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Describe in detail the contribution of five women leaders of Pakistan

Movement.
1. Begum Jehan Ara Shah Nawaz

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Begum Jehan Ara Shah Nawaz was the daughter

of the famous Muslim League leader, Sir
Muhammad Shafi. Born in April 1896, she was
educated at the Queen Mary College, Lahore. She
was married to Mian Shah Nawaz. With the
emergence of the All India Muslim Womens
Conference, Begum Shah Nawaz devoted all her
efforts towards its cause. She was successful in
moving the organization to pass a resolution
against polygamy in its session held at Lahore in
1918. She was also associated with the education
and orphanage committees of the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam, Lahore. She
was an active member of the All India Muslim Womens Conference and
remained president of its provincial branch for seven years. She was vicepresident of the Central Committee of the All India Muslim Womens
Conference. Besides being a member of the Lahore Municipal Committee,
she was also associated with several hospitals, and maternity and child
welfare committees. She was the first woman to be elected as vicepresident of the Provincial Executive and was a member of the All Indian
General Committee of the Red Cross Society. She was a woman delegate
to the Round Table Conference. In 1935, she founded the Punjab
Provincial Womens Muslim League. In 1937, she was elected as a
member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly and was appointed
Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Medical Relief and Public Health. In
1938, she joined the Womens Central Subcommittee of the All India
Muslim League. In 1942, the Government of India appointed her as a
member of the National Defense Council. Meanwhile, the Muslim League
called upon the League members to resign from the Defense Council.
Upon refusing to abide by its decision, she was dismissed from the Muslim
League. In 1946, she rejoined the League and was elected as a member
of the Punjab Assembly. The same year, she was sent along with M. A. H.
Isphahani on a goodwill mission to the United States of America. Their
mission was to explain the Muslim Leagues point of view. She played an
important role during the Civil Disobedience Movement in Punjab in 1947,
and was arrested along with other Muslim League leaders. She passed
away on November 27, 1979, at the age of 83.

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2. Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan

Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan was born at Almora in
the United Provinces and was educated at Lucknow.
She obtained a first class Masters degree with honors
in
economics from the University of Lucknow in 1929.
Begum Raana began her practical life as a teacher in
the Gokhale Memorial School after completing the
Teachers Diploma Course from the Diocesan College,
Calcutta. She was later appointed as Professor of
Economics in the Indraprstha Girls College, Delhi. In
April 1933, she was married to Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan. After the
reorganization of Muslim League, Begum Raana devoted herself to the
task of creating political consciousness amongst the Muslim women. Her
struggle for emancipation continued till independence of Muslims of India
in 1947. The wife of the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Begum Raana
took the lead in starting the womens voluntary service in 1948. Women
were encouraged to take up responsibilities in administering first aid,
organizing food distribution, dealing with health problems, epidemics and
clothing, and above all, in providing moral and emotional support. Raana
Liaquat Ali also took the initiative of introducing defense training for
women. This step was not well received. On her own initiative, she formed
the Pakistan Womens National Guard (P. W. N. G.) and the Pakistan
Women Naval Reserve (P. W. N. R.) in 1949. Begum Raana was the Chief
Controller of both, with the rank of a Brigadier. Viewed in the perspective
of the partition massacres, where helpless women had been brutally
treated, the idea was not entirely unrealistic. The P. W. N. G. and P. W. N.
R. could not survive for long and were disbanded soon after Raana
Liaquat Ali went abroad as Pakistans Ambassador. In 1949, Begum
Raana arranged a conference of over 100 active women from all over the
country. The conference announced the formation of a voluntary and nonpolitical organization for the social, educational and cultural uplift of the
women, named as All Pakistan Women Association (A. P. W. A.). She was
nominated as its first President. Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in
1951. Begum Raana continued her services for the social and economic
uplift of women of Pakistan till her death.
3. Begum Shaista Ikramullah
Begum Shaista Ikramullah, the first female representative of the first
Constituent Assembly of Pakistan (1947), Pakistans former Ambassador
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to Morocco, mother-in-law of Jordans Crown Prince, and

