Role of Charismatic Leadership in Conflict Management: A Study of Jinnah’s Visits to Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

The present article studies two of important visits of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Jammu and Kashmir in 1924 when he met with the leadership of Anjuman-i-Taufiqul Islam to discuss the hardships and misfortunes faced by the Kashmiri Muslims; and the second visit was made in 1944 at the request of Sheikh Abdullah to carry out arbitration between different factions of the Kashmiri Muslims. This second visit of Jinnah was his final visit to Kashmir which stirred controversy and resulted in, Jinnah and Sheikh Abdullah’s rift on the unconditional support of the Muslim Conference of Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas. Between these two visits, Jinnah had been fully aware of the plight of the Kashmiri Muslims, and he advocated and extended his support and political assistance to the Kashmiri leaders; this contributed to his status as the sole charismatic leader of the Muslims in the Subcontinent. These two visits also resulted in some challenges for Jinnah from his community and other minorities in Kashmir; however, even after these visits, despite some bitter memories, he did not forsake the Kashmir cause and used his leadership skills to solve the Jammu and Kashmir issue through constitutional means. The study is based on a mix of historical, descriptive, and analytical methods.