The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 6
6 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN classes, and particularly, of the backward classes. It showed itself ready to vote taxation the main burden of which would be borne by the interests which it represented. For instance, it raised the land revenue and the water rates in the canal irrigated areas, for it knew that the additional revenue would be applied towards development of education in rural areas, of rural communications, hospitals, dispensaries, and so on. Not that urban areas were neglected, but the sharp contrast between the two which had hitherto prevailed was reduced, and attention began to be paid to rural areas also. So that one might say that the Unionist Party set up a record of constructive cooperation, and, as I have said, there was no serious friction between the reserved portion of government and, what was called, the transferred portion of govern- ment. As already indicated, the transferred subjects were those subjects which were in the charge of ministers; the reserved subjects were subjects in the charge of executive members. Members and ministers worked smoothly together in the Punjab. I have made mention of Sir Fazle Hussain, I should also mention the late Sir Muhammed Shafi. He was also a lawyer, like Sir Fazle Hussain, and was senior to him by several years at the Bar. He was a very successful advocate and until the emergence of Sir Fazle Hussain into the field of politics and public life, Sir Muhammed Shafi had been the acknowledged leader of the Muslims of the Punjab and had led in the All India Muslim League also. The League had been founded in 1906 by men like His Highness the Aga Khan, Syed Amir Ali, Musa Abbas Ali Beg, the Nawab of Dacca, and had its branches in the provinces. I doubt, however, whether Sir Muhammed Shafi possessed the finesse and acumen that were needed in a political leader, although he had a charming personality and was very hospitable, courteous, and popular and was well liked. He held an acknowledged position at the Bar. He was, in my view, a much better advocate than Sir Fazle Hussain but not nearly so dynamic and penetrating a politician as Sir Fazle Hussain proved to be. When Sir Fazle Hussain entered political life, shortly after he had moved to Lahore as a lawyer, Sir Muhammed Shafi's leadership became more and more confined to legal circles and to the Bar and the political direction of the community and, later, of the Unionist Party was taken over by Sir Fazle Hussain. Sir Muhammed Shafi, as a matter of fact, never entered the provincial legislature, though on account of his experience and eminence, he was later appointed a member of the