Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Urdu: محمد على جناح; also spelled Mohammad or Mahomed Ali Jinnah) (December 25, 1876 – September 11, 1948) was an Indian Muslim politician and statesman who led the All India Muslim League and founded Pakistan, serving as its first Governor-General. He is commonly known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam (Urdu: قائد اعظم — “Great Leader”) and Baba-i-Qaum (“Father of the Nation“); his birth and death anniversaries are national holidays in Pakistan. While celebrated as a great leader in Pakistan, Jinnah remains a controversial figure, provoking intense criticism for his role in the partition of India.
As a student and young lawyer, Jinnah rose to prominence in the Indian National Congress, expounded Hindu-Muslim unity, shaped the 1916 Lucknow Pact between the Congress and the Muslim League, and was a key leader in the All India Home Rule League. Differences with Mohandas Gandhi led Jinnah to quit the Congress. He then took charge of the Muslim League and proposed a fourteen-point constitutional reform plan to safeguard the political rights of Muslims in a self-governing India. Disillusioned by the failure of his efforts and the League’s disunity, Jinnah would live in London for many years. Continue reading at Wikipedia | Answers.com
