Jinnah bequeathed bulk of his estate to educational institutions

KARACHI:

The legacy of Quaid-i-Azam went mostly to education, noted Liaquat Merchant, Jinnah's grandnephew and also Quaid-e-Azam House Museum Senior Vice Chairman, while speaking at an event hosted by the Board of Management, Quaid-i-Azam House Museum on Quaid's death anniversary on September 11.

Merchant spoke on Jinnah's legacy and dwelt on Jinnah's speeches, statements relating to governance of Pakistan, duties of the Government, rights and duties of citizens, protection of minorities, rights of women, equality of citizens and other important issues dealing with the State of Pakistan. Merchant said that Jinnah's selected views were collected and incorporated into a book "Quotes from the Quaid" which collectively constitutes Jinnah's legacy.

With regard to legacy in physical terms, Merchant informed the audience about Jinnah's Will made in 1939 under which he left the bulk of his Estate to educational institutions which included Anjuman-e-Islam School Bombay, Arabic College Delhi, University of Bombay, Sindh Madresah Karachi, Islamia College Peshawar and Aligarh University in Aligarh, India.

Merchant further states that all bequests had been paid to the beneficiaries but the largest amounts of Rs10.8 million each went to Sindh Madresah, Karachi, Islamia College, Peshawar and Aligarh University. Unfortunately, the bequest to Aligarh University could not be sent as the Government of India had altered the character of this University by statute and the High Court of Sindh at Karachi directed the Administrators of the Estate of Quaid-i-Azam not to send the bequest to Aligarh University but instead to create a Trust in Pakistan and grant higher education scholarships to needy and deserving Pakistani students.