Jalal ud din Jalal Baba

Early life

Jalal Baba came from a middle class background, but was interested in politics from a young age. After joining the Muslim League, he contributed to its progress and became its District President in 1940. His father Sheikh Ghulam Mohammad was a black smith who had migrated to this part of undivided India in the band of Mujahedeen under the banner of Syed Ahmad Barelvi before the war of independence 1857. Jalal-ud-din was brought up in a middle class family of Abbottabad. Before matriculation he left school in 1919, and joined the Hijrat Movement and left for Kabul. But his father brought him back from Landi-Kotal when the movement was called off: consequently he could not carry on his further education.

Political career

Jalal Baba occupies a prominent position among Quaid-i-Azam’s companions who offered him selfless, honest support and remained loyal to him till the end of Pakistan movement. There were numerous other Muslim Leaguers in Hazara but Jalal Baba stood head and shoulders above them all. The masses loved and respected him from the core of their hearts. There was time when the Jalal Baba was adored as an ideal hero of the people. Even when was holding a position of power and authority he never kept himself aloof from the masses. He used to utter the following words while addressing rallies: “Friends! Jalal is & poor man and is son of a Blacksmith. He will live with the poor and would die for them". Jalal Baba was a staunch supporter of the Pakistan movement; He had achieved a unique position in the politics of the Frontier Province. Literally speaking Hazara Muslim League and Jalal Baba were the two sides of the same coin.

The history of the sub-continent would remain incomplete without reference to the services rendered by Jalal Baba. He was the raison dieter of the movement launched for Pakistan. His contributions and achievement will long be remembered. He worked for the establishment of Pakistan in the capacity of President and Vice President of the District and Provincial Muslim League respectively. Jalal Baba was the first to initiate the Direct Action in the Battle of Pakistan by moving a resolution in the All-India Muslim League meeting in July 1946, recommending the reunification of titles, conferred by the British Government.

Again when in July 1947, the Muslim League launched the civil disobedience movement, the Jalal Baba was the first to court arrest from Hazara followed by the others in such a large numbers that the jails were filled to capacity with the political internees. He was released only after the declaration of independence and the establishment of Pakistan.

It was not before late thirties that Jalal Baba had established himself a recognized businessman and a social worker of Hazara. Now he could afford to enter the field of politics. Jalal Baba joined the Muslim League in 1937, at Abbottabad in the first public meeting held in the Company Bagh, while Chaudhary Khaliq-uz-Zaman accompanied by K.B. Saadullah Khan was presiding the meeting. His political efforts led to his nickname Jalal 'Baba' (which means an elder, wise man or expert in the local Hindko ) and was elected Hazara District President in 1940. He held the office for almost 21 years.

K. B. Jalal Baba now an eminent figure in the provincial political circles, raised his voice at the most crucial juncture. The reorganization of the Muslim League resulted in a glorious revolution in the political ranks of Indians. The seeds of the Hazara Muslim League were sown by him the task of nourishing it was done by Jalal-ud-Din Khan, who after joining the organization acquired the charisma of the league’s Leadership in Hazara. In 1939 K.B. Jalal Baba Baba was elected as the president of the Hazara District Muslim League. He held the office as unopposed president for twenty one years. The Hazara Muslim League acquired great strength and popularity under his leadership. He had also been the vice-president of the Provincial Muslim League and a member of the All-India Muslim League Council.

At the moment when British Government conferred titles on Jalal Baba the Muslim league was in the nascent stages of taking roots in the N.W.F.P Province. In view of his personal influence in his native district the Muslim League leaders assigned Jalal Baba the task of its organization. He received support and co-operation from the middle and lower middle class people who comprised the majority, as he himself had belonged them, people gathered around him and turned his transport office into a political one. From all over Hazara the Muslim League workers used to visit him in order to receive his directives on organizational matters. The future of any other political party in Hazara remained bleaked due to the influence of K.B. Jalal Baba. He was a Muslim Leaguer first and last, it is an undeniable fact, that the Hazarites who are at present divided, and have lost their prestige and political awareness, were united under the green flag of the Muslim League. The courageous leadership of Jalal Baba, had brought together, the people with divergent and conflicting views and representing different castes such as Dhond, Tanoli Pathan, Syed, Awan, Swati and Tareen etc. He played a vital role in unifying these scattered groups into one. Consequently the Hazara Muslim League was made a stone citadel and a strong hold providing shelter to the Muslim.

