Chaudhry Rahmat Ali
(Ata Rehman Zaki, Karachi)
Chaudhry Rahmat Ali, founder of
the Pakistan National Movement, was born in 1895. From his early childhood,
Rahmat Ali showed signs of great promise as a student. After completing his
schooling, he joined the Islamia College of Lahore in order to get his Bachelor
of Arts degree. Rahmat Ali finished education in England, obtaining MA and LLB
with honors from the universities of Cambridge and Dublin.
It was during the years 1930 through 1933, that he seemed to have established
the Pakistan National Movement, with its headquarter at Cambridge. On January
28, 1933, he issued his first memorable pamphlet "Now or Never; Are we to live
or perish forever?" He coined the word "Pakistan" for 30 million Muslims who
live in the five northern units of India; Punjab, North West Frontier (Afghan)
Province, Kashmir, Sindh and Baluchistan. The pamphlet also gave reasons for the
establishment of Pakistan as a separate nation. He spoke of an independent
homeland for Muslims, Pakistan, in the northern units of India, "Bang-i-Islam"
for Muslims in Bengal, and "Usmanistan" for the Muslims in Hyderabad-Deccan.
Chaudhry Rahmat Ali propagated the Scheme of Pakistan with a missionary zeal
since its inception in 1933. In August 1947, Pakistan came to be established and
in 1948 Chaudhry Rahmat Ali visited Pakistan. Later he proceeded to England to
champion the cause of Kashmir through the United Nations.
Sick and weak, he died on February 12, 1951.