Quaid-i-Azam as a parliamentarian.

Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's, the founder of Pakistan, birth anniversary is being celebrated once again on December 25, 2020 by the ever-grateful nation. As a public leader, despite all the odds against him, he had performed the political miracle of the 20th century by founding an independent country on the world map out of nowhere.

Mr Jinnah was attracted to politics when he was still in London studying law. He often attended the British Parliament and attentively watched from gallery the ways, manners, gestures and even the dress of prominent members. In fact, his reader's tickets of the British Museum are still preserved in the British metropolis.

Quite significantly, he read all the speeches of important parliamentarians at the British Museum and this had formed the background of his career as well. He leaned towards liberalism and was not a narrow-minded sectarian or an intolerant politician. Instead, he always stood for liberal policies.

Mr Jinnah started his parliamentary career with his election to the Imperial Legislative Council in 1909. He remained its member until March 28, 1919, but resigned in protest against what is known as the Rowlatt Act. He believed it to be a new shackle on the freedom of the people. However, despite his protests, the act was passed because the government members were in majority-ultimately leading to his resignation.

The several qualities of Quaid-i-Azam as a parliamentarian are often enumerated as his strategy, keen insight, abled advocacy, clear representation, reasoning power, balanced judgement and undaunted criticism. He was very often witty and sarcastic which distinguished him as a parliamentarian. In view of these qualities, the Quaid is generally described as an individual who was born to be a parliamentarian and his self-confidence, sincerity, honesty, outspokenness and frankness coupled with his ability and acumen made him proficient in his career.

The Quaid-i-Azam, as the Governor General, was the head of the executive and his presidency would have taken the traditions to the pre-1919 days. He would have presided over the meetings of the Assembly when it met as a constitution making body but Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan presided when it met as a Legislature and this was a tribute to the political genius of the Quaid-i-Azam -a title given to him by the Assembly.

In 1945, crucial elections were held in the sub-continent through...

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