M.A. Jinnah: Financial Mobilization for the New Nation

Sub title : Banking Operations, Diaspora Donations, and Fund Management on the Eve of Independence

Subject: Pakistan Fund Establishment and Management | Financial Mobilization for Nation-Building

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 99 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27997

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Pakistan Fund July 1947 -- Habib Bank -- Financial Mobilization -- Overdraft Facility | Assam Referendum Committee -- Ahmed Ispahani -- Diaspora Donations (Ceylon, South Africa) | Memon Merchants -- Nation-Building Fund -- Muslim League Finances -- Pre-Independence Banking.

Abstract: This collection captures the critical financial mobilization undertaken by M.A. Jinnah and the All-India Muslim League in July 1947, immediately preceding the creation of Pakistan. The documents showcase the operational launch of the "Pakistan Fund," a dedicated account for nation-building and political activities. Key highlights include the establishment of a substantial ₹5,00,000 overdraft facility with the Habib Bank, the strategic disbursement of ₹1,00,000 to the Assam Referendum Committee, and a continuous stream of donations from both within India and the global diaspora—notably a detailed remittance of Rs. 16,866 from Memon piecegoods merchants in Ceylon. The correspondence reveals meticulous financial management, with Jinnah personally authorizing payments, reconciling accounts, and forwarding collected drafts. Alongside the new fund, final transactions for the Bihar Relief Fund are also processed, illustrating the overlapping responsibilities during this transitional period. The letters reflect a shift from humanitarian relief to political and administrative financing, underpinned by a network of trust and organized support from Muslim communities worldwide.

Description: This archival set provides a vital, ground-level view of the financial engine being activated to support the imminent state of Pakistan. Centered on July 1947, the documents move beyond political rhetoric to reveal the concrete monetary mechanisms: confirming bank overdrafts, instructing telegraphic transfers for critical campaigns like the Assam referendum, and channeling a flood of contributions from merchants, student federations, and individuals pledging a percentage of their salary. A poignant letter from a supporter encloses a wife's donation with a plea for an "Islamic State." The detailed accounting from Colombo and the widespread geographic origin of donations (from Sibi to Durban) demonstrate a highly effective, decentralized fundraising network. This collection is indispensable for understanding how the political dream of Pakistan was being underwritten by a vast, coordinated effort of financial contribution and banking logistics, managed with precision by Jinnah's office during the final, frantic weeks before Partition. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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