Great. Hardcover This is an account of the last three months of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's life, as chronicled by his doctor, Lt. Colonel Ilahi Baksh. It's divided into three parts, from the summoning of the medical professionals to Ziarat, to his move to Quetta, and then finally, his death and final resting place in Karachi.
Written as the author's comments on the situation, the book takes the reader through the Quaid's final days and how his treatment had commenced and progressed throughout. This was coupled with the Quaid's own demeanour and attitude, until he final succumbed to his debilitating illness.
There were three things I learned about the Quaid:
1. He loved sujji ka halwa and purees - It was endearing to see him use his exemplary barrister skills to get around his doctors' prescribed diet for him.
2. He smoked.
3. He had a sense of humour.
Though brief, Dr. Ilahi has given one of the most insightful accounts written about this great man. He certainly gave the most human account of the Quaid, something no taped interview or photograph could've done. Hardcover #Review #bookreview
A brief read of around 70 pages, this book takes us to a very intimate yet detailed journey with the Quaid during few last weeks of his life - from Ziarat to Quetta and then to Karachi.
Basically it is a medical account of a doctor about his patient. The doctor writes that he kept a detailed account of his time with Jinnah because of it's documentation and historical importance.
The sense of duty, wit and attentiveness of the Quaid even during his last days, his persistence to keep his decorum, and keep his ailment confidential shows us what a great man he was.
This book is quite plain and simple, but with medical references.
Fact : Quaid did not die in the ambulance, on the road, but he died at the Governor General Residence in Karachi, having survived the ambulance journey. And he lived in Quetta for few days, after being moved from Ziarat.
#ZainabAkmalSays
#ZainabPenCafe Hardcover
The book is first hand account of the personal physician who attended Jinnah during his last days and is important by all accounts. written in 1949 it comes fresh from memory and as the author describes also from the notes he used to make of all of his patient's utterances. Both reasons should combine to make it a correct historiographical material but alas it is not so; the reason lies within the forward written to the third addition by Author's siblings. The doctor being in the service of Government of Pakistan was not allowed to pen anything without a review and approval. thus he dutifully submitted a manuscript dor approval which was cut down for two reasons ; yeah you guessed it right! state secrets and many things which would unnecessarily create bad impressions about others. The original manuscript never surfaced again! Such is the menupalation of history in Pakistan, so we might never know.
At times one is indeed taken by the absolute correct style of it and indeed the corrections can be attributed to manipulations and alterations, which always happen for a greater cause.
But whatever is left in it makes you love the man that was Jinnah. His indomitable spirit, discipline, immaculate habits & above all principles all alive till the end. But there are passages, which a censorship may have missed, that give you a feeling that Jinnah died a broken hearted man having felt something much bad in his last days.
There is absolutely no defence for kind of scant care the state accorded to him in the important moments of his last days which becomes hard to bear and understand at times.
The doctor did a marvellous job in penning down this one for history and it absolutely deserved 5 stars for all its content and style; the three I'm giving are just due to the censorship it received. God knows what all facts were changed !!! an absolute shame Hardcover With the Quaid-i-Azam during his last days by Lt. Colonel Dr Ilahi Bakhsh who was the personal physician of Quaid-i-Azam during the last few months of his life gives the details of the Quaid's disease, the treatment he was being given and also describes his final moments.
Dr Ilahi Bakhsh who was a famous physician in Lahore was called by Fatima Jinnah for his treatment in Ziarat in late July. He was Quaid's personal physician from July till his death and he tells the details about his disease, his past treatments, the Quaid's own perspective of his illness, his disease history, the investigations and laboratory tests that were done, what was his diet during these last months, his weight and the other conditions he was suffering from.
It is a short book of less than 100 pages with a foreword from Fatima Jinnah and is a authentic account of Quaid-i-Azam's last one and a half month of life with a detailed account of his disease. It is a very interesting and also a depressing read because in it the author tells that if the Quaid had taken proper treatment of his illness earlier he might have lived long. But everything happens according to Allah's plan. Hardcover After another injection of the medicine, I said reassuringly to the Quaid-i-Azam, “Sir, we have given you an injection to strengthen you, and it will soon have effect. God willing, you are going to live.” The Quaid-i-Azam shook his head and said faintly, “No, I am not”. These were the last words he spoke to anybody before he died about half an hour later.
