The birth anniversary of historic leader Chaudhry Rehmat Ali is being observed across the country today, with tributes highlighting his pivotal role in the Pakistan Movement and for coining the word “Pakistan,” which later became the name of the new homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent.
Born on November 16, 1897, in a Muslim Gujjar family in Hoshiarpur district of Indian Punjab, Chaudhry Rehmat Ali is widely credited for conceptualising and naming the idea of a separate Muslim state in South Asia.
After completing his education at Islamia Madrassa, Lahore in 1918, he briefly taught at Aitchison College before enrolling at Punjab University to study law. In 1930, he moved to England and joined Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Three years later, in 1933, he published his historic pamphlet titled ‘Now or Never: Are We to Live or Perish Forever?’, in which he introduced the name “PAKISTAN” for the first time.
The same year, he founded the Pakistan National Movement (PNM) in England and later earned his BA and MA degrees from the University of Cambridge. In 1943, he was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in London.
Until 1947, Chaudhry Rehmat Ali continued to produce numerous publications outlining his vision for the future of the Muslim-majority regions of India. Considered one of the most dynamic political thinkers of his time, he made significant contributions to the idea and eventual establishment of Pakistan.
His advocacy for a separate Muslim state began early. At just 18, he proposed the formation of a Muslim-majority state in the northern parts of India during the inaugural session of Bazm-e-Shibli at Islamia College, Lahore in 1915. By 1928, he was serving as a lecturer at Aitchison College.
Rehmat Ali was also associated with journalism and continued his intellectual work during his years in England. His use of the word “Pakistan” during the 1933 Third Round Table Conference in London cemented his place in history.
On August 14, 1947, the name he coined became a reality with the creation of Pakistan. He visited the new state in April 1948, but following the death of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, he returned to England. Chaudhry Rehmat Ali passed away on February 3, 1951, and was laid to rest in Cambridge.
