M.A. Jinnah and the Bihar Muslim Relief Fund: Administrative Correspondence and Global Donations

Sub title : Managing Finances, Accountability, and International Solidarity for Riot Victims

Subject: Bihar Muslim Relief Fund Administration | Financial Accountability and Receipts | International Donor Networks

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 30 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27992

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Bihar Relief Fund 1946-47 -- Habib Bank -- Financial Accountability -- Muslim League Administration | Donation Receipts -- International Donations -- Africa Muslim Communities -- Nairobi Relief Committee | South Africa Donations -- Rehabilitation Committee -- Refugee Relief -- Communal Riots -- Public Trust -- Fund Management.

Abstract: This collection delves into the operational heart of the Bihar Muslim Relief Fund, established after the devastating communal riots of 1946. It features a dense stream of correspondence from early 1947, highlighting the challenges of managing a massive, international relief operation. Documents include banking letters from the Habib Bank detailing passbook updates and the processing of drafts; acknowledgments from Jinnah to major donors (like Nawab of Chhatari and Hashim Premji); and inquiries from the public and local leagues (e.g., from Travancore) seeking confirmation of their donations, reflecting concerns over transparency. Notably, it includes communications from East and South Africa (Nairobi, "Indian Views" journal) stipulating that funds be used strictly for relief, not politics. The collection reveals the immense logistical effort, the global reach of Muslim solidarity, and the critical importance of financial accountability in maintaining public trust during a humanitarian crisis.

Description: This archival set provides a granular, operational view of a major humanitarian initiative led by the All-India Muslim League. Moving beyond donation lists, it captures the daily administrative grind: Jinnah's office coordinating with the Habib Bank for account statements and an experienced accountant; fielding inquiries from worried local organizers about missing receipts; and responding to donors from Aligarh to Africa. Letters from soldiers in the 49th Indian General Hospital and from the "Indian Views" journal in South Africa illustrate the fund's vast supporter base. A letter from the Bihar Muslim Rehabilitation Committee in Calcutta hints at internal organizational adjustments. Together, these documents paint a vivid picture of Jinnah as the chief executive of a complex, transnational charity drive, managing logistics, ensuring fiduciary responsibility, and personally acknowledging contributions to sustain the flow of aid and confidence in the League's organizational capacity during a pivotal and tragic period. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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