The December chill hung in the air as Ali zipped up his jacket and hurried to meet his friends – Raza, Sara, and Hina – under their favorite tree in the schoolyard. It was the last day of school before the winter break, and while everyone was busy in talking about vacation plans, Ali couldn’t stop thinking about ‘Quaid-i-Azam Day’, the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, on December 25. 

“Guess what day is coming?” he asked while just joining the group.
“Uh, it is the winter break coinciding with the new year. And there is Xmas, too?” Raza replied.
“Yeah, it’s true. But you know on the Christmas day, it’s Quaid-i-Azam Day, too.” Sara explained, adding: “I mean December 25 is aslo the birthday of the Founder of Pakistan.”
Raza’s eyes widened – he looked a bit confused. He said: “I know who the Quaid is! I just don’t get why it’s such a big deal? We hear the same stuff every year. Isn’t it?”
Hina rolled her eyes, “Are you serious Raza? Why isn’t it a big deal for us? I mean Quaid-i-Azam is the one who gave us Pakistan. He fought his whole life for our independence. If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t even have a country to live at our own free will!”
Ali anxiously said: “Exactly, I feel like we’ve heard so much about the Quaid but we’ve done nothing to celebrate it in a befitting manner. We’ve never really thought about what he went through towards making Pakistan.”
Raza who still looked unconvinced, said: “So what? Are you saying we should, like, go on a quest or something?”
Ali’s eyes lit up. “Yeah! this time, lets’ make the Quaid Day very special. Let’s do something different to honor the Father of the Nation. Are you guys in?”
Raza raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t hide a hint of curiosity: “Alright, Ali. What’s your plan?”
The friends gathered at Ali’s house after the school. Spreading out a map of the town, Ali said: “Well, we’re going on a Quaid venture. His life had a series of challenges. Each one of his companions pushed him to work harder, stay united with his people, and never give up. We’re going to take on some challenges of our own — and we’ll make it fun.”
“Challenges, huh?” Hina said, leaning forward with a mischievous grin. “I like the sound of that. What’s the first one?”
Ali thought for a second. “First, the Quaid was all about unity. So, let’s get out and bring the people together somehow.”

Challenge 1: The United Front
They biked over to the local market, a bustling place filled with vendors, shoppers, and neighbors catching up. The group decided to organize a mini cleanup drive on the spot.
Sara, the artist, put up  simple posters she’d made: “United We Stand”, “Clean Pakistan, Green Pakistan”.
Raza held up a sign they’d made on the way: “Cleaning Up for Jinnah – Unity in Action!” Within minutes, people stopped to watch, and soon a few shopkeepers and kids joined them. Some even thanked the group for the reminder of Quaid-i-Azam’s values.
Ali was beaming by the time they were done. “Challenge one’s complete. See? Unity!”
Raza laughed. “That was actually kind of cool. But I’m still waiting for the ‘adventure’ part.”
Ali smirked. “Patience, my friend!”

Challenge 2: The Debate
Their next stop was a library. Quaid-i-Azam had been a lawyer known for his speeches. So, Ali figured that a debate challenge would be the perfect way to honor him. They went inside the library and signed up for the open mic night that was happening that evening.Their topic was: “What makes a true leader?” One by one, they got on the stage and shared their thoughts. Sara argued that a true leader fights for people’s rights. She also shared a quote poster dedicated to the Quaid’s words:       
Hina added, “A leader sacrifices for others, even when it’s hard.” And Ali closed it out with a powerful quote from Jinnah himself: “With faith, discipline, and selfless devotion to duty; there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.”
They ended with applause, feeling both proud and slightly hesitant for speaking in front of a crowd. Ali laughed as they stepped off the stage. “Challenge two, it’s complete! The Quaid would be proud of us.”

Challenge 3: The Midnight Mystery
By the time they finished, it was dark outside. Raza suggested to go to the old railway station that was situated at the edge of town – a place rumored to be haunting. “The Quaid was fearless, right? So, let’s see if we can handle a little fear ourselves,” he teased.
Ali smirked but felt a bit of a chill. “Fine. Let’s go. Though the Quaid faced even worse!” They arrived at the deserted station, where an old train’s bogies were standing, abandoned. They imagined the faint sound of the old train’s whistle coming from a distance. They crept inside one of the empty bogies; their flashlights were cutting through the shadows. The place was filled with eerie sounds, from creaking floors to the whistle of the wind through broken windows. Every creak made their hearts race, but they held their ground, refusing to give in to fear.
“This is actually pretty freaky,” Raza whispered, looking around nervously.
Just then, a loud clang echoed through the station. They froze, wide-eyed. Sara let out a tiny squeal, but Ali held his ground, laughing nervously: “See, this is what it means to stay strong. Quaid-i-Azam never gave up, and nor shall we!” They made it out without running away and, with a sigh of relief, checked off their final challenge.
The Spirit of the Quaid
The next morning, the four friends set up a small booth in the school courtyard with photos and stories about the Quaid. They displayed quotes, and shared memories from “The Quaid’s Adventures”. They invited their classmates to also take on the challenges that reflected “Unity, Courage, and Leadership”.  They even showed a video of their midnight escapade at the railway station – much to everyone’s amusement.
Ms. Naima, their teacher, stopped by. She seemed impressed. “You didn’t just honor the Father of the Nation, but you have honored your school, too,” she said with a warm smile. “You found a way to live his values. That’s how you keep a legacy alive,” she appreciated their innovative style of honoring the great leader.
Raza nodded, looking thoughtful for a change. “Yeah, I get it now. The Quaid wasn’t just fictional hero in a book. He was someone who actually ‘lived’ for what he believed in, even when it was scary.”
Ali grinned. “Exactly. And if he could go through all that for Pakistan, the least we can do is remember and live by his values in our own way.”
As the school bell rang, the friends walked out together, feeling like they’d accomplished something real. They knew that Quaid-i-Azam Day would never just be “another holiday” for them again.
For the first time, they felt connected to the ‘Spirit of Pakistan’ — and to the daring, fearless leader who had made it possible. And who knows? Maybe they’d make this a tradition every year — a new set of challenges, a new way of bringing the Quaid’s spirit to life, and a new adventure to share with their best friends!