Adil Najam
There picture are not of very high quality, but I am very fond of them because they depict a very different side of Mohammad Ali Jinnah from the one that our official discourse allows us to see. Today, on Mr. Jinnah’s 133rd birthday, I suspect that the Quaid-i-Azam – who always preferred to be “Plain Mr. Jinnah” would have fondly welcomed these photographs rather than the rather stern ones that have been flashing on our television screens all day.
These pictures depict a side of “Plain Mr. Jinnah” that we have often ignored, and sometimes purposely tried to hide.
It is a more human side. A less camouflaged side. A side that depicts a ‘normal’ person–flaws and all–rather than a ‘perfect leader.’
It is a side that, in fact, makes Mr. Jinnah more complete than our official depictions would have him be. Without this side, he cannot be complete or be completely understood.
The picture on the top-left was taken in Bombay with his daughter Dina and his dogs; top-right is taken on a vacation in Kashmir (I believe), with Dina and Begum Liaquat Ali Khan; the third and fourth pictures may well be from the same vacation in Kashmir.
This is a wonderful tribute to the Quaid. We have worked so hard to keep changing his image to suit our own politics that we have forgotten that maybe just understanding him as he was is best for him and for us. Thank you for these nice pictures.
For me the difference bw these pictures and the ones we are usually shown in our education and on TV is that he looks and is doing ‘normal’ things. Enjoying a way with his family. In the official version he becomes a super-man, who only works on greatness all the time and everything he does. In fact, I think he is more great if as a normal person, and with all the failings he achieved what he did.
These are great pictures. Had not seen these before. I learn something new on this site every day. Thanks.
Thank God, the Quaid was born on Dec. 25. Otherwise, we would be fighting over whether to have a holiday for Christmas or not!
Look around this website… you’ll find several actually.
Also… if you are a researcher… please click on my name above above.