Jinnah's Birthday, officially Quaid-e-Azam Day and sometimes known as Quaid Day, is a public holiday in Pakistan observed annually on

25 December Events Pre-1600 * 36 – Forces of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han, under the command of Wu Han, conquer the separatist Chengjia empire, reuniting China. * 274 – A temple to Sol Invictus is dedicated in Rome by Emperor Aurel ...

to celebrate the birthday of the founder of Pakistan,

Muhammad Ali Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...

, known as ''Quaid-i-Azam'' ("Great Leader"). A major holiday, commemorations for Jinnah began during his lifetime in 1942, and have continued ever since. The event is primarily observed by the government and the citizens of the country where the

national flag A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but usually can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours ...

is hoisted at major architect structures such as private and public buildings, particularly at the top of

Quaid-e-Azam House The Quaid-e-Azam House, also known as Flagstaff House, is a house museum dedicated to the personal life of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, it was designed by British architect Moses Somake. T ...

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

History

(1876–1948) was the founder and first

governor-general of Pakistan The governor-general of Pakistan ( ur, ) was the representative of the Pakistani monarch in the Dominion of Pakistan, established by the Indian Independence Act 1947. The office of governor-general was abolished when Pakistan became an Islami ...

. He is among the most revered leaders in the country's history, and often referred to as ''Qaid-e-Azam'', meaning "Great Leader". In 1942, numerous events commemorated Jinnah on his birthday, 25 December: the

All-India Muslim League The All-India Muslim League (AIML) was a political party established in Dhaka in 1906 when a group of prominent Muslim politicians met the Viceroy of British India, Lord Minto, with the goal of securing Muslim interests on the Indian subcontin ...

organised a fund for the poor and

Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theoris ...

held a reception for the leader. At the Wellington Pavilion in Delhi, Muslim citizens also held a reception for Jinnah. From then on, numerous events were held yearly on 25 December in honour Jinnah during his lifetime; this included receptions, parades, commemorations, speeches and recognition from other world leaders.

Observance and traditions

A major

holiday in Pakistan A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...

, it is celebrated conventionally across the country. Since 25 December is celebrated as Christmas Day, Pakistani citizens observe both holidays on 25 December. The unified

ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...

istic event, usually attended by prominent leaders, military commanders and citizens, is organised at

Mazar-e-Quaid Mazar-e-Quaid ( ur, , lit=Mausoleum of the Leader) is the resting place of Muhammad Ali Jinnah situated in Karachi, Sindh. The marble monument comprises a surface area of . It is surrounded by formal gardens and designed in an Islamic modernist ...

, and while it is aimed at to highlight the life of Jinnah, all public and private sectors, including schools, colleges and universities remain closed to organise multiple events such as debates, seminars and exhibitions at respective locations without being involved in

office management Office management is a profession involving the design, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of the process of work within an office or other organization, in order to sustain and improve efficiency and productivity. Office management i ...

Security arrangements

The event's security arrangements are handled by the

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...

. This is also assigned to the

Pakistan Air Force , "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional) , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = ...

. A

guard mounting Guard mounting, changing the guard, or the changing of the guard, is a formal ceremony in which sentries performing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. The ceremonies are often elaborate an ...

is also held in the country to perform ceremonial guard duties on Jinnah's Day.

Citations

General sources

* {{cite book, last=Ahmed, first=Akbar S., author-link=Akbar Ahmed, year=2005, orig-year=First published 1997, title=Jinnah, Pakistan, and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin, publisher=Routledge, location=London, isbn=978-1-134-75022-1, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RqyniTHXFxUC&pg=PT33 Birthdays of heads of state December observances Muhammad Ali Jinnah Public holidays in Pakistan

History

Observance and traditions

Security arrangements

See also

Citations

General sources