THIS is with reference to the letter ‘A case of biasness’ (March 24). It would be a folly to think that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan had no role in the formation of Pakistan. Though it is undeniable that Sir Syed had worked for the British and the East India Company, his contribution to the Muslim community is immeasurable and cannot be ignored on account of his association with the British.

Sir Syed’s book, Asbab-i-Baghawat-i-Hind, was the first of its kind, and served to clarify that Muslims were not responsible for the war of independence in 1857. His Aligarh movement is widely regarded as the foundation of the Pakistan movement, as it instilled political maturity in the larger Muslim community which had previously been unable to communicate their sentiments owing to their inability to read, write or speak in English.

Sir Syed’s other reforms, such as the Aligarh Institute Gazette and the Scientific Society, played a prominent role in awakening Muslims from the darkness of ignorance. His most significant contribution, however, was the establishment of Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which is famously known as the Aligarh College and which eventually became a university. It produced many prominent Muslim League members, like Enamel Haque Khan, Habibullah Khan, and most importantly, Liaquat Ali Khan. Sir S.A. Qayum and Sir Hassan Ali Effendi, following the pattern of Aligarh College, founded Islamia College in Peshawar and Sindh Madressatul Islam in Karachi.

The contributions of these institutions to the Pakistan movement cannot be overstated. Although Sir Syed died eight years before the formation of the All-India Muslim League (AIML), it is important to note that he founded the Muslim Educational Conference in 1885, which ultimately became the AIML in 1906. It is essential to remember that Pakistan was founded on the basis of two-nation theory, and Sir Syed is the father of that theory, which he first proposed in 1867 in Banaras.

Founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah acknowledged the position of the Aligarh movement as the arsenal for the Muslim League, and this is a testament to Sir Syed’s invaluable contribution to the Pakistan movement. It is clear that Sir Syed’s services to the Pakistan movement cannot be ignored or underestimated.

Hussnain Ali
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2023