Daily Times

The nation has observed 72nd death anniversary of the Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on September 11,2020. The Quaid-i-Azam had left for eternity on September 11, 1948 about 13 months of realization of his long struggled and struggle for the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent on the basis of concept presented by great philosopher and poet Allama Mohammad Iqbal.

What follows are the extracts from autobiography ” Hayat-e-Rangroot” of Major General (retd) Mohammad Akbar Khan Rangroot to refresh the memory of the people i.e. the elderly and the younger ones telling them that the Father of the Nation should not have been treated in such irresponsible and indifferent manner by all concerned then knowing fully well about his failing health. But nobody was held responsible and accountable then to the best of memory of this scribe, please.

“After Balochistan war I was sent on a tour of Loralai and Douggi in July 1948.In those days, the Quaid-i-Azam was in Ziarat and rumour was in circulation in Quetta that these days his health is deteriorating and as such Civil Surgeon Quetta has been summoned to Ziarat number of times. On hearing these rumours, on return from the tour I also went to Ziarat. There I met Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah who said to me “Since the Quaid-i-Azam had done to Karachi for the inauguration of the State Bank, he is not feeling well.

“Quaid-i-Azam was resting at that time. I enquired about his health from Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. Instead of responding to my query, she asked me ” Do you know the Principal of Lahore Medical College, what is your opinion about him ?”. I told her that the name of the Principal is Col Ilahi Bux and he is a good physician. Mohtarma put many questions to me and I kept replying . After that I left with her permission and Ministry of Defence summoned me to Karachi. After this, I was also sent on tour with many military officers and ministers for watching the borders.

After this tour when I reached Quetta then I came to know that Col Ilahi Bux has gone to Ziarat but his wife was stating at our place in Quetta and she was our relative. I also came to know that health condition of the Quaid-i-Azam is very serious, doctors had strictly prohibited peoples visiting the Quaid-i-Azam. However, my wife regularly kept inquiring about welfare of the Quaid–i-Azam from Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah or Col Ilahi Bux . In this way we remained informed about his condition to a great extent.

From Ziarat to Quetta

On August 13, the Quaid-i-Azam was take to Quetta from Ziarat on the advice of Col Ilahi Bux, Ziarat was on a height of more than 8 thousand feet as such this place was not suitable for such a patient. Col Ilahi Bux had diagnosed through x-rays and other sources that the Quaid-i-Azam was an old patient of heart and lungs. He was of the view that if this disease was diagnosed few years back and treatment was done accordingly then there was hope for 90 per cent recovery.

The Quaid-i-Azam was very quietly brought to the Residency in Quetta. I was out of Quetta those days. My wife also got this news only when Col Ilahi Bux suddenly arrived at our residence. His wife was also staying there. There was marked difference in the health of the Quaid-i-Azam on reaching Quetta. Noticing this improvement, Col Ilahi Bux advised the Quaid-i-Azam to go to Karachi . But the Quaid-i-Azam did not want to go to the Governor General House on a stretcher. Doctors did notadbise totake him to Sibi where heat wave was at its peak.…….There was also proposal for going to bungalow of Crown Prince of Bahawalpur Brigadier Muhammad Abbas Abbasi in Malir. When he was contacted then it was known that Nawab Sahib himself was sick and would like to stay here on returning from London and but if necessary, then Nawab Sahib can be asked through a telegraph to stay somewhere else than here (Malir bungalow) and in that case the Quaid-i-Azam can stay there. When this came to the knowledge of the Quaid-i-Azam, he said that as the Governor General would not like to ask His Highness Nawab of Bahawalpur to let me stay in his house when he himself is sick.

The Quaid-i-Azam had a great good thing in him that he did not preferred his need over other others need. He decided that after few days stay in Quetta when he is fully recovered then he would walk on foot into his house. But unfortunately this did not happen as such. His health suddenly started deteriorating from August 29. On August 29 when Col Ilahi Bux told him that we all are praying for your recovery, the Quaid-i-Azam said ” When you had come to Ziarat, in those days I wanted to live but there is no difference between life and death for me”. Now he was often heard saying ” Pakistan has come into existence. Now its security and development is in the hand of the nation. I have fulfilled my duty on August 14, 1947″.

