Abstract:
You might have heard and read about Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his political opponents, the British Raj and the Congress with which he continuously fought politically and through dialogues for the creation of Pakistan and for the rights of Muslims of the subcontinent. Do you know that Quaid e Azam was secretly fighting another war with a deadly opponent? This article will cover the details of his secret struggle against T.B (Tuber culosis). As you read and explore the article it will be made clear that the secrecy of this fight was a key element and a major factor in the creation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
1)The Early Symptoms:
The year was 1937 when Quaid, aged 61, delivered an important address at Lucknow and returned to his house in Bombay, which is now called Mumbai, afterwards. During this journey, he suffered a severe coughing fit that left him physically drained. Instead of consulting a doctor he decided to stay at home and rest because Jinnah was one of those people who believed that staying away from doctors was better for one’s health, so he initially ignored the problem. But when his condition refused to improve for several days, he eventually went for a medical checkup. The doctor advised complete rest — advice Jinnah heard from one ear and let out from the other.
With the advent of this illness, he faced another serious concern: if this news of his poor health spread, it would weaken the Muslim League. At that time, there was no leader strong enough to lead the movement forward in his place. He wanted to present himself before his people and before his opposition, not as fatigued old man but as a strong ambitious leader struggling for the cause of his nation. Therefore, while he ignored the doctor’s instructions, he made a firm decision that he would hide his illness from everyone. Jinnah began intentionally distancing himself from the public. He reduced meetings, avoided large gatherings, and limited appearances at political events so no one would witness him coughing and discovering his condition.
2)The Efforts for Secrecy:
To ensure complete privacy, he left his small, crowded neighborhood in Bombay and moved to a large residence spread over fifteen thousand square yards in the hills of Malabar, surrounded by dense trees and built on a vast area, the house kept his condition hidden. This residency is now known as Jinnah House. The purpose of this was very clear: if a coughing attack struck, the sound should not reach anyone outside. He also acquired another large residence on Aurangzeb Road in Delhi, the same building that later became the Netherlands Embassy after the separation.
He mostly resided in these two houses from this point onward. Despite his illness, Jinnah remained fully absorbed in political activities and never allowed himself a moment’s negligence. His sister, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, who was aware of his condition, would often urge him to rest. In her book My Brother, she recalls his response:
“Have you ever heard of a General take a holiday when his army is fighting for its very survival on a battlefield?”[1]
As time passed, his condition deteriorated further. The days of creation of Pakistan were drawing nearer, public gatherings were increasing, and Jinnah had to appear before crowds and deliver speeches. It may seem that delivering a speech is an easy task but not for Jinnah who was struggling with his bad respiratory system. It proved to be a physically demanding task an ailing man. Speaking required full strength of the lungs, and after long speeches, his breathing would remain irregular for extended periods. He did not yet know the exact nature of his illness but knew that a serious illness had struck his aging body.
3)The Lahore Resolution and Increasing Political Activism
By 1940, the year of Lahore resolution commonly known as the Pakistan resolution, the pressure of political meetings and public appearances intensified which was fully contributing to worsening of his condition. In November that year, despite being unwell, he had to travel to Delhi for a crucial political meeting. During this journey, his illness worsened he encountered severe coughing attack, and the strain of travel made matters even more severe. With great difficulty, Fatima Jinnah brought him to their house on Aurangzeb Road. A doctor came and after examination, he diagnosed some respiratory problems and advised fifteen days of absolute rest. Jinnah, however, rested for only two days before returning to his political work.
Quaid-e-Azam’s health continued to decline steadily, and in 1941, while travelling by train, he suffered a nervous breakdown and collapsed inside the compartment. When the train stopped at a nearby station, a doctor was called, who advised him to rest. Yet, after only a brief pause, Jinnah resumed his political work as if nothing had happened. His determination to serve the Muslims of the subcontinent never allowed him to step back, and he continued working tirelessly to reorganize the Muslim League and unite Muslims under a single political banner — a mission that was extremely difficult and demanding.
4)The 1946 Win and Diagnosis of his Disease
Despite all obstacles, his efforts bore fruit in the 1946 general elections, where the All-India Muslim League achieved an overwhelming victory. It won all the Muslim seats in the Central Assembly and secured a decisive majority in Muslim constituencies across the provinces. This triumph strengthened the legitimacy of the demand for Pakistan.
But as his political success grew, his health worsened. In May 1946, while staying in Simla, he once again suffered a severe coughing attack that left his condition extremely fragile. Seeing his state, Fatima Jinnah persuaded and convinced him to travel to Bombay to consult the renowned physician, Dr. Patel — a doctor trusted by many leading personalities of the time. During the journey, Jinnah’s condition had become so alarming that Fatima Jinnah feared whether he would even reach Bombay alive. She immediately telephoned Dr. Patel, urging him to come directly to the specific coach of the train where Jinnah was resting.