niece of the great leader Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy,
was born on July 22, 1915, at Calcutta in the prominent
Suhrawardy family of West Bengal. Begum Shaista
Ikramullah was one of the few Muslim women to have
taken an active part in the Pakistan Movement. She was
totally committed to the creation, and the building of
Pakistan. The first legislature of Pakistan in 1947 had
two women representatives, Begum Jehan Ara Shah
Nawaz and Begum Shaista Ikramullah. Together with Begum Shah Nawaz,
she made untiring efforts to get the Islamic Personal Law of Shariah
approved. Her male counterparts in the legislature had certain
reservations towards this law, which recognized womens right to inherit
property in accordance with the Islamic Law. The law also guaranteed all
citizens; male and female alike, equal pay for equal work, equality of
status and equal opportunities. After protests by women both inside and
outside the legislature, the bill was finally approved in 1948, and became
effective in 1951 when Pakistan adopted its first constitution. She
continued to play an active role in Pakistani politics in the critical years
preceding the Martial Law. Begum Ikramullah served Pakistan as a
delegate to various international conferences and United Nations
Conferences. She also served as Ambassador to Morocco from 1964 to
1967. In the late 80s, Begum Ikramullah started work on a book about
the life and times of her late uncle, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. The
book, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy: A Biography was completed and
published in 1991. Her works in the English language include Letters to
Neena, the much acclaimed Behind the Veil first published in 1953,
and From Purdah to Parliament published in 1963. Common Heritage
was her idea to improve ties between Pakistan and India by providing a
platform to both Pakistanis and Indians who had lived in the Subcontinent before Partition. She also completed her English translation of
Mirat-ul-Uroos, an Urdu classic by Deputy Nazir Ahmad, and an Urdu
volume on Kahavat aur Muhavray but unfortunately, could not see them
in print. Begum Ikramullah often regretted that a golden era of womens
struggle and achievements seemed no longer accessible to the common
person and may be lost. To revive these memories, she translated her
book From Purdah to Parliament in Urdu. She used to contribute
regularly for the magazines Tehzeeb-i-Niswan and Ismat. Koshish-iNatamaam, a volume comprised of short stories, Safarnama and Dilli
ki Begamat key Muhawarey are her other works in Urdu. She passed
away on December 11, 2000 in Karachi at the age of 85.
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4. Fatima Jinnah
Miss Fatima Jinnah, younger sister of Quaid-i-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was born in 1893. Of his seven
brothers and sisters, she was the closest to the
Quaid. Jinnah became her guardian upon the death of
their father in 1901. Due to her brothers keen
interest, and despite strident family opposition, Miss
Fatima received excellent early education. She
joined
the Bandra Convent in 1902. In 1919 she got
admitted to the highly competitive University of
Calcutta where she attended the Dr. Ahmad Dental
College. After
she qualified, Jinnah went along with her idea of
opening a dental clinic in Bombay and helped her set it up in 1923. Miss
Fatima Jinnah initially lived with her brother for about eight years till
1918, when he got married to Rutanbai. Upon Rutanbais death in
February 1929, Miss Jinnah wound up her clinic, moved into Jinnahs
bungalow, and took charge of his house; thus beginning the life-long
companionship that lasted till Jinnahs death on September 11, 1948.
Despite her old age, she continued to help social and educational
associations. During the Quaids illness, she remained passionately
attached to him. After his death, she often issued important statements
on important occasions, as a reminder to the nation of the ideals on which
Pakistan had been established. In 1965, Miss Fatima Jinnah ran for
President as a candidate of the Combined Opposition Party. Even a
conservative party like the Jamaat-i-Islami accepted her as a woman
presidential candidate. Miss Jinnahs greatest advantage was that she was
sister of the Founder of Pakistan and had been detached from the political
conflicts that had plagued Pakistan after the Founders death. The sight of
this dynamic lady moving in the streets of big cities, and even in the rural
areas of a Muslim country, was both moving and unique. She proclaimed
her opponent presidential candidate, Ayub Khan, a dictator. Miss Jinnahs
line of attack was that by coming to terms with India on the Indus Water
dispute, Ayub had surrendered control of the rivers over to India. Her
campaign generated such tremendous public enthusiasm that most of the
press agreed that if the contest were by direct election, she would have
won against Ayub.
It seems that the thought of doing a biography of her illustrious brother
came to Miss Jinnah about the time when Hector Bolithos Jinnah Creator
of Pakistan was first published in 1954. It was felt that Bolitho had failed
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to bring out the political aspects of Jinnahs life in his book. Miss Jinnah
started looking for a Pakistani author to do a biography of the Quaid. G.
Allana was her choice. G. Allana assisted Miss Jinnah on the assignment
but they parted company due to reasons undisclosed. Later both carried
on their independent works on Jinnah. Her book My Brother was
published by the Quaid-i-Azam Academy in 1987. The people of Pakistan
hold Miss Fatima in high esteem. Due to her selfless work for Pakistan, the
nation conferred upon her the title of Madar-i-Millat, or Mother of the
Nation. She died in Karachi on July 8, 1967. Some historians indicate that
the date of her death was actually July 2, 1967.

