Correspondence of M.A. Jinnah with Mohammad Zakaullah

Sub title : Concerning the Black Flag Demonstration in Simla and Its Aftermath

Subject: Muslim League Internal Politics | Black Flag Demonstration | Political Protest

Date of publication: 1941

Language: English

Page: 8 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27786

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Mohammad Zakaullah -- Black Flag Demonstration -- Simla -- Fazlul Haq -- Sir Sultan Ahmed -- Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan | Muslim League Discipline -- Press Relations -- Political Protest -- Punjab Premier.

Abstract: This file documents the organization and aftermath of a "black flag demonstration" in Simla against the Bengal Premier, Fazlul Haq, and Law Member Sir Sultan Ahmed, orchestrated by the local District Muslim League under Mohammad Zakaullah. The correspondence begins with Zakaullah's complaint about inadequate press coverage of the successful protest and his advocacy for a dedicated Muslim press. It escalates when he reports being summoned and severely threatened by Punjab Premier Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, who demanded a public retraction and threatened to disaffiliate the Simla League. Zakaullah defends his actions, explaining the logistical constraints and seeking Jinnah's definitive instructions, to which Jinnah responds by deferring the matter to the upcoming League Council meeting, demonstrating a cautious and procedural approach to internal dissent.

Description: This collection of letters provides a vivid, ground-level view of the internal tensions and methods of political protest within the Muslim League in 1941. It highlights the conflict between local League activists, eager to publicly oppose Muslim leaders deemed disloyal to the League's central leadership, and powerful provincial premiers like Sikandar Hayat Khan, who viewed such actions as a breach of decorum and a challenge to their authority. The correspondence is significant for illustrating the challenges of maintaining party discipline, the strategic use of public demonstrations, and Jinnah's role as the ultimate arbiter in resolving disputes between different tiers and factions of the League organization. It also underscores the critical importance the League placed on controlling its public narrative and the perceived need for its own press apparatus. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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