A tear-jerking account of the Quaid-e-Azam's last days.
The only few things I knew about the Founder of the Nation himself were what I had studied in Pakistan Studies 12 years ago. It is a shame that I had no knowledge about the kind of person the Quaid-e-Azam was but I was familiar with Socrates and countless other great personalities. What had taken me so long? Do not ask me but I am here now and trying very hard to reconnect to my roots.
I learnt that Quaid-e-Azam had an iron-willed personality. He worked for 14 hours through most of his life. He was very rational except when it came to his health. The author (who was the personal physician of the Quaid-e-Azam) along with the rest of the world still remain baffled to why the Quaid-e-Azam neglected his health. Some possible suggestions have been put forward but they are just suggestions: Was it because the Quaid-e-Azam was too absorbed in his work? Was it because that the new Nation had already suffered enough and was not ready to see a fading away father? We would never know why and can only recreate so much when it comes to history.
This book was mentioned in Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's book. He provokes the question of murder. Of Quaid-e-Azam. As I mentioned earlier, my knowledge of the founder of Pakistan was limited to a few sentences in a history book and one of them was that the Quaid-e-Azam died because of an illness. So I looked for Col. Ilahi's book and found the following:
- The book was banned in Pakistan from 1949 - 1976
- The version I read was the third edition and was censored profusely
- I failed to understand why Quaid-e-Azam was moved so many times (long drives & flights) when he was so frail. Isn't that murder in itself?
- Why were medicines out of stock?
- The ambulance in which the FOUNDER OF THE NATION was travelling BROKE DOWN. It took a long time for another ambulance to turn up. What does this point to?
After I finished the book, I went through a few newspapers from Pakistan and found:
- Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was the one behind banning the book
- Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was hostile towards Quaid-e-Azam and that there was a long-standing debate around these sentiments
- Speaking to daily Pakistan (April 10, 2005) magazine, distinguished lawyer MA Rehman stated that Col Ilahi Baksh was the personal physician of Jinnah when the latter was recuperating in Balochistan. Humayun, a son of Col Baksh, later married a daughter of Aslam Khatak. Humayun told Rehman that once when the prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, had just come out after talking to the Quaid in his room, Col Ilahi Baksh went in immediately afterwards. Liaquat was suspicious and asked him later why he had gone in. He replied that time for administering the next dose of medicine to the Quaid was running out, so he had to run in. But Liaquat was too suspicious. He later warned him that if he talked about the incident he would be punished. When Col Ilahi Baksh wrote his book on the Quaid, Liaquat disallowed it. Later, he allowed it, with cuts, when Fatima Jinnah went public about the ban. Humayun said he had the uncut version but he had to leave Pakistan before he could show it to Rehman. After Col Baksh went in to give the Quaid his medicine, the Quaid refused, saying: I want to die. Rehman stated that Liaquat Ali Khan had probably asked him if he could get him taken off the governor-generalship through a reference to the Queen in London?
Through the author's eyes, I glimpsed into the life of the great leader and what I had read left me with a strange grief over his death. Who was Mohammad Ali Jinnah really? And what were his ideologies? What was the political motivation behind his death? Who was behind it? He left Pakistan orphaned too soon and we have been just that since then - An orphan.
Hardcover I found a very bland version of this book online. It left me pretty dissatisfied. I was certainly curious to know more details about the founder of Pakistan's last days,from his personal physician.
It was frustrating to know that this book had remained banned in Pakistan for a long time and the available version was subjected to heavy censorship. I certainly wanted to read the original version.
