From the Vault: 15th August 1947
On the morning of Friday, 15th August 1947, the flag of Pakistan was raised on the grounds of the Istana, at Kampong Glam. A large crowd of Indian Muslims, Pakistanis and people of other ethnicities had gathered in anticipation to celebrate the birth of Pakistan. The ceremony had been timed to coincide with the swearing-in of the Governor-General of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in Karachi, the capital of the newly formed country.
Haji Saab would often tell me, “I remember when Pakistan was formed, our elders brought us to the Istana at Kampong Glam. They had requested to the descendants of the Sultan to allow them to raise the flag of Pakistan there.”
As reported in the local newspapers, the flag was hoisted by Major Hussein, a Pakistani who was serving in the armed forces based in Singapore. Jubilant cries of “Pakistan Zindabad!” were heard as the flag was raised. Seven girls, dressed in green and white, and bearing the star and crescent emblems of Pakistan on their chests, sang the Pakistan national anthem as Major Hussein hoisted the flag.
Questions arise: Who was Major Hussein, and how was he given the honour to raise the flag of Pakistan that morning? Who were the seven girls dressed in green and white? What became of them? Did they remain in Singapore or did they return to Pakistan? These are some questions that come to mind, and I doubt that even Haji Saab knows the answer.
Interestingly, I did a quick search on the national anthem of Pakistan, and learnt that it was written in 1952, five years after the ceremony at the Istana. What anthem then was sung by the seven girls that morning? Again, it is unlikely that we will ever know, although one article reported that this new Pakistan anthem had been written by Syed Mumtaz Hussein, a Pakistani who eventually settled in Singapore. Four years prior, he had written the lyrics for national anthem of Azad Hind (the Provisional Government of Free India) at the request of Subhas Chandra Bose.
While the origins of the anthem sung that day remain uncertain, what is well-documented is the presence of notable figures from Singapore and Malaya. Among those in attendance were renowned individuals from Singapore and Malaya, including Karim Ghani, Dr. Burhanuddin Helmy, Syed Ibrahim b. Omar Alsagoff, M. J. Namazie, Sardon Jubir and Lee Kong Chian. Congratulatory speeches were delivered by guests and officials in Urdu, Malay, Tamil and English.
Since it was a Friday, the celebrations continued at nearby Masjid Sultan after solat Jumaat, where the Chief Qadi offered a special prayer for Pakistan. M. J. Namazie, President of the Indian Muslim League, Singapore, then addressed the congregation and paid tribute to Qaid-e-Azam, the All-India Muslim League and all those who had struggled to bring about the creation of Pakistan.
The Istana at Kampong Glam, where the flag of Pakistan was raised on 15th August 1947. This photo was taken about five decades later, in 1997. Source: National Archives Singapore.
