2. ( 31July 1893 – 9 July 1967) was a Pakistani dental surgeon, biographer, stateswoman and
one of the leading founders of Pakistan.
After obtaining a dental degree from University of Calcutta in 1923, she became a close
associate and an adviser to her older brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah who later became the
first Governor General of Pakistan. A strong critic of the British Raj, she emerged as a strong
advocate of the two nation theory and a leading member of the All-India Muslim League.
Fatima Jinnah
3. Fatima was born on 30 July 1893, the youngest of seven children to Jinnahbhai Poonja and
his wife Mithibai, in a rented apartment on the second floor of Wazir Mansion, Karachi.
Fatima had six siblings: Muhammad Ali, Ahmad Ali, Bunde Ali, Rahmat Ali, Maryam, and
Shireen. Of her siblings she was the closest to Muhammad Ali Jinnah who became her
guardian upon the death of their father in 1901. She joined the Bandra Convent in Bombay
in 1902. In 1919, she was admitted to the highly competitive University of Calcutta where she
attended the Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College. After she graduated, she opened a dental clinic
in Bombay in 1923.
Early Life
4. After the independence of Pakistan, Jinnah co-founded the Pakistan Women's Association
which played an integral role in the settlement of the women migrants in the newly formed
country. She remained the closest confidant of her brother until his death. After his death,
Fatima was banned from addressing the nation until 1951; her 1951 radio address to the
nation was heavily censored by the Liaquat administration. She wrote the book My Brother,
in 1955 but it was only published 32 years later, in 1987, due to censorship by the
establishment, who had accused Fatima of 'anti-nationalist material'. Even when published
several pages from the book's manuscript were left out.
After Independence…
5. Jinnah came out of her self-imposed political retirement in 1965 to participate in the
presidential election against military dictator Ayub Khan. She was backed by a
consortium of political parties, and despite political rigging by the military, won
two of Pakistan’s largest cities, Karachi and Dhaka. The U.S. magazine, Time, while
reporting on the 1965 election campaign, wrote that Jinnah faced attacks on her
modesty and patriotism by Ayub Khan and his allies.
Jinnah died in Karachi on 9 July 1967. Her death is subject to controversy, as some
reports have alleged that she died of unnatural causes. Her family members had
demanded an inquiry, however the government blocked their request. She remains
one of the most honoured leaders in Pakistan, with nearly half a million people
attending her funeral in Karachi.
Her legacy is associated with her support for civil rights, her struggle in the Pakistan
Movement and her devotion to her brother. Referred to as Māder-e Millat ("Mother
of the Nation") and Khātūn-e Pākistān (Urdu: — "Lady of Pakistan"), many
institutions and public spaces have been named in her honour.