Hardcover
Book Review
BOOK NAME: With the Quaid-i-Azam during his last days
AUTHOR: Lt. Col. Ilahi Bakhsh
Book Review written by: Hafiz Azhar Hussain(1696-FET-BSEE-F11)
Publishers:
In 1949, this book was first published by Maktaba-Tul-Maarif, Lahore. Then this book was banned from 1949 till 1976. In 1978, second time this book was published by Quaid-i-Azam Academy, Karachi. In 2012 this book was also published by Oxford University Press, Pakistan.
Latest Price: Rs.425.00
Pages: 88 pages.
About author :
Ilahi Bakhsh was born in 1904 in Chak Mughlani, district Jullunder, East Punjab, to the family of eye specialist Hukmah.He studied at Islamia High School, jullundur; passed the London Matriculation in 1921. At age 16 he went to England, to study medicine at Guy’s Hospital, the University of London, and Oxford. In 1947 at age 43, Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh became the first Muslim Principal of King Edward Medical College, Lahore, at a time when the British and Indian faculty had left Pakistan. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh also played a pivotal role in laying the foundation of modern medical education in Pakistan. When he died in 1960 Col. Dr S.M.K Malick proclaimed Ilahi Bakhsh as the real father of King Edward Medical College and of Modern education throughout Pakistan . He has also authored “Modern Medical Treatment” published in 1956.As Chairman of Medical Reforms Commission ,he was responsible for the report of Medical Reforms Commission which he presented to the President of Pakistan at Rawalpindi in 1960.
Lt. Col. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh was a medical visionary and a respected physician who is remembered for his lifelong care of the needy as well as for his treatment of the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal. In “With the Quaid-i-Azam during his last days,” Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh provides a detailed account of Quaid’s treatment at Ziarat and Quetta, and his final journey to Karachi.The author was among a select group of people who had personal contact with the Quid-i-Azam during his last days.The most revealing part of the book is Quaid’s final travel from Quetta to Karachi on the day he passed away.
Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh writes in this book , “I loved the Quaid-i-Azam as my own father and know he had begun to like me very much. Whenever I met him during my professional visits he always greeted me with a smile. Whenever I requested him to do anything concerning his treatment he always respected my advice.”
At Ziarat:
Col.Ilahi Bakhsh was sent to ziarat for during the second half of July 1948 when the Quaid-i-Azam’s health suddenly took a turn for the worse. Ever since he came to Ziarat, Col. Ilahi Bakhsh left nothing to be desired in his treatment of the Quaid-i-Azam. The recovery that manifested itself during the initial stages of his treatment did not endure for long. But as far as the medical experts were concerned, they concluded that without tests and X-ray we cannot start treatment. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh sent a telegram to Dr Riaz Ali Shah and Dr. Alam , the X-ray specialist of the Mayo Hospital, Lahore to come to Ziarat with the necessary equipments and portable X-ray apparatus.
When Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh arrived in Ziarat he noticed that the Quaid was too weak and was not eating much. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh with the help of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah prepared a special menu for the Quaid. Quaid-i-Azam was known for his punctuality and he wanted others to follow that habit. One day Quaid-i-Azam agreed to see Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh at 8 o’clock in the morning. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh wanted to give some extra time to Quaid to rest so he arrived at 8:35 am; Quaid-i-Azam said to Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh, “ But I told you to come at 8. I expect my doctors to be punctual.” Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh recalls that when he first examined the Quaid-i-Azam at Ziarat he found his bedroom littered with files though Quaid was too weak to do much work. While the Quaid’s doctors were busy treating him, Quaid always wanted to keep abreast of the state of affairs and his mind was preoccupied with the future of Kashmir. The author recalls, “Once, when his temperature was high and he was restless, Miss Jinnah had heard him something about Kashmir. The height of Ziarat was too much and Doctors eximine that it was dangour for Quaid-i-Azam health. After that another doctor was consulted, who examined her from head to foot, and said there was nothing wrong with her, she must get up and walk about, but she refused to follow his advice too.’ Then the Quaid paused for a few seconds and looking at Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh with his piercing gaze, continued, ‘Then another doctor came, who like you was all for quick action. He set fire to the bed without her knowledge, and made the feigning patient jump out of it and takes to heels.’ And then the Quaid laughed and said, ‘Don’t do that with me.’ All doctors joined in the laughter.
