Zeenat Safdar Haroon was born on 21st January 1928 in Karachi, daughter of Haji Abdullah Haroon and Lady Nusrat Abdullah Haroon. In her oral history interview with The Citizens Archive of Pakistan she talks about Quaid-e-Azam. She says that Muslim League rallies and how she went to each and every one. But for her the most memorable one was the Lahore Resolution when the Quaid-e-Azam said three things: when you’re coming to Pakistan leave behind corruption, bribery, and nepotism.
One specific incident about him that stuck with her was when Quaid-e-Azam said the Muslim League flag has to be altered in order to include minorities, and that the flag was drawn up at her house. At that time the minorities accounted for 30% of the population, when the flag was bought to Quaid-e-Azam he asked if the white portion was 30% of the total flag, he was informed that it was not and the white portion had been randomly placed, the Quaid-e-Azam send the flag back and requested that exactly 30% of the flag be converted into white.
He was very strict and careful about spending government money, and did not spend it on anything deemed as excess, be it tea or small snacks for meetings. Mrs. Haroon mentions that even Liaquat Ali Khan refused to buy a house in Pakistan until every refugee had a house to live in, and he died without a house.
She spoke about her conversations with the Quaid-e-Azam and how he was particularly encouraging towards young people. He believed that being Pakistani should supersede all other identities for the people of Pakistan. Mrs. Haroon was amongst the first workingwomen in Pakistan as the Quaid encouraged her father to send her out to work. She remembered going to the Cantt Station during the partition with food to welcome the refugees who were often starved, unsettled, and traumatized from the violence. She also remembers going to Jinnah hospital and volunteering to dress wounds among other things because there was a major refugee crisis, with many of them injured and wounded. There was a Pakistan’s Women’s National Guard (PWNG) and women would meet and discuss politics and their projects for Pakistan’s future. As part of the National Guard, she learned how to fire guns, march, and got acquainted with first aid.
She mentioned that the Quaid’s fervor and determination was exceptional. He motivated and encouraged people to work for their country and reassured them that the problems facing Pakistan were only preliminary for a newly founded homeland.
Text and pic by CAP
