70th death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam being observed today

Karachi: The 70th death anniversary of founder of Pakistan‚ Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is being observed today (Tuesday) with reverence and honour.

Quran Khawani and fateha will be held at the Quaid’s Mazar, while people from various walks of life will visit the mausoleum to lay floral wreath and offer fateha.

Special prayers will also be offered in mosques across the country for the departed soul of the father of the nation.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah died on September 11, 1948 after suffering from tuberculosis. He breathed his last just over a year after he did the Muslims a great favour by acquiring a separate homeland for them.

Pakistan’s founder was a genius lawyer and a great politician. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1930 but he did not disclose it to anyone, apart from his sister Fatima Ali Jinnah and a few of his relatives and accomplices.

He moved to Quetta on 6th July, 1948 after his personal physician Colonel Dr. Ilahi Bukhsh recommended him to shift to Quetta for a change in environment. He stayed in Quaid-e-Azam Residency.

He was shifted to Karachi from Quetta by a C-130 aircraft on September 11th and was transported to Governor House in Karachi in an ambulance. Unfortunately, his ambulance broke down and another ambulance had to be arranged for Pakistan’s ailing founder.

Jinnah and his sister had to wait for another ambulance. The intense heat also took its toll on the sick leader and his condition was grave by the time the ambulance arrived at the scene.

Quaid-e-Azam was pronounced dead at 10:20 am on 11th September, 1948. His funeral prayers were attended by a large number of Pakistanis.