I have strong views on 23rd March parade. Initially parades were held on the Independence Day or Yome Istiqalal. It was only during the bigot Zia’s time that Independence Day lost importance and has now been completely ignored replaced by 23rd of March.
IMO most important day in Pakistan’s history is 14th August 1947. By all means do celebrate 23rd March as well but not at the expense of Independence Day. Besides, 29th December should be as important as 23rd March. Because it was during his presidential address at Lukhnow Muslim League Session on 29th Dec. 1930 that idea of two nation theory was first proposed which later formed basis of the partition of British India.
Allama Iqbal states
Quote
3b]] Personally, I would go farther than the demands embodied in it. I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sind and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British Empire, or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West India.
Presidential Address, annual session of the All-India Muslim League, Allahabad, December 1930, by Sir Muhammad Iqbal
Unquote.
Finally, let us face it; what do we have to celebrate about?
The country is in the middle of every imaginable crisis. Corruption is rampant, politicians are at each other’s throat, sectarianism is rife and a significant segment of population is intent on pushing Pakistan back to an imaginary dark age “Utopia” based on a very narrow view of Islam. A lot of Baluchis and some Sindhi also want to secede and form seperate independent nation. With target killings every day occurrence in Karachi;
an ordinary man leaving his house to earn his daily bread, is not sure whether he will return home alive in the evening or be a victim of a religious suicide bomber or of cross fire. No nation is willing to play cricket in Pakistan!
Do you really think that our founding fathers had this kind of hell in mind when they demanded partition?
At least better sense has prevailed and the parade is canceled. Any large gathering provides opportunity to the enemies of the state to kill a few more innocent Pakistanis by suicide bomb.
I repeat Hafiz Shirazi’s famous verse.
Sharaab Haraam Shumarand wa khoon e khalq halaal
Zehey tareeqat wa millat zehey shariat wa deen.
(These bigots declare wine forbidden but sanction shedding of innocent blood. Lets praise the nationhood, let us praise the religion.)
