How Successful was Jinnah being the governor general of Pakistan?

Explain your
Answer. [14]

The first success was that the Quaid, immediately, set about dealing with those problems that Pakistan
faced after partition. He could do nothing much about the fact that the country was divided into two
distinct areas – East and West Pakistan, but however, he stressed the need for everyone in Pakistan to
work together to create a nation. He said people should not think of themselves e.g. Sindhi or Punjabi,
they should think, feel and act as Pakistanis. Hence, he contributed in building a nation by uniting all the
people together.

Secondly, to emphasis the role of Pakistan as a separate state in the world community, the Quaid
secured membership of the country in the UN in Sept 1947. This helped Pakistan gain its recognition and
support among the other important nations of the world. This a therefore a success as the Quaid helped
Pakistan to become a separate and known state.

The third success is that when after partition as the boundaries were awarded many people found
themselves in the wrong country and therefore migrated. However, more than a million lives were lost
in this and when Muslims arrived at Pakistan, they were unable to accommodate but the Quaid took a
stand and made a solution to this problem as he made refugee funds and many people cooperated with
him. He is, therefore, known as the Protector-General of Pakistan. Although, the number of immigrants
was too much but the Quaid was able to find a solution to this and thus thousands were settled in
Pakistan permanently.

However, the Quaid failed in some matters. The first failure is that when the Muslims were driven out of
Kashmir by their Maharaja, a Hindu, the Muslims had not support and asked for referendum but it was
refused, therefore the Quaid was ready for war and sent an army for support, although he knew that
Pakistani army was ill-equipped, he didn’t want Kashmir to fall in the hands of India. However he was
successful in doing this but still failed to achieve Kashmir as a Pakistani land.

Secondly, as after partition so many Indians found themselves in the wrong country and though
migrated. During this period there were riots and killing and so many Muslims lost their lives. As more
Muslims died than the Hindus and Sikhs together so this is proved to be a failure for the Quaid as he was
unable to find a solution to this and to save the lives of those Muslims who were killed.

Lastly, Pakistan’s economy and agriculture was depended on the 3 rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab)
that originated in India. However, at first India promised not to do anything with this but after their
disputes with Pakistan on canal water, India threatened Pakistan that they will stop its water supply but
Pakistan argued and said that India had no right to do this. However, the Quaid, in 1948, was only able
to reach a temporary solution that India will allow water to Pakistan but only if Pakistan agreed to try to
find alternative water supplies. Thus, this was a failure for the Quaid.

However, the Kashmir Issue was the biggest failure as it is still unsolved but the Quaid was able to build
a nation that prospered.