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Speech at the Ceremonial Army Parade at Kurmitolla Airport: March 20, 1948
Officers and Men!
I thank you for the honour you have done me in giving me the salute. I shall always remember this opportunity that has been afforded to me
You know that Pakistan had to start from scratch. East Bengal is one of its most powerful components and you have got now an opportunity which you have not had for, may I say, two centuries or more. Bengal, generally, in which of course, East Bengal was included where happens to be the largest Muslim population, was considered as negligible in quality and quantity, for military purposes. The martial spirit of Bengal is historically known, and specially the part the Muslims played in the history of the past Bengal. That martial spirit, like many other great qualities was oppressed, suppressed and the martial spirit was dead - with a sort of damper put on - and in Bengal we got to a point when, as I said, Bengal did not count for military purposes. Now, in free Pakistan which is going to be a great nation, one of the largest in the world, you have under sovereign, independent, free Pakistan, every opportunity to revive your martial spirit and show to the world what Bengal can do. It is in your hands. I am sure, you realize that yours is the responsibility for the security and the defence of the State, and I am confident, you will not fail but serve it loyally and faithfully, ready to die for its security and defence. I thank you.
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"In a nutshell, Patient Welfare Society wants to join - and lead - others in helping the world see. One way we achieve
this goal is by giving the Gift of Sight to needy people in
Pakistan... read more
SURAH AL-ANFAL, VIII. 26
India
and, in particular, Muslim India cannot afford to lose you. Men of clear
vision, independent judgement and strength of character are very few,
and when one sees efforts made in non-Muslim Indian quarters not to
help genuinely Muslim India with a view to Secure their co-operation
but simply to persuade the Muslim community to entrust its future to
them, the need for a strong man of independent judgement, integrity
and strength of character becomes apparent and overwhelmingly great...
At such crisis it is only men of very outstanding ability like yours
who can guide the community, and that is why. I was very pleased indeed
when I found you had given your consent to reorganize the All India
Muslim League under your
