Book & Author
Syed Hashim Raza: Hamari Manzil - Our Destination
By Dr Ahmed S. Khan
Chicago, IL
Biography is the only true history.
— Carlyle
Hamari Manzil — Our Destination — the autobiography of Syed Hashim Raza (SHR) narrates various phases of Muslim struggle for the Two-Nation Theory and sovereign state of Pakistan guided by the visionary leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Quaid-i-Millat Khan Liaquat Ali Khan and many other prominent leaders. The book is not merely an autobiography, but it unfolds the inner forces which had shaped the course of history of the struggle for Pakistan. It also records an eyewitness account of the political dynamics after the demise of the father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad All Jinnah and the tragic assassination of his right-hand man, Liaquat All Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The book contains rare unpublished photographs of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-i-Millat Khan Liaquat Ali Khan, Sir Aga Khan, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru and many other historic records. The author has devoted a chapter to discuss the role of Lord Mountbatten, the last of the British Viceroys of India highlighting his partisan stance in respect of matters relating to partition and his questionable maneuvering in respect of the state of Kashmir and Jammu.
The author has also reproduced a personal letter dated March 20, 1979, addressed to the author by the late Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from his death cell. In this letter the late Prime Minister asserts that the Kashmir dispute could have been settled in 1962 or latest by 1965 to the advantage of Pakistan.
One of the unique features of the book is its cultural and poetic flavor — rich citations of Urdu and Persian couplets of renowned poets with appropriate English renderings — reveals the author's cultural and poetic acumen along with his exquisite narration in English.
The author has dedicated the book to millions who sacrificed their lives for Pakistan: “To the memory of millions of freedom fighters of Sub-continent who had made tremendous sacrifices of valuable lives and possessions in the course of struggle for creating a separate Muslim State — the Islamic Republic of Pakistan — harbinger of Islamic renaissance in contemporary world history.”
Syed Hashim Raza [SHR] (February 16, 1910, UP, British India – September 30, 2003, Karachi, Pakistan) was a prominent civil servant who rose to the highest echelon of his cadre when he was appointed Governor of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In 1932, after receiving his MA in political science from Lucknow University, SHR went to England to pursue higher studies at the University of Oxford. In 1934 SHR joined the Indian Civil Service, and served in various capacities. After partition, SHR served as the first administrator of Karachi (1951-1953) — the first federal capital of Pakistan. SHR was one of the close associates of Quaid-i-Azam. He served as the acting Governor of East Pakistan (July 1, 1961 – August 5, 1961). During his long professional career, SHR served with honor and dignity. For his dedicated public service, SHR was awarded Sitara-e-Pakistan (Star of Pakistan) and Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam (Star of Quaid-i-Azam) by the government of Pakistan. After his retirement from Government service, SHR pursued literary and social activities and wrote his political autobiography. SHR was married to Salma, the couple had two daughters, and two sons: Syed Ali Raza (former president of National Bank of Pakistan) and Syed Salim Raza (former Governor of State Bank of Pakistan).
In the foreword, Professor Dr Manzooruddin Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor of University of Karachi, observes: “..in the context of the historical evolution of the writing of autobiographies, the autobiography of Syed Hashim Raza entitled ‘Hamari Manzil’ (Our Destination) is on the one hand a perceptive self-examination and self-revelation in the classical tradition of the great Confessions of St. Augustine, Rousseau, and Imam Al-Ghazzali, and on the other, conveys a message to the succeeding generations of Pakistanis urging them to rededicate themselves to the basic tenets of the national ideology and exhorts and stimulates them to reaffirm their resolve to build a successful, stable and strong Pakistan… Mr Raza's autobiography presents to the reader a rich account of all facets of Muslim Renaissance in India after 1857 and the part played by a galaxy of Muslim reformers, and leaders like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Syed Ameer Ali, Sir Aga Khan, Maulana Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is a sad commentary on our national literature that there are only a few autobiographies left behind by our political leaders and public servants. Many of our greatest leaders like Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah; Quaid-i-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan and others died in harness and had little time to write down record of their life-stories…At the end it suffices to say that it is a fascinating life story of a bureaucrat, litterateur, poet and a man of nobility and character. I believe that this book, Hamari Manzil, is in fact a documentary account of the cultural history of the Muslims of the United India and will be a source of inspiration and enlightenment for the young generation and his personality, life and career profile should be an ideal example for the public servants worthy of emulation.”
