Daily Times

It was on August 14, 1947 that Pakistan came into being due to the untiring efforts and determination of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The division of India witnessed a lot of killing and loot on either side of the border. Our previous generation sacrificed many lives and their possessions before reaching Pakistan. On August 14, 2017 it has been 70 years since Pakistan came into being. There were many young men who assisted Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the building of Pakistan. Rafiuddin Butt was one among them whose interest was in trade and industry. In this regard Asadullah Ghalib has compiled information on the contributions of Rafi Butt in his book Quest for New Horizons. Malik Ghulam Nabi, former provincial education minister observed that the Quaid knew that emerging state of Pakistan would be surely deficient in the domain of trade and industry and young Rafi Butt with his expertise, dedication and diligence would be supremely helpful in setting up a network of factories in the new state.

Veteran journalist Arif Nizami states that a document containing hundreds of names can be figured out detailing youth who were well expected by Quaid-e-Azam to play their role during Pakistan movement towards strengthening and construction of future state of Pakistan and the name of Rafi Butt was listed among these prominent names. He added that Rafi was an enthusiastic person who always gave way to novel ideas to create job opportunities in industry, trade and business in Pakistan that it can only be termed as “insanity”. He further adds that Khalil Jibran wrote that only two types of people bring revolution in the world. One is “insane” and the other is “genius”. One fine afternoon, Asadullah Ghalib who used to write editorials for the daily Nawa-e-Waqt, was asked by Arif Nizami to visit his office when the latter was editor of the daily Nation. He was requested to visit the office of Imtiaz Rafi Butt on Hall Road in Rafi Plaza, Lahore where Imtiaz had a great collection of his late father’s collection of photographs with Quaid-e-Azam. This is how Ghalib’s research started. First meeting took place the same afternoon with Rafi butt’s son.

On Ghalib’s query as to how Rafi became close to the great Quaid, it was disclosed by Imtiaz that he was only a few months old at the time of the creation of our homeland but his mother had later identified some important documents and photographs that were available in the house. Also that Rafi died in an air crash near Vehari where many other personalities had died also. Not getting much out of Imtiaz initially, Ghalib approached Meen Sheen and Abdullah Malik who were of least help also. Then he approached Malik Tajuddin in Islamabad. The discussions led to Ghalib’s first feature on Rafi.

Quaid was choosy in making friends. He came personally to Ghulam Nabi & Sons where he met Rafi Butt, which was the beginning of a close working relationship among both. Mumtaz Ahmad Khan who was the only Muslim reporter at the Associated Press of India remembered Rafi presenting the Quaid with a handsome donation for Muslim League. Meem Sheen stated that Rafi was a convivial, generous and a big-hearted person. His contribution to the Pakistan Movement was solid and meaningful. He recalled Quaid’s visit to Rafi’s factory to attend a dinner. Quaid had much regard for the selfless workers who were busy day and night in spreading the message of Muslim League, as well as for the Muslim industrialists who were contributing to the industrial uplift of Muslims. Earlier Rafi when just 15, had assisted his father in setting up a factory in Garrhi Shahu and then on Ferozepur Road with branches in Bombay and Delhi. As Rafi was a great pillar of strength for the Muslim League, the Hindu fanatics tried to assassinate him twice but he escaped miraculously. In 1942, when the All India Trade Directory was published, it was dedicated to Rafi, the youngest industrial magnate. When Pakistan came into being, the fortunes of Rafi too started dwindling. His business suddenly stood standstill. He was offered ambassadorship but his sense of dignity did not allow him to accept this offer. History shall not forget this young industrialist who established a surgical business empire and won recognition of friends and foes. He provided employment opportunities to Kashmiri youth. The details of his meetings with Quaid are greatly hidden but he was as much at the forefront as Ispahani or Haroon. After the visit of Quaid to Kashmir, the struggle to freedom took a new shape due to Rafi’s contacts. After the creation of Pakistan, Rafi started taking interest to revive his business. Unfortunately after returning from the US, Rafi was killed in a Pak Airways air crash from Karachi to Lahore. Ghalib has reserved a separate chapter for including letters exchanged between Rafi and the Quaid titled ‘A Dialogue’.

Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, a senior journalist, informs that had Rafi not departed in the prime of his life, he would have played a vital role in the development of Pakistan

A closer look at these letters indicates the warmth in relation between the great Quaid and Rafi. The time span is from 1943 to 1946. In a letter dated January 22, 1944, Rafi proposes to make Punjab an industrial hub owing to the hard work of Punjabis. Quaid requests for the names of other industrialists who could undertake such endeavours. On February 17, that same year, Rafi attached a detailed memorandum on which industrial development could be based for the consideration of planning committee of Muslim League. Rafi proposed the names of Sheikh Sadiq Hassan, Mian Naseer Ahmad, Khawaja Muhammad Siddique and Abdul Hamid Khan of AH Khan & Sons.

To get more information on the bond between Quaid and Rafi, Ghalib arranged a seminar under the auspices of Press Council of International Affairs.

Those who spoke included Meem Sheem, Dr Ziaul Islam, Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, Abdullah Malik, Hameed Al Makky, Chaudhry Kalimuddin, Malik Ghulam Nabi, Mirza Muhammad Munawwar, Justice (r) Zakiuddin Pal and Khawaja Iftikhar. Eminent journalist Mian Muhammad Shafi said, “Rafi Butt was in the vanguard of Punjab Muslim League which was struggling against the Unionist Party for a firm foothold in the province. He was the pioneer of Muslim League in Punjab. He was a friend of Nawab Iftikhar Mamdot, Mumtaz Daultana, Shaukat Hayat and others.”

Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, a senior journalist informed that had Rafi not departed in the prime of his life, he would have played a vital role in the development of Pakistan. The others had similar views to share!

The writer is an award-winning musician and author. He Tweets at @amjadparvez and can be reached at doc_amjad@hotmail.com

Published in Daily Times, August 26^th 2017.