Jinnah of Pakistan

Introductory Note

A meeting of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League was held on May 12, 1936 under the presidentship of Allama Iqbal. One of the resolutions passed at this meeting was to welcome the proposal of Mr. Jinnah to establish a Central Parliamentary Board in order to organise elections for the Provincial legislatures under the Government of India Act 1935. On May 21, 1936, Mr. Jinnah announced the names of the members of this Central Board. Four members from the Majlis-i-Ahrar and three from Ittihad-i-Millat were nominated to this Board among the 11 members from the Punjab. This unequal representation led to mutual bickerings. Ittihad-i-Milliat was lukewarm in its support of the League while the Majlis-i-Ahrar later on dissociated itself from the Parliamentary Board. A pamphlet was issued on May 8, 1936 on behalf of Allama Iqbal and 14 other leaders associated with the Provincial Muslim League, appealing to the Muslim public to vote for Muslim League candidates. The Unionist Party was strongly criticised for its anti-Muslim policy of destroying Muslim unity and integrity.