Haji Abdullah Haroon Seth

HAJI ABDULLAH HAROON SETH

Date of Birth: 1872 and Date of Death: 27^th April, 1942

Haji Abdullah Haroon Seth, who was very famous for his charity, was born in Karachi in 1872.  His father was Mia Haroon and mother Haneefa Bai.  When his father died in 1886, he had to bear the burden of maintaining the family.  While pursuing his studies, he had to work for his livelihood.  He started sugar business in 1889 and, within a short span of time, developed the business and became famous as the ‘Sugar King’.  The Government, which recognised the success of Haji Abdullah Haroon Seth in foreign trade, honoured him with different honorary posts and taken into several advisory bodies.  He helped several charity associations financially.  He got elected as a member of the Karachi Municipal Corporation in 1913.  He supported the separate Sindh Movement, which was started in 1913 and took the movement to the national level in 1924.  He could successfully garner support from all political parties for his demand, as a result of which the then British Government had to separate Sindh from Bombay Presidency in 1932.  Haji Abdullah became a member in the Indian National Congress in 1917 and actively participated in its activities.  He played a prominent role in the Khilafat and Non Cooperation Movement in 1919 and became the President of Khilafat Committee of the Sindh Province.  He organised the activities of the movement with his own finance.  He was elected to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1924.  Later on, he got elected twice to the Central Legislative Assembly from Sindh, in 1930 and 1934.  He also took the membership in the All India Muslim League in 1917 along with Congress membership and became the Vice President of the Sindh Brach of Muslim League.  He started a magazine Al-Wahid to create awareness among the Muslims.  He appealed to the Hindu and Muslim youth to fight unitedly to solve the common problems of the Indians.  He believed that education was the vital tool for social development, and therefore, started a Girl’s school in the memory of his mother.  Later, he started several technical educational institutions in Sindh Province.  He also spent much of his wealth for the establishment of Students’ Hostels, Orphanages, Mosques and Madarsas.  He supported the Pakistan resolution of Muslim League in 1940.  Haji Abdullah Haroon Seth was a self made man.  Though he rose from rags to riches, he spent his wealth generously for the public welfare.  He passed away on 27^th April, 1942.