His health started falling from September 1, from September 5 his feet got swollen and red spots appeared here and there. On x-ray, it was known that he has suffered an attack of pneumonia, Medical check up was done on the morning of September 6 and 7 then his temperature was normal but in the evening his health suddenly deteriorated the it was opined that other doctors should be called. Next day Dr Ghulam Mohammad was called then on September 9, Dr M.A. Mistry also arrived. It was unanimously by the doctors that the Quaid-i-Azam should be taken to Karachi from Quetta . For this purpose, his aircraft was called from Karachi to Quetta. Complete arrangement was made in it to take him quite comfortably and oxygen etc was also provided.

Meanwhile, I received the orders from the General Headquarters to go for inspection of Afghan borders As such, I could not accompany the Quaid-i-Azam to Karachi. Military Secretary to the Quaid-i-Azam satisfied me by assuring that ambulance, nurse etc will be there at Mauripur Air Base.

Around 1 p.m., the Quaid-i-Azam was taken to the Quetta Airport from where he left for Karachi. He was accompanied by Dr Mistry, his ADC Lieutenant Mazhar, Secretary Mr Ameen and Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah and also a nurse.

Afterwards I came to know through Col Ilahi Bux that the Quaid-i-Azam’s aircraft reached Mauripur Air Base at 4.15 p.m., there Military Secretary to the Governor General Col Lolanz was seen standing near the ambulance but there was no nurse, weather was very hot. However, ambulance carrying the Quaid-i-Azam and his party left for the Governor’s General House. But it had hardly covered four miles distance that it suddenly stopped. There was some defect in its engine which the driver started to set right. There was excessive heat inside the ambulance. When it could not be set right at all,Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah asked Col Lolanz to call another ambulance. In the meantime, Dr Mistry checked the pulse of the Quaid-i-Azam, it was very weak, immediately tea was poured from thermos which he took and the pulse picked up some pace. In the meantime, second ambulance had come. The Quaid-i-Azam was taken out from first ambulance and boarded on the second ambulance with lot of difficulty. The Qud-i-Azam and his party reached the Government House at 6.10 p.m. The Quaid-i-Azam was tired due to journey and on reaching there he went to sleep.

According to Col Ilahi Bux, Dr A.R. Shah was contacted after lot of hustle and bustle and then it was decided that he would give aneamia to the Quaid-i-Azam at 9 p.m., on reaching the Government House from there I met Dr Mistry and he told me that the Quaid-i-Azam is still sleeping and that the circumstances are satisfactory. I left there for my hotel and was just thinking to eat something that I was suddenly called on telephone to rush to the Governor’s General House. On reaching there I saw the Quaid-i-Azam was very bad shape, nothing was going into his stomach and felling outside the mouth here or there. Then he was given an injection.

After being given the injection, the Quaid-i-Azam gained some conscious, he opened his eyes and then it was said to him ” You have bee given an injection, Inshallah you will recover soon”. In response to this, the Quaid-i-Azam said ” No. My time has come very near”.

These were the last words of the Quaid-i-Azam . After about an hour after that he breathed his last and left for the eternity. Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was crying, sobbing and saying “Now my life is useless”.

I said to Col Ilahi Bux “You will also have felt when you were carrying the Quaid-i-Azam on a stretcher inside the aircraftthen the aircraft captain and staff had saluted their leader and he had also responded to their salute while still laying. Then I had hoped that the Quaid-i-Azam will recover. But Allah had willed it otherwise. On September 11, 1948,Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had left us for ever”.

Suffocation from which the Quaid-i-Azam was suffering owing to internal and external circumstances and challenges had adversely affected his health. Strict watch had to be kept on Marri tribes in Balochistan particularly also because the Commanders of the Scouts and Militia were still British officers and Kalat State army commander was also a British officer. These British officers were eating food of Pakistan but they were playing in the hands of Britain and indirectly supporting India. Pakistan had to withstand this troublesome system. It will not be so wrong to say that the suffocation from the Quaid-i-Azam was suffering over the prevailing circumstances had adversely affected his health and expedited his dealth.

(These extracts were published in Weekly “Meyaar” Karachi in September 1976).

The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News) Radio Pakistan, Islamabad and can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com