Govt approves Nishan-e-Imtiaz for Parsi doctors who kept Jinnah’s terminal illness secret

The federal government has approved the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, the country’s highest civilian honor, for two Bombay-based Parsi doctors who kept the terminal illness of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah secret during the movement for independence.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal announced the decision on behalf of the government’s Awards Committee. The highest civilian award goes to Dr. Jal Rattanji Patel, a physician, and Dr. Jal Dhaybho-Koo, a radiologist.

Both medical professionals belonged to the Bombay Parsi community and maintained strict confidentiality regarding the Quaid’s health at a decisive period in the history of the subcontinent.

Historians consider the medical secret a key factor in the timing of Partition and the ultimate creation of Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten later admitted that the British administration might have delayed Partition had the full extent of Jinnah’s medical status been known, a move that could have altered the entire trajectory of the independence movement.

Ahsan Iqbal stated that the two medical professionals rendered a “quiet but extraordinary service” by protecting the medical information.

A third Nishan-e-Imtiaz goes to the European-born Islamic scholar Muhammad Asad for his
intellectual and diplomatic work for the nation. Asad converted to Islam from Judaism, relocated to Pakistan, and formed a close intellectual bond with Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

Asad held one of the earliest Pakistani passports and served the nation at the international level by representing Pakistan at the United Nations (UN). He also wrote The Message of the Qur’an, an English translation and commentary on the Holy Quran that continues to influence modern Islamic thought.

The government approved the honors as part of an effort to recognize outstanding contributions to the state.

The inclusion of the two Parsi doctors highlights the role of minority communities during the country’s formation. Iqbal noted that the stories of the individuals deserve revival and integration into the intellectual and historical memory of the nation.