Daily Times

The Jinnah Foundation (Memorial) Trust (JF) recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art auditorium. The event recalled days of past, present as well as a hope for the future. The remnants of Quaid’s family and friends envisioned a dream for Pakistan. Their efforts showed the consistency and dedication of service by a few people wanting to fulfil our late Founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision.

As the crowd of students gathered in the Korangi area of the school site, teachers gave out instructions and organisers went aligning chairs before guests came in. The four buildings were set alongside each other on the main street in Bhittai Colony, a nondescript area. Yet, one noticed how immaculately well-kept these buildings and grounds were in their simplicity and structure. As cars drove into the small street, two elderly and well-dressed people, a man and a woman, both in wheelchairs, were assisted by their families. The crowd, which seemed to know each other well, joked amongst themselves and caught up. It seemed to be a long-standing friendship, one which I would soon find to have spanned over 45 years. The group, which had collected for the small inauguration ceremony inside the school, was dedicated nation-builders.

They were extremely down-to-earth people. As introductions were passed, I was amazed by how these people were the doers and change-makers of some senior families, who had helped create Pakistan. All had happily gathered for the inauguration of the newly-constructed auditorium and donated to their foundation.

Jinnah Foundation Primary & Secondary School is situated in Bhittai Colony of the Korangi crossing area. The school has been a blessing for the inhabitants of this Colony; imparting relevant and practical education to underprivileged children.

The foundation has several members of Jinnah’s family, who migrated to Pakistan after independence in 1947. These are the children and grand-children of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s sister, Mariambai.

Gulshan Chandoo (Jinnah’s niece), was present even though now wheelchair-bound. Liaquat H Merchant and Hussein R Ebrahim (cousins and both grand-nephews of Jinnah) were also there. The next generation was represented by Ali Inayatullah (great-grandson of Mariambai). Several of the original members of the Foundation were people that had lived through history. Many had passed away. However, what was now left were their memories, which pledged to the country of keeping the essence of Jinnah’s teachings alive.

The current Chairperson is Sirajuddin Cassim, a Chartered Accountant. Ehsan Ibrahim is the Deputy Managing Trustee while the Treasurer is Mrs Naseem Merchant and the new Secretary-General is Ali Inayatullah.

Liaquat H Merchant, the Founder and Managing Trustee of the Jinnah Foundation and Jinnah’s grand-nephew, has kept this torch alive for paving the way for education. He neither looks for praise nor accolades at this stage in life. He and his wife, Naseem Merchant, have been respectable pillars of society; supporting each other through many things, one of which was the preservation of Jinnah’s vision and his thoughts for a prosperous Pakistan. A scholar, a lawyer and writer, his passion to keep alive Jinnah’s name and his teachings has manifested in different ways.

“I dedicated my struggle to the memory of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah as a tribute and in acknowledgement of the monumental role played by him for creating Pakistan.”

Mr Jinnah laid great emphasis on education, which was amply reflected by the fact that he left various sums of money in his will to several educational institutions. He was very much in favour of female education and encouraged women to work side-by-side with men to achieve progress and prosperity.

Years ago, Liaquat H Merchant recalled, he was unable to hire quality teachers due to a lack of funding. All of this was a private venture of the families that had united together for the country they lived in. So he went on to ask his wife (who’s not only a qualified lawyer but also a Montessori-trained Directress) and another lady doctor to teach at a one-room school in Tekri Colony in 1988. In 1989, he went and registered the Jinnah foundation as a Charitable Trust with the aim of human development and set up a school. He said, “Dedicated to improving the living conditions of the younger generation who will hopefully grow up and will become responsible citizens.”

The Jinnah Foundation has risen via patronage and social development enthusiasts to four school buildings in the Bhittai colony with a brand new auditorium in their campus

Today, the Jinnah Foundation has risen via patronage and social development enthusiasts to four school buildings in the Bhittai colony with a brand new auditorium in their campus. Currently, there is a total of 1282 students, 100 teachers, one female principal and three female headmistresses. There are 53 classrooms, a computer division, physics and chemistry labs, a library and a centre for the home economics division.

The school is managed by the trustees of the Jinnah Foundation Trust and the school fee is set at a subsidised amount. Hundreds of students have had the opportunity to avail facilities there. More than 15 per cent of the students at Jinnah Foundation are given a 100 per cent or partial waiver of tuition fees while scholarships for higher education in Pakistan are given by Jinnah Foundation in conjunction with Standard Chartered Bank.

One must also mention another great achievement by the Foundation. Amongst the many alumni who have proceeded on to higher education, Rubab Malik, a young girl, is the benefactor of the scholarship program called the Higher Education Scholarship Scheme for Alumnae. Since its inception three years ago, 109 graduates have been awarded these scholarships. Today, the confident young girl is a PhD student at Karachi University (KU); making us proud.

Several of their students are now enrolled in MBA programs in the country because of this chance. Children of a poor neighbourhood despite not having access to basic amenities are now prospering and able to support their families through education and employment, which have changed their prospects. The newly-constructed auditorium will be used for multiple purposes such as in the fields of education, science, medicine, social services and even vocational and training seminars via the audio-visual technology.

Safar Ali Lakhani, the great businessman and philanthropist, was the Guest of Honour at the inauguration ceremony. He had donated the entire construction of the auditorium in an effort directed towards the wellbeing of the community. He spoke in straightforward terms. However, he related to working for the relevance of education for girls in Pakistan. He said that if you wanted to educate a nation, it was imperative to educate its women. Mr Lakhani added that education in itself was vital for the country as it was the only way to achieve national goals. Moreover, female education was equally important as without the inclusion of women’s education, societal change and progress were not possible. An educated mother was said to have high expectations for her children’s bright future. She would also try to develop an educated family. Such words ring true. If one educated the central figure in a family, the rest would follow suit.

The trustees of the Jinnah Foundation have remained committed to the children of the underprivileged families in low-income areas. Through such practices, they keep Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s memories alive in the form of nation-building efforts. Neither have their goals wavered nor has their drive. Looking towards the next generation will be a tough pursuit to seek the next responsible citizens to carry it forward. Liaquat H Merchant added that they were hoping that they left behind a legacy, which was carried on after them as the new generation was the hope for the future of the country.

The writer is known for covering articles on topics which have a socio-cultural impact