Today, we celebrate the 130th birth anniversary of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, who was a very important person in Pakistan’s history. She was the sister of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
Fatima Jinnah was born on July 31, 1893, in Karachi. She became a dentist after completing her studies at Dr. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital in Calcutta in 1923. At first, she worked as a dental doctor in Bombay (now Mumbai). But later, she left that profession to support her brother in the struggle for a separate state for Muslims.
Her contributions were not only in politics. In 1947, she started the Women’s Relief Committee, which later became the foundation for the All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA). She also played an important role in helping people who migrated to Pakistan when the country was formed.
People lovingly called her Madr-e-Millat (Mother of the Nation) for her role in the Freedom Movement. Even in the late 1964, she came back into politics to speak up for democracy in Pakistan.
Fatima Jinnah passed away at the age of 73 on July 9, 1967. But her strong support for civil rights and her dedication to the Pakistan Movement are still respected and celebrated today.
