The Untold Alliance: Pakistan’s Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Indonesian National Revolution

TIMESINDONESIA, PAKISTAN – The heartening chapter of solidarity shown by Muhammad Ali Jinnah towards Indonesia during their struggle for independence from Dutch colonization is immensely notable. Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, took an astoundingly supportive stance against colonialism and adamantly supported the Indonesian National Revolution. 

Inspiring acts of solidarity often have their roots in powerful gestures. For Jinnah, it meant imploring Muslim soldiers serving in the British Indian Army to take the significant and daring step of standing shoulder to shoulder with their Indonesian brethren in their fight against the Dutch colonizers.

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Responding to this call, about 600 Muslim soldiers chose to abandon their ranks in the British Indian Army, risking their lives and futures. They set sail to the troubled archipelago of Indonesia to take an active part in the struggle for freedom. 

The Muslim soldiers arrived in Indonesia in the spring of 1946, joining the fight against Dutch colonial forces. They were welcomed by Sukarno, who had been appointed by Hatta as vice president of Indonesia in 1945. The British Indian Army veterans were a welcome addition to the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces). Under the leadership of Sukarno and Hatta, they played an instrumental role in ending colonialism on Indonesia’s archipelago. 

The Indian soldiers were integrated into the TNI and fought alongside Indonesian forces during the Indonesian National Revolution. They served in all major battles, including Surabaya and Madiun. The famous Battle of Surabaya was fought by the “Red Army” or PRA (People’s Revolutionary Army), which consisted of both Indonesians and Indians. The Indian soldiers were welcomed by Soekarno and Hatta because they had experience fighting against British colonial rule, as well as with modern warfare tactics. 

The sacrifices made were immense, as evidenced by the heavy toll of the conflict; of the 600 soldiers who arrived in Indonesia, only 100 survived the intense fighting. Yet these hardships did not dampen the spirit of these brave soldiers or their determination to support a just cause. The survivors, honoring their fallen comrades, chose either to return to their newfound homeland of Pakistan or elected to continue their lives in the now free nation of Indonesia. 

The Indonesian War of Independence was a long, bloody and costly conflict that lasted from 1945 to 1949. The war began with the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1942, which was followed by a four-year occupation. After Japan surrendered in 1945, Sukarno and Hatta declared independence and established the Republic of Indonesia as a free nation. Despite this declaration, however, Dutch troops refused to leave their colony and launched an attack on the capital city of Jakarta in early 1946.

Beyond appealing for support, Jinnah took concrete steps to inhibit the Dutch offensive against the Indonesians. In August, Jinnah commanded the detention of Dutch military aircraft loaded with arms at Karachi airport, en-route to Jakarta. These planes, originally granted permission to land by the Brits, were key to boosting the Dutch arsenal for increasing aggression against the Indonesian Republic. This move was met with mixed responses in the Muslim world. 

The British and Dutch governments were furious at Jinnah’s actions, but many Muslims saw it as a much-needed show of support for their brethren in Indonesia. Jinnah’s actions also earned him praise from Indonesian President Sukarno, who later thanked Pakistan for its “moral support during our struggle for freedom.”

In a further display of solidarity, Jinnah dispatched an additional contingent of 100 troops from the Pakistan Army Infantry to lend their expertise in Guerrilla warfare against the Dutch. Indeed, his commitment to the Indonesian cause was indomitable. Jinnah made a public statement in which he said that Pakistan would “fight until you are free”. 

Impressed by the unrelenting support from Jinnah and the Pakistani soldiers, Indonesia gave due recognition to these brave hearts. In honor of the valiant contribution made by Pakistani soldiers, the Indonesian government awarded them "Independence War Awards." 

The highest of Indonesian civilian honors, the "Adipura," was bestowed posthumously upon Muhammad Ali Jinnah during the Indonesian Golden Jubilee celebration on 17 August 1995.
In essence, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's steadfast support for Indonesia elucidates his broader stance against colonialism, his advocacy for unity among Muslims, and his unwavering commitment to assisting fellow nations in pursuit of freedom. (*) 

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