In editor’s note, Husain Nasser writes: “The great tragedy of East Pakistan debacle in 1971 leading (now Bangladesh) to the dismemberment of Pakistan came as a rude shock to me, since I always believed that all Bengali Muslims were true patriots like others in Pakistan. This tragedy reinforced my earnest desire to accelerate my efforts for the publication of a series of books on the background and ideology of Pakistan. I have been one of the fortunate persons who have been friendly with most of the outstanding scholars and politicians but many of them, in spite of their eminence, were not willing to spare time for such a noble cause, as almost all of them were so deeply involved in their day-to-day political or career routine.”
Husain Nasser further observes: “I have been constantly on the lookout for such a wise man who could narrate the story of the Pakistan Movement, and explain to the younger generation the ideology of Pakistan, and recount the sacrifices of the millions of the Muslims in the creation of Pakistan. My primary objective of producing such a volume has been to make available to the citizens of Pakistan in general and the younger generation in particular all facts of history before them, and exhort and stimulate them to rededicate themselves to the great task of building a prosperous, stable and strong Pakistan in the years to come. This would also provide materials to the future historians and social scientists of Pakistan. After a long span of time, after all I discovered in Syed Hashim Raza a person of my vision.”
Expounding on the stature of SHR, Husain Nasser states: “I have always admired Syed Sahib as a great patriot with impeccable character, integrity and honesty. His devotion to the cause of Pakistan is sufficiently evidenced throughout his entire career as a senior civil servant before and after independence. It may not be wrong to say that Syed Hashim Raza is one of the founding fathers of Pakistan. On the eve of independence, he was given the most formidable task of refugee rehabilitation, and was the first administrator of Karachi as the Federal Capital. Later, he had served in so many other important positions in the Government of Pakistan. He has inimitable memory, and has vast knowledge of all the details of the history of the Freedom Movement of the Indian Muslims, and had personally witnessed the sacrifices made by millions of Muslims in the course of achieving independence. Thus, I decided to persuade Syed Sahib to write down his memoirs.”
Reflecting on the title and theme of the book, the author observes: “`Hamari Manzil' has been the name of my abode for the last few decades. My house bore the same name previously at Muhammad Ali Housing Society, Karachi, and now at Defense Society. The publisher of this book, Mr Husain Nasser, has perchance chosen it for the title of this book. The word Manzil in the Urdu language has different shades of meaning. Whereas it stands for a building, abode or house, it also means destination. As a nation, we are unfortunately still drifting. Despite heavy odds, the Muslims of the Sub-continent did create a nation state. It was indeed a Herculean task. But, as a nation, our record of achievement is hardly commendable…I earnestly feel that we are still far from the goal for which this country was carved out. To my mind, that goal lies in the establishment of an egalitarian society founded on justice and rule of law where temporal and spiritual elements are interwoven together into a happy blending as its moral foundation. Soon after the birth of Pakistan, money was made the yardstick of everything. All other noble things and considerations of life were brushed aside. There is no denying the fact that money has its own importance. But in our society, it has unfortunately come to acquire undue importance. The result is that our pristine, precious and noble values which were the priceless essence of our culture, are throttled and our society has degenerated.”
Discussing the special role and features of Karachi in 1947, the author states: “Karachi is not an ordinary town. Nature has given it exceptional advantages which particularly suit modern needs and conditions. That is why, starting from humble beginnings, it has come to what it is, and one could say with confidence that the day is not far, hence when it will be ranked amongst the first cities of the world. Not only its airports, but the naval port and also the main town will be amongst the finest. There is an especially pleasing feature about Karachi: while most of the big cities are crowded and cramped with over-towering structures, Karachi has large open spaces and hill station style roofs which give to the visitor a feeling of space and ease. It has also got the advantage of a salubrious climate and is always blessed with healthy and cool breeze throughout the year. I visualize a great future for Karachi. It always had immense potentialities.”
Highlighting the pivotal role Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan played in helping Pakistan movement and Quaid-i-Azam, the author observes: “It is true that Liaquat was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but it is also a fact that he rose to great heights by dint of merit and hard work. He possessed commonsense in an uncommon degree. He was level-headed and cool-minded. His aristocratic birth was responsible for his dignity, poise and generous nature. He refrained from petty pleasures in which the sons of Rajas and Nawabs of India generally indulged. Like Maulana Muhammad Ali, he was a product of the two finest educational institutions of the world - Aligarh and Oxford. Like the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal, he was called to the Bar. He was fully equipped to pursue a legal career that could have brought him fame and money. His private means enabled him to adopt a career of service to his community which gave him the greatest satisfaction…Mr M.A. Jinnah described Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan as ‘my right hand.’”