Jalal Baba as M.L.A. was big hurdle for the Congress Ministry in the way fulfilling their nefarious designs in NWFP. In 1946 about forty Hindus embraced Islam in Tehsil Abbottabad. Some of them were forced to be reconverted to Hinduism and some were thrown behind the bars by the Congress Government, although they had embraced Islam voluntarily. This nasty action compelled Jalal Baba to move a strong resolution in the Assembly against the action. Had Jalal Baba not been so zealous an advocate of the poor masses of Hazara they might been harassed by the Congress Government on a much larger scale.

Referendum in NWFP

Jalal-ud-Din Khan’s services during the Pakistan movement were too numerous to be recounted. He staked all his belongings for the achievement of Pakistan. After the Direct Action of 1946 the movement for Pakistan entered a crucial stage. In NWFP the Red Shirt Leaders were blowing their own trumpet. They raised the “Pukhtoonistan” Stunt, backed by Russia, Afghanistan and India. NWFP was the stronghold of the Congress and it had also came into power hereafter the 1946’s provincial elections. So it started creating trouble while defining the future of the Muslim of this Province. In order to decide whether NWFP should form part of the dominion of India or Pakistan a Referendum was held. On June 18, 1947 the Quaid-i-Azam set up a Commission to see that the cause of the Muslim League was upheld successfully in the Referendum. He himself was the Chairman of the Commission. The other members of the Commission were I.I. Chundrigar, Raja Ghazanfer Ali, Syed Wajed Ali, Jalal-ud-Din Khan Jalal Baba, Raja Hayder Zaman and Sardar Bahadur Khan. The Referendum lasted from July 6, to July 17, 1947. Jalal Baba worked from dawn to dusk for the Referendum, provided funds and, being a transporter and transport contractor, utilized his transport, for the purpose. In NWFP total votes were 572,798 and 89,240 were polled in favor of Pakistan while 2874 went against it. From Hazara 99% of the Muslim votes were cast in favor of Pakistan. Thirty percent of the total votes polled, were from Hazara. The credit for all this achievement goes to Jalal Baba’s efforts. Jalal Baba was a member of the committee set up to make arrangements for Referendum in Hazara. Raja Ghazanfar Ali was the Chief Supervisor. Jalal Baba’s keen interest, sheer devotion and provision of vehicles for use in the Referendum so impressed the head of the committee that the paid glowing tributes and recorded his appreciation for his services. Raja Sahib sent him a letter of appreciation from his office of Health Council Delhi Saying; “This is to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for your keen and energetic co-operation with me in connection with the Referendum work in the North West Frontier Province. I also greatly appreciate the services of the National Guards of your district. On another occasion, while paying tributes to Jalal Baba’s services for Pakistan Movement, Inayat-ur-Rahman Khan Abbasi, the member Federal Council said that Jalal Baba was a prominent Muslim Leaguer and the “Winner of the Referendum”. He did not let the Congress Strike roots in the soil of Sarhad. After the great triumph in the Referendum in July 1947, came the great day of August 14, 1947 which saw the emergence of “Pakistan” a new Sovereign Muslim State on the World Map. On August 15, 1947, Jalal Baba authored and circulated a pamphlet titled “AELAN-I-JASHAN-I-AZADI-E-PAKISTAN”. In this pamphlet he appealed to all the Muslim League Committees, the masses and the public gathering to celebrate the Day of Independence with great favour and éclat. The poor should be entertained with food, sweets etc he urged the masses. Inayat-ur-Rahman Khan Abbasi quoted: “Khan Bahadur Jalal-ud-Din Khan was undoubtedly an organization in himself. Keeping in view his loyalty and services towards the country and the nation he deserved to be buried near Quaid-i-Azam’s Tomb. He was a veteran leader of the sub-continent in general and of NWFP in particular. It is not wrong to call him the Winner of the Referendum”.