Islamabad: British-Pakistani entrepreneur and educationist Bilal Sheikh has paid tribute to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Pakistan’s 80th Independence Day, saying the founder’s vision, constitutional struggle and leadership gave the Muslims of the subcontinent a separate homeland that has grown into a strong and resilient nation of nearly 250 million people.
He was speaking at an art exhibition titled ‘Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: A Legacy Beyond Time,’ organised by the Mont Rose Foundation at the prestigious National Liberal Club on Whitehall Place in central London to mark Pakistan’s Independence Day and celebrate the enduring legacy of its founding father.
The event was attended by Pakistan’s newly appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Tipu Usman, artist Amera Rashid, prominent members of the British-Pakistani community, educationists, entrepreneurs and other dignitaries.
In his keynote remarks, High Commissioner Tipu Usman said Quaid-e-Azam firmly believed in the rule of law, reasoned argument, dialogue and political negotiation, even when dealing with political differences and opponents.
He said Jinnah’s legacy was not only about remembering the historic struggle that led to the creation of Pakistan, but also about understanding and upholding the principles and values that guided that struggle.
The High Commissioner appreciated Bilal Sheikh, CEO of the Mont Rose Foundation, for organising the exhibition and for commissioning a portrait of Quaid-e-Azam that has been permanently placed at the National Liberal Club.
Sheikh, founder of Mont Rose College in London, which teaches thousands of adult students each year, said Pakistan’s creation was the result of Jinnah’s extraordinary constitutional struggle, political determination and commitment to securing a future in which the Muslims of British India could determine their own political, economic and social destiny.
He said that 79 years after independence, Jinnah’s message remained relevant not only to Pakistan but also to millions of Pakistanis living across the world, particularly at a time when Pakistan was gaining greater prominence on the international stage.
‘Pakistan’s recent role for international peace and harmony and for the prevention of war in the Middle East is inspired by what Jinnah taught us,’ Sheikh said.
Referring to the Pakistan-India conflict of May last year, Sheikh said Pakistan’s performance against a much bigger rival demonstrated the strength and resilience of the country envisioned by its founder.
Jinnah did not simply campaign for a piece of territory. He fought for the political rights, dignity and future of millions of people,’ Sheikh said. ‘The Pakistan of nearly 250 million people that we see today exists because Jinnah had the courage and foresight to pursue a political objective that many once considered impossible.
Highlighting the contribution of the Pakistani diaspora, Sheikh said British Pakistanis had become an integral part of modern Britain’s success story and were making significant contributions in education, medicine, law, business, public service, technology and several other professions.
Serving Britain successfully while contributing to Pakistan’s development is entirely consistent with the values of responsibility, education and progress that Quaid-e-Azam championed, he said.
Sheikh, a British-Pakistani education entrepreneur and CEO of East London-based Mont Rose College, has campaigned for several years for greater recognition of Quaid-e-Azam’s historical and political legacy in Britain.
In 2022, he commissioned a portrait of Jinnah for London’s National Liberal Club, where the founder of Pakistan had been a member more than a century ago. Sheikh has also advocated for a statue of Quaid-e-Azam in Parliament Square, arguing that Jinnah’s historical links with Britain and his political legacy merit greater public recognition.
