Did Jinnah want an Islamic Sharia in Pakistan? Dr Shabir Choudhry

Did Jinnah want an Islamic Sharia in Pakistan?
Dr Shabir Choudhry      27 June 2016

Debate still goes on even after 69 years whether Pakistan was created to promote Islam and establish Sharia; or if the name of Islam was used as a political slogan to woo the Muslims. Some even go as far as saying that Pakistan was created to divide the Muslims of the Indian Sub Continent, serve the interests of the West; and reward the army and the landed aristocracy which served the British Raj to keep control over huge area.

However, many still believe that Mohammed Ali Jinnah a ‘Messiah’ for Muslims of the Sub Continent and wanted to establish Islamic Sharia in Pakistan. There is plenty of evidence to prove that brains which divided this huge region with enormous resources wanted to use religion as a tool to divide Hindus and Muslims that people continue to fight after the British departure from the region.

For a minute lets us accept this plea that Jinnah was a Messiah and very religious man; and he wanted to establish Islamic Sharia in Pakistan to advance the cause of Islam. On 14 August 1947 Pakistan came in to being; and Mohammed Ali Jinnah was the man in charge. If he was sincere to establish Islamic Sharia, after assuming control of Pakistan he would have included high ranking Islamic scholar to help him accomplish his task of establishing Islamic Sharia. His team included the following, and see for yourself if this team was suitable to promote Islam:

1.    Mohammed Ali Jinnah became Governor General of Pakistan;

2.    Sir Frederick Bourne was appointed the Governor of East Pakistan;

3.    Sir Francis Mudie the Governor of Punjab;

4.    Sir George Cunningham the Governor of N.W.F.P;

5.    Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, the Governor of Sindh;

6.    General Sir Frank Messervey Chief of the Pakistan Army;

7.    Air Vice-Marshal Perry-Keane Chief of the Pakistan Air Force;

8.    Admiral Jefford the Chief of Pakistan Navy;

9.    Financial Advisor to Mohammed Ali Jinnah was Sir Archibald Rowland;

10. Liaquat Ali Khan Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defense;

11. In December Chaudhry Zafarullah Khan was appointed Foreign Minister and Commonwealth relations;

12. I. Chundrigar Minister for Commerce, Industries and Works;

13. Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar Minister for Communications;

14. Raja Ghazanfar Ali Minister for Food, Agriculture and Health;

15.  Jogendra Nath Mandal Minister for Labour and Law;

16. Ghulam Muhammad Minister for Finance;

17. Fazlur Rahman Minister for Interior, Information and Education

18.  Mohammed Ali Jinnah also asked many skilled British technocrats to stay and serve in the Pakistani government.

In the very first meeting of the Cabinet a special resolution was passed that Mohammed Ali Jinnah will also help ministers in policy making; and in case of a difference of opinions his decision was to be final. In other words, he had absolute power in running Pakistan.

I would like you to look at the above list and decide if this team was suitable to establish Islamic Sharia?

Mohammed Ali Jinnah was Ismaeli Muslim; whereas the majority of Muslims in East and West Pakistan consisted of Sunni sect. In his team, apart from the British technorates he had eight very senior and powerful posts held by the British Christians.

His Foreign Minister was a leading Qadiani. His Law Minister was Hindu. His Finance
Minister was a man who served the British as a civil servant.

Can you see name of any mufti or an Islamic Scholar in his team?

Did he expect that Hindu Law Minister would help him to establish Islamic Sharia?

If you still think that he created Pakistan to promote Islam and establish Islamic Sharia, then only Allah can help you. No one in this world can put any logic in your head.
Writer is a political analyst, TV anchor and author of many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs. Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com