At Khyber Union Hall, Young Students Discover Quaid’s Living Legacy on 78th Death Anniversary
PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2026) For sixth-grader Zarlal Bibi, history suddenly became real when she walked into the historic Khyber Union Hall of Islamia College Peshawar, a place where Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah once stood before students and spoke about the future of a country that was yet to be born.
Standing beneath the same historic roof where the Father of the Nation addressed students, Zarlal looked around with a mixture of curiosity and wonder. The old photographs, handwritten manuscripts, and other historic memorabilia displayed in the hall offered her something that no textbook could quite provide: a tangible connection with the man whose leadership culminated in the creation of Pakistan. Beside her, her younger brother Bilal Khan, a third-grade student, was equally fascinated after seeing the photographs of the great Quaid who changed world geography through a peaceful democratic struggle.
“I have always dreamt of seeing the historic Khyber Union hall where Quaid-e-Azam spoke to students three times. Today, my dream has come true, thanks to our grandfather,” Zarlal told APP as her excitement clearly evident in her voice.
For the two children, the visit was more than a routine historical tour or a commemorative activity; it was an encounter with a living chapter of Pakistan's history, a moment when the words of a leader who died nearly eight decades ago suddenly acquired a physical presence.
As the nation prepares to observe the 78th death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on September 11 (Friday), tributes will be paid across the country to the founder of Pakistan, whose peaceful, democratic, and constitutional struggle transformed the political landscape of the Indian subcontinent and culminated in the establishment of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.
From Khyber to Karachi and Gwadar to Gilgit-Baltistan, people from different walks of life will remember one of the towering statesmen of the 20th century, whose political struggle not only changed the course of history but also altered the map of the world.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the commemoration carries a particularly intimate connection with Quaid-e-Azam who considered KP (then NWFP) a strong province of Pakistan. Government institutions, civil society organizations, and educational institutions have planned seminars, walks, debate competitions, and other activities to highlight his political services, democratic principles, and vision for Pakistan.
At Islamia College Peshawar, however, his legacy does not exist merely in speeches, books, or ceremonial tributes. It can still be felt in the very walls where he once addressed students and acknowledged their importance.