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Saturday, May 26, 2012

The Quaid's Reply to the US Ambassador


[The following reply was given by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, to the speech made by the first Ambassador of the United States of America at the time of presenting credentials on February 26, 1948].

Your Excellency!



It gives me great pleasure to welcome you in our midst as the first Ambassador of the United States of America. Though Pakistan is a new State, for well over a century now there have been many connections of trade and commerce between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States.



This relationship was strengthened and made more direct and intimate during the two World Wars and more particularly and more recently during the Second World War when our two people stood shoulder to shoulder in defense of democracy. The historic fight for self-government by your people and its achievement by them, the consistent teaching and practice of democracy in your country had for generations acted as a beacon light and had in no small measure served to give inspiration to nations who like us were striving for independence and freedom from the shackles of foreign rule.



I cordially share your pleasure at the evidence of friendship and sympathy shown by your country in opening diplomatic relations with Pakistan from the very first day of its establishment as a new State. I would like to add that this friendship has been diligently and consistently furthered by your very able and esteemed colleague, Mr. Charles Lewis, the Charge d’affaires who represented your country here pending Your Excellency’s arrival.



As you have discerned already our infant State has been confronted with grave and dangerous issues and problems from its early days. Though as a new State we have to face a serious situation, we have no doubt in our own minds that by our united will and determination to live as a free and peace-loving people, we shall overcome them successfully.



I thank Your Excellency for your friendly assurances of sympathy in dealing with our many problems. I also deeply appreciate your confidence that our traditions and our past will help us to fulfill the hopes and ideals of our people. In return I can assure Your Excellency that after having emerged from an eclipse which lasted over a century and a half, the people of Pakistan desire nothing which is not their own, nothing more than the goodwill and friendship of all the free nations of the world. We in Pakistan are determined that having won our long-lost freedom we will work to the utmost limit of our capacity not only to build up a strong and happy State of our own but to contribute in the fullest possible measure to international peace and prosperity.



I am glad to learn that Your Excellency and the great country and people you represent, will give your cooperation to us in order to advance our economic and cultural relations for the mutual benefit of both the countries. I am hopeful that good relations and friendship already existing between the people of America and Pakistan will be further strengthened and the bonds of friendship between our two countries will be more firmly riveted.



Your Excellency, I assure you that my Government and I will do all that lies in our power to give you every assistance in the fulfillment of what is our common desire and objective. I once more extend to Your Excellency a warm welcome to Pakistan as the first Ambassador of the United States of America.

5 comments:

  1. And from that time, Khudi went missing in our peoples and in our leaders. (:

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  2. Greetings,

    Thank you very much for this.

    The words of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah are so strong.

    "The people of Pakistan desire nothing which is not their own..." This says so much.

    All good wishes,

    robert

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  3. I have always admired Mr. Muhammad Ali Jinnah.He was the true leader of Pakistan and I don't know if there was anyone after him,worthy enough to succeed him.
    Some of his quotes were,"I will have nothing to do with this pseudo religious approach to politics.I part company with the congress and Gandhi.I do not believe in mob hysteria.Politics is a gentleman's game".He truly was a gentleman.His passing left a void in Pakistan that could never be filled.
    One of his famous quote was,"Think hundred times before you take any decision,but once a decision is taken,stand by it as one man.His speech and his personality made the Pakistanis proud of their country.
    His third quote,"I have always maintained that no nation can be worthy of its existence that cannot take its women along with the men.There are two powers in the world.one is the sword and the other is the pen.There is a great competition between the two.There is a third power stronger than both,that of the women".I like this most of all because he clearly stated his respect for women.Who wouldn't be proud of a leader like him.
    Another one of his famous quote was:"We are now all Pakistanis-not Baluchis,Pathans,Sindhis,Bengalis,Punjabis and so on we must behave and act ,and we should be proud to be known as Pakistanis and nothing else.
    After his passing there were a number of quotes from prominent people one of them was,"Mr. Jinnah was great as a lawyer,once great as a congressman,great as a leader of Muslims,great as a world politician and diplomat,and greatest of all as a man of action.By Mr. Jinnah's passing away,the world has lost one of the greatest statesman and Pakistan its life-giver,Philosopher and guide".Sarat Chandra Bose
    It truly was a phenomenal loss for a country that had its independence only a year ago.

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    Replies
    1. Greetings,

      @ Chaman, Thank you for this.

      As I read the quotes you're sharing, I want to know more about this man. Is there a quality biography available that someone might suggest?

      All good wishes,

      robert

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  4. Pakistan desires nothing that is not their own was a proper reply to the ambassador of the U.S.Mohammad Ali Jinnah's refusal
    to accept aid from the ambassador,shows how determined Mr. Jinnah was.He only wanted to have good relationship with all the nations of the world.His aim was to have a nation which can look after itself without foreign help.His untimely passing created a void which could not be filled by the ones he left behind.Once in a lifetime God sends personalities like Mr. Jinnah but it was probably destiny that took away a man who could do so much for the country.He was the only person who could keep the country together we should all remember him with pride on his anniversary.

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