Quaid-i-Azam was a man of principles. He never used national exchequer for himself or allowed anyone to do that. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh also praises the Quaid for his unique trait: “He never accepted anything from anybody without paying for it.” When the authors tried to convince Quaid to order some woolen pajamas for him, the Quaid said, “Listen, Doctor, take my advice. Whenever you spend money on anything, on anything, think twice whether it is necessary, in fact, essential, or not.”
At Quetta:
When doctors noticed a swelling on the Quaid’s leg they informed him that they would like to move him from high altitude Ziarat to low altitude Quetta on August 13, 1948. The Quaid objected to the date; he told Col. Ilahi, “Have you considered that the 14 th of August is the first Anniversary of Independence, and you want me to move on its eve? This is impossible. The earliest would be the 15 th.” After arriving in Quetta, when Col. Ilahi Bakhsh told the Quaid that height of Ziarat was too much for him and that after some improvement his condition stopped improvement. The Quaid smiled and replied, “Yes, I am glad you have brought me here. I was caught in a trap at Ziarat.” .One day Miss Jinnah told Dr.Ilahi Bakhsh that Quaid-i-Azam wanted to know if he could take some suji halwa. Dr. was a bit hesitant, but Quaid-i-Azam was very keen, Dr. told her there would be no harm in allowing him a small quantity, provided only a very small amount of clarified butter was used in preparing it. She then informed me that her brother enjoyed the halwa with purees, and wanted to know if he could have some in case he asked for them. I told her that he should take only halwa. Dr. gave the same advice to the Quad-i-Azam when Dr. saw him later, but he said ‘You do not know the type of purees I mean. They are not like those you see in the bazaar, and are very light.’ He then went on to explain to me how they were prepared, and I could see how keen he was to have them. On the morning of August 16 th Quaid’s doctors had him X-rayed and his blood examined. The X-ray picture showed improvement; the hemoglobin and red cells had risen by 20 per cent, the white cell count had fallen to normal limit, and sedimentation rate had improved by 50 percent. In the evening when Quaid-i-Azam was informed that his X-ray picture showed an improvement of 40 percent in the condition of his lung. The Quaid enquired, “How long will it take it to be 100 percent?” Col. Ilahi Bakhsh writes this was an embarrassing question as we knew it would be almost impossible for him to be completely cured. Quaid-i-Azam was lost his weight too much and every one shocked. Quaid-i-Azam developed an infection. Col. Ilahi Bakhsh and other doctors informed Miss Fatima Jinnah that unless a miracle happened, there was no chance that the Quaid-i-Azam would survive for more than a day or two. Karachi was told to have an ambulance and a nurse ready at the Mauripur airport. Arrangements were made to fly Quaid-i-Azam to Karachi. Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh asked for Quaid’s permission. The author recalls the conversation with the Quaid:
‘Sir, would you like to go to Karachi?’
‘Yes.’
‘Sir, would you like to move by plane, would you like to leave within a few minutes?’
‘All right.’
” Remembering the plane that was used to transport the ailing Quaid, Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh writes, “The front cabin next to the engine had four cushioned seats; two of which could be converted into a bed. The Quaid-i-Azam would take the oxygen for about five minutes and then try to remove the mask, but each time I spoke to him he would look at me, smile and allow me to readjust it…by that time we had left hills and were flying at a height of 4 to 5 thousand feet. I did not consider it necessary to give any more oxygen. The most difficult and risky part of the journey was over…I looked through the window at the flooded areas of Sindh below.
