Nation venerates Fatima Jinnah on her 128th birthday is being observed on Saturday July 31st (today).
Born on 31 July 1893, Gujarat in British India, Mader-e-Millat (Mother of the Nation) and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s sister – Fatima Jinnah is being remembered today on her birthday today.
The youngest of her six siblings, Fatima Jinnah received her primary and secondary education from Bandra Convent in Bombay. In 1919, she enrolled into the highly competitive University of Calcutta where she attended the Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and graduated as a professional dentist.
Fatima Jinnah played a pivotal role in the Pakistan Movement. She was an ardent supporter of the two-nation theory and strongly opposed the British rule. Devoting her life to the cause, Fatima Jinnah emerged as one of the most prominent leaders of Pakistan Movement and was one of the most trusted ‘confidant’ of Quaid-e-Azam in the independence movement; working side by side with her brother, in rallying the women of the sub-continent onto a single platform to fight against the British occupation.
After the partition, she co-founded the Pakistan Women’s Association which aimed to provide women migrants with rehabilitation. Fatima Jinnah steered a new era of active women participation in national politics while upholding democratic norms.
In 1964, she took part in the presidential election in an attempt to end the dictatorial rule of General Ayub Khan. The display of inexhaustible energy, unrelenting stamina and unflagging enthusiasm in the face of hostile and vicious attacks by the opponents during the election campaign left everyone speechless.
Glancing at the various vicissitudes of her revered and respected life, she emerged as the trendsetting modern progressive Muslim woman who stood shoulder to shoulder with her male counterparts while contributing to the social uplift and welfare of the community.
Fatima Jinnah passed away in Karachi on 9 July 1967 at the age of 73.