Write about the festivals of different religions.

1. Islam Eid-ul-Azha

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Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, is celebrated by Muslims all over the
world as a major holiday for a period of three to fours days. The majority
of Muslims will attend the special prayers held at different major mosques
and Islamic centers in the United States and all over the world. Muslims
usually wear new clothes and some exchange gifts while children are
entertained and take a day off from school, including college students.
Many Muslims also do not go to work on that day. When asked about the
origin of Eid al-Adha, The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, is reported to
have said, It is a tradition that has come down to us from Abraham.
The Feast of Sacrifice dates from the historic event when Prophet
Abraham was commanded by God, in a form of a dream vision, to
sacrifice his son, Ishmail. But while he was in the act of sacrificing his son,
God sent the Angel Gabriel with a huge ram. Gabriel informed Abraham
that his dream vision was fulfilled and instructed him to sacrifice the ram
as a ransom for his son. The story is mentioned in Chapter #37 of the
Holy Qur'an. Eid al-Adha enjoys special significance because the Day of
Sacrifice marks the climax of Hajj or Pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam.
This annual pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia is an
obligation only for those men and women who are physically and
financially able to perform it once in their lifetime.

2. Parsis - Navroz
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The Parsi New Year, Jamshed-e-Navroz is celebrated on the first day of the
first month of the Shehenshai calendar followed by the Zoroastrian faith
(21st March 2015). Named after the Persian ruler Jamshed, in whose reign
the festival began, Jamshed-e-Navroz is symbolic of rejuvenation and
rebirth. As in all the other New Year festivals, at Navroz too there's much
excitement in the air. Homes are cleaned and decorated with ornate
rangolis, new clothes are worn, and greetings- along with the customary
sweets- are exchanged. This being the start of a new year, prayers are
offered at the Fire Temple, and its usual for people to go thrice to the
temple during the day to worship Khorshed and Meher, the two divine
beings who preside over the sun and the moon respectively.
Festivities of Navroz begin with cleaning and decorating of homes.
Jasmine and rose are flowers primarily used for decoration besides other
symbolic objects of Navroz.
Parsees visit the fire temple for thanksgiving prayers and offering
sandalwood sticks to the fire. After the prayers, they greet each other Sal
Mubarak and exchange gifts.
It is a custom to lay down a table and place a copy of the Gathas, a lit
lamp or candle, a shallow ceramic plate with sprouted wheat or beans,
small bowl with a silver coin, flowers, painted eggs, sweets and
rosewater, and a bowl of water containing goldfish in it. They all signify
prosperity, wealth, colour, productivity, sweetness and happiness.

