In the early years of Pakistan, there is an often told story of a debate on the party's drafted charter that Faiz Ahmed Faiz had drafted for the "Azad Pakistan Party". Everyone accepted Faiz's draft but Sheikh Rashid. This debate took place among the founders of the party over a word which Sheikh Rashid alone wanted changed. Of course the word was about the distribution of land among the peasants. He debated the rest of the party founders over it for many hours because he wanted it expressed a certain way. All through his political career, he was recognized by his contemporaries as a defender of peasant rights.