Discussing the services of Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan for the cause of Indian Muslims and Pakistan, the author observes: “The APWA [All Pakistan Women’s Association] whose services I had lauded, has grown from strength to strength since February 1949, when Begum Liaquat convened an All-Pakistan Women's Conference at the Prime Minister's residence. She told the social workers who responded to her call: ‘We have associated ourselves together to fight the evils of ignorance, poverty and disease, so that the land which belongs to all of us and our children may become a happier, healthier and better place.’ APWA's initial success was no doubt due to the fact that the Prime Minister's wife was its patron and President, but Begum Liaquat Ali Khan contributed much more to its success as Rana, the Prime Minister's widow. The APWA opened relief centers for refugees, literary centers, education institutions, industrial home, dispensaries and welfare centers…. Just as Quaid-i-Azam encouraged Miss Fatima Jinnah to share the public honors with him, so did Nawabzada Liaquat Ali khan associate his Begum with his political activities. She was his constant companion and partner. She accompanied Liaquat to Quaid’s residence in Hempstead Health, London, in May, 1933, to request the Quaid to return to India to resume the leadership of the Indian Muslims.”
Remembering Liaquat Ali Khan’s famous fist and his sad demise, the author states: “In July 1951, when the relations between the two dominions deteriorated and the Indian troops were amassed on our frontiers, some people thought that war was round the corner. He allayed the apprehensions of the people by assuring them that Pakistan was prepared for all eventualities. His `fist' became as famous as the 'V' sign of Winston Churchill in the Second World War. Quaid-e-Millat raised the prestige of Pakistan in the comity of nations. He made a very successful tour of the United States of America and Canada along with his gracious wife…months of September and October will ever be associated with the death of the founder of our State, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 11th September 1948, and the dastardly and tragic assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan in Rawalpindi on 16th October 1951. It is a matter of great shame that the conspiracy which led to the murder of our first Prime Minister still remains shrouded in mystery. Every year, Mohtarma Rana Liaquat, the aggrieved widow of our first Prime Minister, issues a statement in deep anguish on 16th October bemoaning the indifference of successive regimes to unearth the conspiracy of her husband's murder. Every year, on this day, our flag flies half-mast and our newspapers, radio and TV commemorate his services. This has almost become a routine, but there has been no breakthrough as to the conspiracy which resulted in the murder of the great man. When Liaquat fell victim to the bullet of Saeed Akbar, I was reminded of the assassination of Julius Caesar as a result of a conspiracy and the words which Shakespeare put in the mouth of Mark Antony: `O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!'.”
Reflecting on the Jinnah-Mountbatten conflict, the author observes: “Lord Mountbatten was extremely upset by the news that the Muslim League would not accept him as the Governor General of Pakistan. — Prince Hamidullah Khan who succeeded his mother as Nawab of Bhopal, had friendly relations with the Quaid-i-Azam as well as Gandhiji. The prince did his best to create harmony between these two great leaders of Muslims and Hindus respectively.”
Expounding on the Two-Nation Theory, the author states: “While Shah Waliullah’s two-nation theory was appreciated only by intellectuals who could read his works, the two-nation theory of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan caught the imagination of the Muslim masses of India. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan warned the Muslims not to join the Indian National Congress which was founded in 1885. He advised them to concentrate on education and eschew non-cooperation with the British Government which the sullen Muslims had done after losing their first battle of Independence in 1857. The last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was the leader of what the British termed as the Mutiny. He was exiled to distant Rangoon owing to the role that he had played in the battle of Independence. Although the two-nation theory of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan found an echo in the hearts of the majority of the Indian Muslims, it was left to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad All Jinnah to use it as a trump-card for the division of the Indian Sub-continent.”
Discussing the role of Pundit Nehru on Kashmir, the author notes: “By all tests of religion and culture, history and geography, trade and commerce, language and tradition, Kashmiris and Pakistanis are one people. — Of the 562 Indian states, only three states became the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan. — If the first Prime Minister of India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru had not been a Kashmiri by origin and had he not a sentimental attachment with Kashmir, the problem of Kashmir could have been settled amicably. — There have been three wars between India and Pakistan. The problem of Kashmir still remains unresolved.”
