THROUGHOUT school, students learn about the Quaid-i-Azam’s determination, Iqbal’s inspirational poetry and the sacrifices of Liaquat Ali Khan. Among our founding fathers, we have somehow skipped a few names. These are the names that actually carved out the legal, financial and political history of our country.

Jogendar Nath Mandal, a leader of the scheduled caste and an avid supporter of the Pakistan movement, was a member and temporary chairman of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.

He served the nation in the capacity of Law and Labour Minister. With the loss of the secular character of the state, Jogendar Nath Mandal, gave up on his Pakistan and migrated to India after submitting his resignation to Liaquat Ali Khan.

One can only imagine the circumstances that led him to take this decision as he was presiding over the 11th August 1947 session of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in which Jinnah uttered the principles of secularism in his speech.

Alvin Robert Cornelius was the person who assisted the Quaid-i-Azam in drafting the Pakistan Resolution. He was one of the prominent non-Muslim leaders of the Pakistan Movement and advocated the creation of Pakistan.

Later as Chief Justice of Pakistan, he served this nation by founding the basis of the legal system. His legal philosophies and writings still guide legal students in Pakistan.

The first finance secretary of the country, Victor Turner, was the person who set up and reformed Pakistan’s civil service, headed the Federal Bureau of Statistics. He established the first paper currency mill and the first “rupee” of Pakistan had his signature.

He was removed from government service and moved to London where he served Pakistan as the financial adviser to the Pakistani High Commissioner.

It is a pity that the new generation doesn’t know much about the services of these founding fathers who helped the nation in the early stages.

Shohrat Rizvi
Lahore

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2014