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3. Hindu Diwali

Diwali is a significant festival in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. In a

multicultural and diverse country like India, everyone has their own way
of celebrating this festival. Even though their belief in it may be different,
the enthusiasm, vivaciousness and joy it brings to people's lives is what
binds everyone together. Diwali is celebrated as the festival of lights,
during which homes are decorated with candles. Diwali projects the rich
and glorious past and teaches its observers to uphold the true values of
life.
For the Hindus, the holiday symbolizes the return of Prince Rama of
Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and brother, Lakshman, from a 14-year-long
exile and a war in which Prince Rama stood victorious. People of Ayodhya
lit lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. To the Jains, it
has a whole different meaning. For them, Diwali is the day when the last
of the Jain Tirthankaras, Lord Mahavira, attained nirvana, also known as
complete knowledge and enlightenment. Lord Mahavira established the
dharma followed by the Jains worldwide.
For the Sikhs, Diwali is a story of the struggle for freedom. A king tried to
make Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, eat meat while the Guru was
fasting. Guru Nanak refused to do what the king demanded. Soon, there
were people outside the palace who had gathered around with lanterns,
candles and torches and protested to set Guru Nanak free. The King
released the Guru. And as a mark of victory of their struggle, the Sikhs
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celebrate Diwali. Diwali is celebrated with worship, sharing sweets,

fireworks and lights. While the story varies from region to region, its
essence remains the same. People learn to rejoice in the inner light and
the underlying reality of things.

4. Judaism Hannakah

For each of eight consecutive nights, candles are lit as part of a

commemoration of the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in
164 BCE, following its destruction and desecration by the Syrian Greeks.
One candle is lit the first night; an additional candle is added each night.
Popular legend holds that when the Maccabees, the heroes of the era, reentered the Temple, they found only one cruse of oil intact for lighting the
seven-branched menorah. That the oil lasted for eight days is considered
to be the miracle of Hanukkah, according to rabbinic sources. The story of
Hanukkah comes from the Book of Maccabees, which is not part of the
canon of the Hebrew Bible. The miracle of the oil appears only in the
Talmud. Historians now suggest that an eight-day festival was held to
make up for the missed holiday of Sukkot, which the Maccabees had been
unable to celebrate at the appropriate time because of the demands of
war and their inability to access the Temple.
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Hanukkah, a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, has taken on greater

significance in a world with other popular and pervasive winter
celebrations. We mark it today by lighting an eight-branched hanukkiah,
enjoying foods prepared in oil (like potato pancakes, or latkes, and
donuts, or sufganiot), playing games with a spinning top known as a
'dreidel' and giving gifts. The hanukkiah is meant to be placed in a
prominent and visible place, to publicize the miracle. At its core,
Hanukkah is a celebration of freedom and heroism, of finding light in the
midst of darkness.

5. Christians Christmas

Christmas is the date set aside for the celebration of the birth of Jesus
Christ. Christians celebrate it on December 25th all over the world.
Christmas actually comes from "Mass of Christ". It was however
shortened to "Christ Mass". Sometimes the shorter version "Xmas" is also
used. Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday
in countries around the world. The Christmas decorations include
Christmas Tree, Santa Clause, Nativity Scenes, Lights, Candy, Socks, Gifts
and many others. Special music is composed and played on this festival.
Christmas Carols are also very popular. The traditional Christmas Cuisine
includes Christmas Turkey, Christmas pudding, mince pies, fruit cake and
Yule log. Christmas cards are illustrated messages of greeting exchanged
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between friends and family members during the weeks preceding

Christmas Day. Christmas is typically a peak selling season for retailers in
many nations around the world. Sales increase dramatically as people
purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies to celebrate.

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