Jinnah and Rafi Butt.

Byline: Raees Abbas Zaidi

"Every Political Struggle has economic roots- Universal principles of Scarcity of Resources and struggle for Economic Interests govern the outcome of Conflicts"

Adam Smith

Research is creating new knowledge by seeing what everyone else has seen but deducing results and lessons by construing what no one else has thought. An exemplary researcher examines the same set of facts and data but leads to different set of conclusions. Dr. NaurinTalha, Professor at the National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid e Azam University Islamabad has most definitely done that in her recently published book titled "Jinnah and Rafi Butt" "Contribution to Pakistan's Economy". She must be praised for her remarkable research into the unexplored aspect of economic roots and drivers of Struggle for Pakistan.

Shesheds light on the most ignored aspect of the Struggle for freedom that actually carved the foundation for the desire for Independence i.e. Economic deprivation and financial oppression of the Muslims of the Subcontinent by the malevolent Hindu and the indifferent British Rulers.Her task was extremely arduous as the economic facets of demand for Pakistan have eluded researchers mainly because they were not specifically enunciated in the Pakistan Movement.

Her book logically traces the roots of economic strengthening of Pakistan before and after Independence starting from the post Mughal economic downfall to the beginning of revival after the Lahore Resolution. Her research hypothesized and proved that the very foundation of Pakistan were laid by the establishment of Federation of Muslim Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Publishing of English dailies from Bengal, Delhi and Lahore and funding Muslim Banks and Insurance Companies; all against the antagonistic Hindu and the apathetic British.

She rightly concludes that instituting Muslim League Economic Planning Committee in 1945 was a turning point in stressing the importance of Economic sovereignty. She successfully proves her hypothesis that Economic independence is as important as territorial sovereignty. She brings to light the Vision of Quaid e Azam to builds Pakistan on strong economic foundations and also highlights young entrepreneur Mr. Rafi Butt who shared Quaid's economic vision and contributed both in cash and kind in every project that created jobs and opportunities for the Muslims of India.

Dr. Naurin rightfully dedicates a Chapter to the contributions of Mr. Rafi Butt...