 committed educated workers when he came again to this great alma-mater.

“The arrival of legendary leader committed to a cause of a separate homeland for Muslims of Subcontinent moved people of KP, who decorated their homes, bungalows, bazaars, markets, villages, towns and vehicles with national and Muslim League flags besides holding placards inscribed with different slogans of Pakistan Zindabad and Quaid-i-Azam Zindabad to welcome their beloved Quaid,” said Manzoorul Haq, former Ambassador of Pakistan in an interview.

“A sea of people with national flags and portraits of Quaid-i-Azam arrived from across KP and erstwhile FATA to see glimpses of their beloved leader when he came here in 1945,” he said, adding as result of KP’s people immeasurable love for Pakistan, AIML secured maximum number of seats in this province in 1946 election and after that historic victory nobody could stop independence movement of Pakistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Quaid also paid his last visit to ICP as Governor General of Pakistan on April 12, 1948 where he presented glowing tributes to the services of its students towards making Pakistan in these words. “I am indeed very happy to be present here today and to have the privilege of addressing students of this great Darul Uloom, who are the future builders of Pakistan.” He reminded the students that they had achieved the national goal of Pakistan and now it was our collective responsibility to work hard in our respective professions with a high-level of dedication, commitment and sincerity to make it one of the greatest countries of the world.

The Father of the Nation 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.” He wished to construct a university near ICP that had been fulfilled by government within a gap of one year by establishing a state of the art University of Peshawar in 1949.

Quaid-i-Azam had also an immense love for tribesmen of merged tribal districts (Erstwhile FATA) for their strong loyalty, supreme sacrifices and consistent support during Pakistan Movement. He visited Peshawar where he addressed a Grand Tribal Jigra at Governor House, Peshawar on April 17, 1948 with overwhelming representation of tribal people, chieftains and maliks from all tribal districts.

Ambassador Manzoor laid great emphasis on education and social economic development of tribesmen and considered technical education, science and technology as prerequisite for attaining goals of development and economic prosperity. He said that even after independence of Pakistan, India continues its hostile and hegemonic policies by illegally and unilaterally revoking special status of the Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) on August 5, 2019.