Reflecting on Lahore – the cultural capital of Pakistan — the author observes: “King Shahjahan invited his mother Noor Jehan to move to Agra from Lahore, she declined to leave Lahore and composed a verse in Persian which she wrote to Shahjahan. In October 1960, I proceeded on four months’ leave for rest and change. I spent two months in Lahore and two months in Karachi. Lahore is very pleasant in November and December. The trees on the Mall Road are well planted and well-trimmed. The lawns of Aitchison College, the GOR, and Mayo Gardens are lush green. When I lived in Lahore as Chief Settlement Commissioner, I had no time to wander on the streets and to explore the old parts of Lahore. Most of the time, I was thronged by applicants and complainants. I got an opportunity to move in the literary circles of Lahore and to enjoy the company of veteran journalists like Maulana Abdul Majeed Salik and Aga Shorish Kashmiri, eminent literary figures like Syed Rais Ahmed Jaffery and Muhammad Tufail of Nuqoosh, renowned poets like Hafeez Jullundhari, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, Tufail Hoshiarpuri, Ehsan Danish, Abdul Hameed Adam, Hakim Nayyar Wasti and Syed Muhammad Zamir Jaffery. Syed Rais Ahmed Jaffery had written about 350 books in the course of his distinguished literary career. Among his well-known writings are (a) translation of Nahjul-Balaghah in Urdu (b) The Life and Time of Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, (c) The Life and Time of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Jinnah. He honored me by dedicating his book ‘Tareekh Daulat-e-Fatmiah’ to me. His theme was that the Fatimid rulers of Egypt were enlightened tolerant…I found peace of mind at two places in Lahore —the Badshahi Mosque and the Mausoleum of Data Ganjbakhsh.”
Remembering the conflict in East Pakistan, the author observes: “It is my firm belief that the greatest tragedy that befell Pakistan in 1971 would have been averted if the people of West Pakistan could mingle freely with the people of East Pakistan. Maulana Bhashani was an ardent supporter of Pakistan in preparation days. He lived and dressed as a peasant like the Indian Mahatma, M.E. Gandhi. Before the division of 1947, the province of Bengal was divided in 1905 into Eastern and Western Bengal by one of the ablest Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon on purely administrative grounds… …The Muslims of East Bengal were treated as hewers of wood and drawers of water by the Hindu capitalists of Western Bengal. While most of the golden fiber jute was produced in East Bengal, all the jute mills were located in Calcutta which was in West Bengal. The owners of all those mills were Hindus, mostly Marwari magnates. It was only after partition, 1947, that jute mills were established in East Pakistan: I said that in 1961 there were 14 jute mills in East Pakistan — one for every year of independence. The Adamjee Jute Mill in Narayanganj was the biggest jute mill in the world.”
Reflecting on the relations between the two wings of Pakistan, the author states: “I was asked how the two wings of Pakistan, separated by over a thousand miles of Indian territory, were getting on. I replied that there were three things which linked East and West Pakistan: Islam, Pakistan International Airlines and the English language. But for the bonds of Islam, it would not have been possible for these two wings to form one state. What I stated in 1961 was, unfortunately, belied in 1971, when fate separated the two wings and a new Sovereign State — Bangladesh — came into existence as a result of collaboration between Mrs Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, and the Awami League headed by Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman.”
Discussing impediments to progress, the author observes: “Whatever be the ideology or system of Government, the aristocrats manage to get into power. Because of their presence, the country's progress has been very slow. They have obstructed the way to the emergence of a healthy and effective middle-class society. The sooner this landed class is done away with, the better it will be in the interest of the country.”
Addressing the youth, about the future of Pakistan, the author notes: “I am sure that the young men and women in Pakistan will make a much better assessment of the course of events which led to the demand for Pakistan and finally its emergence on the map of the world. At the same time, they will develop a more positive attitude towards their country and nation. Pakistan is now a sacred trust. This trust has got to be preserved at all costs by the young people. Apart from being the future builders, they are her real custodians and defenders of her ideological frontiers…To sum up, our real destination (Manzil) lies in the happy blend of our glorious past with a rosy and promising future. Let us channel all our efforts to achieve it.”
In the epilogue, the author offers thanks to the creator for His countless blessings: “—I bow down to my creator for giving the best parents, the best service, the best wife, the best children and the best grand-children in the world. I cannot offer adequate thanks.”
Hamari Manzil — Our Destination — by Syed Hashim Raza chronicles various phases and elements of the ideology of Pakistan and inspires the youth to play a vital role in the national development. Like Shahab Nama — the autobiography of Qudratullah Shahab, the prominent writer and civil servant — Hamari Manzil is an important political autobiography. It is a must read for general readers and all students interested in the history of Pakistan and South Asia.
(Dr Ahmed S. Khan - dr.a.s.khan@ieee.org - is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar)
