EMERGENCE OF PAKISTAN

EMERGENCE OF PAKISTAN

It was 14th August 1947, the D-day. The dawn of the day saw hectic activities all around. City of Karachi was all decked up and ready to see the rising sun of freedom. Enthusiastic crowds delirious with joy thronged the city streets, dancing and prancing. They were jubilant,happy and shouting Pakistan Zindabad slogans.

The main attraction of the day was the state-drive, culminating in the Proclamation of Independence and hoisting of Pakistan Flag atop the National (Sindh) Assembly building. The route of the state-drive fromGovernor-General’s house to the Constituent Assembly building was lined up by jubilant crowds on both sides of the roads. Balconies of all the buildings enroute werecrowded with women and children waving flags and shouting Zindabad slogans. At the Constituent Assembly building, the venue of the event of the proclamation of independence, there was lot of activity with members in their sherwanis and lounge suits hurrying to their seats and other distinguished visitors filling up visitors galleries much before the scheduled time. It was a full house and the visitiors galleries were overflowing. Lady Mountbatten and Miss Jinnah sat in the Governor-General’s box.

Governor-General’s Bodyguards with lances intheir hands were posted on the steps leading up to theThe Author with Quaid-e-Azam When he landed atMauripur Airport, Karachi on August 7, 1947.

main entrance of the Assembly building and along the corridors around the main hall. Capt. Sahibzada Yaqoob Ali Khan Commandant of the Body-guards and Maj McCoy the Comptroller were already there, checking the deployment of Body-guards and reception arrangements, respectively. Outside the premises of the Assembly, all roads leading to the Assembly were chocked with people,many perching on tree tops, and telephone poles and other vantage points. They were all there to see the history being made.

At 8 am, Gul and myself left for the Assembly building. We took a pilot escort to lead us in order to getus through any possible traffic jams. We sped through the designated State - drive route, which was thronged withenthusiastic crowds eagerly awaiting the appearance of the State-coach. Simple people in the streets were so eagerly expectant that at quite a few places as we drove by they took the Governor-General house car with a pilot escort as the real State-drive procession and broke into spontaneous applause and shouts of ‘Zindabad’. We had timed the state coach to reach the Assembly in 50 minutes and accordingly gave a specific speed to the Adjutant of the body-guards, who was leading the mounted contingent and to the ‘coach’ car driver to be maintained through out the drive.

The open car, carrying the last Viceroy of India and Governor-General (designate) of Pakistan led by the lonepolice pilot on a motor-cycle followed by the mounted contingent of Governor-General’s Body-guards left the House at 8.10 A.M. sharp. All along the route, ceremonial arches and gates were erected and people raised voice furious slogans, “Pakistan Zindabad, Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad” and showered maunds of flower petels on the coach. Body-guards in their scarlet and gold ceremonial uniforms with lances in their hands and riding their well trained and beautiful charges were a big attraction for the crowds, it was a spectacular pageant, like of which they had never seen before. They applauded and with fullthroated abandon Body-guards had made their mark.

A “Wembley” like roar in the distance indicatedthe approach of the procession and as the cavalcade turned in for this final run up to the outer perimeter gate of the Assembly, the roar travelled with it indicating the approximate distance being covered. There was excitement all around and every one was anxiously waiting. Then the buglers posted on top of the Assembly building, heralded the arrival of the state-coach. All eyes turned to the perimeter gate and the first to emerge through the gate was the police pilot and then the Adjutant of the body-guards riding on his white mount leading his contingent. The much sought after state-coach followed.

There was a sudden burst of cheers and the whole air ranted with ‘Zindabad’ slogans. The Body-guards aligned themselves to make a straight pass in front of the Assembly entrance steps, where we were all waiting to receive the Coach. The clattering of the hooves of the horses made enchanting noise. First, the Bodyguards passed by the steps and stopped some distance away giving enough room to the State-coach to be on the exact spot in front of the entrance of the Assembly building.
The coach stopped in front of the massive stone entrance to the Assembly. It was right at the stroke of 9 a.m. thatGul and I led the last Viceroy of India and the Governor-General (designate) of Pakistan to the speaker’s rostrum. As soon as they enteredthe Hall, everybody present including those in the visitor’s galleries, stood up and gave them a prolonged standing ovation.

Then there was silence, the moment of expectationshad arrived and every body was waiting with thumping hearts to hear the normalization of the creation of Pakistan by the last Viceroy of India on behalf of his Majesty King George the Sixth of England. Col. Curri, Military Secretary to the Viceroy, placed a little stand on the table in front and then kept a folder on this stand. A little pause and then H.E. Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten ofBurmah, the last Viceroy of India rose to do his last act as the King’s representative. Tall and handsome attired in his Admiral uniform wearing his ceremonial gongs and medals he stood up and in his characteristic style read out in measured tone the proclamation of Independence issued by H.M. King George VI, King of England, Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith. It was all done in style, antics of showmanship synonymous with the name of Mountbatten.

Immaculately dressed in a white sherwani and grayJinnah cap, the Governor-General (designate) of Pakistan stood up, fixed his monocle and read out his acceptance speech from a paper in his hand. Remarkably composed the Quaid-e-Azam was all dignity and personification.

Formally thanking His Majesty the King and Lordand Lady Mountbatten for “his gracious message” and their good wishes he assured His Majesty of Pakistan’s goodwill and friendship to the British nation and the King, as the Crown head of the British. Then alluding to Lord Mountbatten’s reference in his speech, to Emperor Akbar’s tolerance towards minorities during his reign, Mr. Jinnah thundered, “The tolerance and goodwill that Emperor Akbar showed to all the non-Muslims is not of recent origin. It dates back thirteen centuries when our Prophet (PBUH) not only by words but by deeds treated the Jews and Christians, after he had conquered them, with the utmost tolerance and regard and respect for their faith and beliefs. The whole history of Muslims, wherever they ruled, is replete with those humane and great principals which should be followed and practiced.

I assure you that we shall not be wanting infriendly spirit with our neighbours and with all nations ofthe world”.

The last British Viceroy had formally handed over power. Ceremony over, the two dignitaries walked back to the main entrance of the Assembly building, where they were joined by members of Constituent Assembly and other distinguished guests, to witness the last ritual of the termination of British Raj and birth of the new state. Union Jack that flew atop the main entrance of the Assembly building was then slowly hauled down to thetune of buglers blowing the ‘retreat’. The Union Jack thuslowered, was neatly folded and ceremoniously handed over to Lord Mountbatten by the Quaid-e-Azam. The Governor-General (designate) then hoisted the green and white flag to the booming of 31 guns’ salute. Pakistan was born. Pakistan – the biggest Muslim state and the fifth most populous state in the world emerged on the map ofthe world.

An article on 14 august, independance of pakistan