The news that Jinnah was coming to Bombay had already spread and people gathered at Grant Road Railway Station in Bombay. However, his condition was so weak that stopping there clearly meant exposing his condition to the public. If people saw him, they would insist him to address them — something that could have caused him to collapse on the spot. Therefore, the train was halted before the station, and Dr. Patel quickly moved him to a nearby hospital.
5)The X-Ray Reports:
After examining him thoroughly, Dr. Patel realized that these recurring coughing fits were symptoms of a far more serious, chronic illness. He decided to take an X-ray scan of Jinnah’s chest, which was conducted in June 1946. The results were shocking: the interior of his lungs was severely damaged, with visible holes, and the remaining healthy portions were slowly deteriorating and being infected. Instead of making this discovery public, Dr. Patel arranged a private meeting with Jinnah to deliver the news.
As documented in Freedom at Midnight
“He (the doctor) told Jinnah… unless he severely reduced his workload, rested much more frequently, gave up cigarettes, and eased the pressures on his system, he did not have more than one or two years to live.”[2]
Jinnah, however, showed no sign of fear or surprise after hearing this news. It seemed that he was already expecting such kind of news. With unwavering resolve, he replied that he could not abandon the struggle of his entire life merely to lie in bed and rest. He had devoted himself to the Muslims of the subcontinent, and no power in the world could stop him from fulfilling his mission — except death. He agreed to reduce his workload only to the extent that it did not affect his duties and obligations.
He also made a critical request: Dr. Patel must not reveal his diagnosis to anyone — not even to Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. Dr. Patel honored this request, sealed the X-ray reports in his locker, and maintained absolute confidentiality. To help Jinnah appear strong before the public, he began giving him injections every two weeks, enabling him to attend meetings, preside over sessions, and continue political negotiations with apparent vigor.
6)Jinnah’s Everlasting Stand:
During these final years, Jinnah’s political opponents attempted to negotiate with him by offering greater constitutional rights for Muslims. At one point, even Gandhi agreed that Jinnah could become the first Prime Minister of a united India. But Jinnah firmly rejected these offers. Lapierre and Collins note:
“Jinnah remained unmoved. He was, Mountbatten sadly concluded, a psychopathic case, hell-bent on his Pakistan.”[3]
In earlier stages of the struggle, Jinnah had been willing to consider power-sharing within a united India if Muslims were granted sufficient autonomy. But by the final years, he had become convinced that no solution other than a sovereign Pakistan could safeguard Muslim political identity. In an interview with Larry Collins, Mountbatten later admitted that whole power of the Muslim League was condensed in the hands of Jinnah. If someone had told him that Jinnah is not going to live for long, he would never have let the division of India happen.
Even British intelligence agencies failed to discover the truth about Jinnah’s illness. Occasionally, newspapers reported that he was unwell, but people dismissed it as ordinary seasonal sickness common in old age. No one realized how grave his condition truly was. The other leaders of the Muslim league were not as staunch, steadfast and firm supporters of creation of Pakistan as Jinnah was. For if this secret had leaked, Jinnah’s rivals might have simply waited for his death, after which Muslim leadership could have weakened and conceded to Congress demands leaving no possibility for Pakistan.
But Jinnah’s unshakeable determination left no room for delay. Ultimately, Mountbatten announced the historic 3rd June Plan, confirming the partition of British India and the creation of two dominions — Pakistan and India. Therefore, Pakistan came into being on August 14,1947.
7)Conclusion:
This success was truly possible only because of the secrecy of Jinnah’s disease. Dr. Patel proved himself to be a professional Doctor and remained steadfast to his professional and moral commitment of keeping the condition of Quaid a secret. Jinnah could have lived several more years of his life if had distanced himself from political activism but that would cost the future of the Muslims of the subcontinent. At the cost of his life, he worked tirelessly for his people and ultimately gave them a separate homeland. By keeping his internal fight secret, he changed the history, future and the map of the world with a new country named Pakistan. This disease of the Quaid is not often discussed in detail in our textbooks at school and college levels. This should be highlighted which will eventually be a source of great inspiration for the youth of our country. By firmly following his vision and footsteps in the fulfilment of our responsibilities not only shall we be able to develop and modernize this country but also make it an exemplary social democratic and welfare state.
References:
1) Fatima Jinnah. (1987). My brother. Quaid-i-Azam Academy.
2) Lapierre, D., & Collins, L. (1975). Freedom at midnight. Harper & Row.
[1] (Fatima Jinnah, 1987, Chapter 1)
[2] (Lapierre & Collins, 1975, Chapter 14).
[3] (Lapierre & Collins, 1975, Chapter 14).