At Karachi:
Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh recounts that the plane landed at the Mauripur Aerodrome at 4:15 pm, and that there was an ambulance waiting to transport the Quaid, but there was no nurse present. Recalling the arrival in Karachi, the author writes, “It was rather warm Karachi but not uncomfortable as there was a strong breeze.Miss Jinnah and the nurse from Quetta sat in the ambulance, while the Military Secretary, Dr. Mistry and I followed in the Governor General’s Cadillac. The luggage and the servants were in the truck behind us. We moved from Aerodrome to the Governor-General’s House, a distance of about 9 to 10 miles, at very slow speed. We had hardly gone four miles when the ambulance stopped. Wondering what had happened, I got out and found that there had been a breakdown due to engine trouble. The driver assured us that he would soon put it right, but fiddled with the engine for about twenty minutes, and the ambulance would not start. Miss Jinnah sent the Military Secretary to fetch another ambulance.It was very oppressive in the ambulance, and the Quaid-i-Azam was perspiring in spite of continued fanning by the nurse and the servants…his clothes were wet with perspiration and with a fairly strong breeze blowing there was a risk of exposure. I examined him and was horrified to find his pulse becoming weak and irregular. I kept on looking distractedly towards the town, but there was no sign of an ambulance. Many trucks and buses were passing up and down, but none of them could be safely used. After an interval the ambulance appeared at last.We quickly shifted Quid-i-Azam into the new ambulance and resumed our unhappily interrupted journey.we reached our destination at 6:10 pm, almost two hours after we had landed.I was with the Quaid-i-Azam at 9:15, and on examining him found the pulse slightly irregular, and there was cold sweat with cold extremities. I hastened to give him an injection of a heart tonic and ordered a circulatory stimulant to be given by mouth but he could not swallow…after another injection…I said reassuring to the Quaid-i-Azam, ‘Sir, we have given you an injection to strengthen you, and it will have effect. God willing, you are going to live.’ The Quaid-i-Azam shook his head and said faintly, ‘No, I am not.’ These were the last words he spoke to anybody before he died about half an hour later.”On the special role of Quaid-i-Azam, Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh observes, “God had created him as a blessing for the Muslims of this subcontinent, and he had now deemed it fit to take him away from us, and we would never see the like of him again.”
Conclusion:
The book concludes with the author’s sense of appreciation for serving the Quaid-i-Azam: “I…thanked Allah for having chosen me to serve the Father of the Nation during the last days of his life .Quaid-i-Azam despite of his illness kept the doctors unaware for the sake of Pakistan.He prefered Pakistan over his illness.From death of Quaid-I Azam to till now, no one leader born like Quaid-i-Azam.We should also honest and sincere for Pakistan like Quaid-i-Azam even we are living in any country because we are Pakistani.
To date, a number of questions remain unanswered: why was he sent out to the high altitude, low oxygen, place called Ziarat? Who was responsible for the deliberate act of sending a Mohenjodaro vintage ambulance with no nurse to receive Quaid-i-Azam at the Mauripur airport? Why it took so long for the second ambulance to arrive while Quaid was sweating in the ambulance that had broken down? Historians and researchers ought to search for answers to these questions. Today, there are thousands of Pakistani physicians practicing in every corner of the globe; their collective assets are worth tens of billions of dollars; one wonders why don’t they act collectively to bring a positive change in providing healthcare services to the masses in Pakistan? Why don’t they follow the example of Col. Ilahi Bakhsh’s dedicated service?
Our country Doctors should serve like Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh.
The book is an interesting read for all book lovers. It is an important historical document; it also sheds light on the personal traits of a great man known as the Quaid-i-Azam (the great leader) Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Hardcover
This is a first-hand account of the last days of the founder of Pakistan, the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah written by Lieutenant Colonel Ilahi Bakhsh, a doctor of medicine, who was attending to Mohammad Ali Jinnah during his last illness. The narrative includes the author's conversations with M.A. Jinnah, together with an account of the author's diagnosis and treatment. This monograph is extremely valuable as it sheds light on the last two months of Mohammad Ali Jinnah's life while he struggled with his illness and finally lost. The author was one of the very few persons who were in personal contact with the Quaid-i-Azam at this time. This account is based on the author's entries in his personal diary. The book also sheds light on some traits of the Quaid, his demeanour, likes and dislikes, preferences and aversions, thus providing a glimpse into the personality of this great man. With the Quaid-i-Azam During His Last Days