PESHAWAR: The Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, had a great love for Pakthuns and Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) and came here on a number of occasions and interacted with people and students.

He visited the historic ICP in 1936, 1945 and 1948, and was greatly impressed by its domes, lush-green lawns, majestic edifice of its beautiful architecture and outstanding role of its students during Pakistan Movement.

In his last visit to the ICP as Governor General of Pakistan in 1948, the father of the nation acknowledged the services of the Islamia college students towards making of Pakistan in these words. “I am indeed very happy to be present here today and to have the privilege of addressing the students of this great Darul Uloom, who are the future builders of Pakistan.”

The Quaid also became an honorary member of the Khyber Union, a debating society of the college, in 1936. His love for the college could be judged from his will written on May 30, 1939 in Bombay in which he had declared Islamia College Peshawar, the Muslim University Aligarh and Sindh Madrassatul Islam, Karachi, as among the inheritors of his property.

The Quaid Trust later paid Rs10.81 million in different instalments to the college. The amount was spent on the establishment of Quaid-i-Azam College of Commerce, University of Peshawar, construction of Jinnah residential quarters for the college employees, Jinnah College for Women and the newly-constructed Takbeer block.

The Islamia College founded in 1913 has now attained the status of a university besides completing 100 years of its grandeur and academic excellence.

On Wednesday, various functions were held in Peshawar to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation on his 137th birth anniversary. The speakers described Mr Jinnah as a towering personality of the 20th century, who changed the course of history and world geography through a peaceful and constitutional struggle.

A declamation contest on ‘the personality and struggle of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for the creation of Pakistan’ was held at the Greenwich Public School, Charsdda Road, which was presided over by its principal Nasir Ahmed Khan. Students, parents and elites of the city attended the function.

Paras Ejaz, a 9th grade student, said that Mr Jinnah was a great statesman who created a separate homeland for the Muslims purely through a peaceful struggle.

“Quaid-i-Azam stood for constitutionalism, rule of law, respect for human rights, and equality,” he said, adding that the Quaid’s slogan of 'Unity, Faith and Discipline' had inspired the Muslims of the subcontinent to achieve Pakistan. Other speakers said that the Quaid had great love for Pakthuns, especially students, which could be judged from his visits to this part of the country.

A similar function was also held at the PAF Fizaia Degree College on Wednesday. Students from junior and senior school sections and college presented national songs and tableaus. —APP