Letters between M.A. Jinnah and P.R. Bharucha

Sub title : Correspondence of M.A. Jinnah A Glimpse into Professional Practice and Principle

Subject: M.A. Jinnah | Legal Profession in British India | Bombay High Court | Professional Ethics and Disputes

Date of publication: 1939

Language: English

Page: 54 p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 28110

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- P.R. Bharucha -- Bombay High Court -- Bar Library -- Daily Board -- Subscription Dispute -- Legal Practice -- Professional Correspondence -- Financial Disagreement

Abstract: This file contains a series of letters from July 1939 documenting a dispute between barrister M. A. Jinnah and P. R. Bharucha of the Bombay High Court Bar Library over payment for the "Daily Board" (a daily list of court cases). Jinnah, having been absent from his practice from August 1938 to June 1939, argues he should only pay for the period he used the service upon his return. Bharucha insists the full annual subscription is owed, claiming the board was delivered to Jinnah's peon during his absence. The correspondence reveals a firm, principled stance from Jinnah on a minor financial matter and escalates in tone, with Bharucha finding Jinnah's letters "discourteous" and ultimately cutting off service. It concludes with a terse note from Bharucha regarding the administrative structure of the Board.

Description: This collection of offers a rare, mundane glimpse into the professional life of M. A. Jinnah outside his political career. The letters center on a disagreement over a Rs. 16/- subscription fee for a professional daily bulletin. The exchange highlights Jinnah's attention to detail, his insistence on paying only for services he believed he received, and his willingness to engage in a protracted dispute on principle, even with a "brother professional." For historians, it humanizes the Quaid-e-Azam, showing him navigating the same minor administrative and financial issues as any other practicing lawyer. The slightly tense tone of the later letters adds a layer of interpersonal dynamics to this snapshot of professional life in pre-independence Bombay's legal community. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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