Correspondence of M.A. Jinnah: On Muslim Commercial Enterprise

Sub title : A Request for Guidance on Establishing a Cotton Mill in U.P.

Subject: Economic Development | Muslim Entrepreneurship | Cotton Industry | Industrial Licensing

Date of publication: 1946

Language: English

Page: 2 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27751

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Correspondence | Muslim Commerce -- Cotton Mill -- Industrial License | U.P. Muslim Chamber of Commerce -- H.M. Semi -- Economic Empowerment -- Post-War Business -- Muslim Entrepreneurship.

Abstract: This letter from H.M. Semi to M.A. Jinnah, dated May 1946, discusses the economic advancement of Muslims in commerce and industry. The writer, who helped establish the U.P. Muslim Chamber of Commerce in Cawnpore (Kanpur), reports on his successful efforts to obtain a government license for a medium-sized cotton mill (25,000 spindles and 500 looms) in Uttar Pradesh. He emphasizes that this initiative responds to Jinnah's longstanding calls for Muslims to engage in modern business, particularly in sectors like cotton, where distribution was dominated by Hindu merchants. The writer now seeks Jinnah's guidance on "vital problems of policy" and requests a personal meeting to discuss the next steps for the project.

Description: This letter highlights the practical efforts to realize M.A. Jinnah's vision of Muslim economic self-reliance during the final years of British India. It reflects the growing momentum among Muslim businessmen to establish independent industrial enterprises, particularly in sectors critical to the economy. The document is notable for showing how Jinnah's leadership inspired not only political mobilization but also commercial initiative. The writer's success in obtaining an industrial license and his subsequent seek for Jinnah's guidance illustrate the intersection of economic development and political leadership in the Pakistan movement. The letter provides valuable insight into the early stages of Muslim industrial projects in Northern India at a crucial historical juncture. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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