Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 314
314 AHMADIYY AT The immediate problem was the organization of a centre for the Movement in Pakistan. The Sadar Anjuman Ahma- diyya (Central Ahmadiyya Association) was' registered in Pakistan within a few months, but the educational institu- tions could not be rehabilitated so speedily. Everything was in a state of flux in Pakistan, and for some time it was apprehended that Pakistan mig~t not be able to grapple successfully with the influx of millions of refugees that con- tinued to pour into Pakistan not only from East Punjab, but also from the Indian provinces farther east. The greater part of the machinery of administration in the Punjab was occu- pied most of the time, directly or indirectly, with resolving the difficulties to which this great movement of the popula- tion across the borders of Pakistan and India gave rise. The Khalifatul Masih possessed a dynamic personality and his eager spirit was reflected in those who worked under his supervision and guidance. But their progress was often held up because the wheels of the administration would not move as swiftly as was desired. The consequence was that during the first year after the move to Lahore the progress of reorganization of the Movement and its institutions was comparatively slow, but not for lac~ of initiative on the part of the Khalifatul Masih. The two principal educational insti- tutions, the Talimul Islam High School and the Talimul Islam College could not start functioning in Pakistan till more than six months after the move to Lahore, and even then only temporary make-shift arrangements were possible. After a few months the High School was allotted temporary accommodation at Chiniot, and sometime later the College was housed in the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College buildings in Lahore. In the meantime diligent search was being made for a suitable site for establishing the Centre of the Movement. The choice of a site was soon made and an application was made to government for the sale to the Community of an area of just over one thousand acres of barren, uncultivatable land across the River Chenab from Chiniot. This area was 95