Awesome
RETIRED MOD
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2006
- Messages
- 22,023
- Reaction score
- 5
Pakistan's Problems and its solutions | Aquil Ahmed
In the recent history of the world, there are only two countries that exist on the basis of religion. Pakistan and Israel. India is another country of the same kind but it is cleverly hiding under the curtains of “Secularism” and the “World biggest Democracy”. A great majority of World’s population firmly believe Pakistan and Israel are the two countries which can destroy “World peace”.
Countries deal with each other on the basis of their interests, geographical location, on economics, on trade and on cultural values. Pakistan and Israel are dealing with other countries only on the basis of religion. They think other religions are their enemies and they are constantly opposing and finding conspiracies related to them.
I will not discuss any thing for Israel and India. Let me highlight where Pakistanis are wrong. In the subcontinent the initial struggle for freedom against British was for united India by Muslims and Hindus. As time was passing on in this struggle, Muslims found Hindu Majority was taking benefit of their majority and more involved in running the British Administration. They forced certain Hindu Religion traditions on Muslims during the interim period of Hindu party Congress Rule under the British Rule. For example Muslim students in the schools forced to sing Vande Matram which is deadly against Islam and many fundamentalist Hindu Parties were recruited by Congress Leadership to convert Muslims to the Hindu Religion. Muslims Heroes in the History were made Villains. Like that there are many other examples. Most of the Muslim population felt if Congress is doing this in the presence of British, they can do it more forcefully in an independent united India.
Muslim Leadership slowly and gradually shifted themselves from the Hindu Congress. They were initially confused after departing from Congress guidelines. They did not know what to follow. After a few years Allama Iqbal the great Philosopher and Poet of Urdu and Persian came up with an idea of creating a separate country for Muslims of the undivided India. He convinced the most dynamic Leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah to initiate the struggle of Pakistan. Jinnah was the die-hard fan of Gandhi and he was supporting Gandhi for the independence of united India. But like other Muslim Leaders Jinnah was the last person who was dejected from Congress’s two faced policies.
Allama Iqbal and Mohammed Ali Jinnah wanted a separate land to be given to Muslims where they can exercise their lives as per their religion and there should not be any restrictions from other religions. After a long grueling struggle finally the Muslims leadership succeeded in their struggle. In the process a great number of Muslims migrated from other parts of India and lost tens of thousands of lives. Pakistan lost their share of wealth left by British. Kashmir was taken by India illegally. Hyderabad , Jonagardh, Mongrol and Manawadore were also taken by India forcefully. Pakistan continued to claim Kashmir but relented on the other states. Why Quaid-e-Azam said Kashmir is Pakistan’s jugular? Because by the division formula of the territory of land Kashmir is a majority of Muslims and the other very strong reason is Pakistan’s three major Rivers are coming from Kashmir. We can not quit our claim on Kashmir.
Now I come to Pakistan’s problem after getting Independence. There is no doubt Pakistan was created for Muslims to exercise their lifes freely. In many of Quaid-e-Azam’s speeches we can find he was saying this will be the land where Muslim will be free to live as per their religion Islam and there will not be any law which is against Islam. This was all right to bring reasons for his independence struggle. Once he was successful in his struggle, the target was achieved. Muslims were free to live their lifes without interference from other religions.
The real trouble started when Quaid-e-Azam expired just after one year and the religious parties and ulemas of Pakistan started their chaos in making Pakistan’s constitution an Islamic constitution and run the government administration as per Islamic Laws.
The administration has to manage certain rules of business for its citizens within the country and outside the country. This is almost the same with slight variations in all the countries. We should run the government administration as other countries do and let everybody be free to exercise their lives as per their own beliefs and since Pakistan is a Muslim majority country, there was no danger to Pakistani Muslims and their religion Islam. Insistence of Islamic laws in running government day to day business created high eyebrows from other religions of the world and put us in line with Israel unnecessarily.
These Islamic extremists are so much powerful that they want to do anything unlawfully and challenging not only Pakistan government but other countries of the world. There is no doubt our government’s leadership also made several blunders but this is due to the demand to make Pakistan an Islamic state. No one thought other Muslim states are Islamic state or not. If they don’t call themselves Islamic, why Pakistan need to be Islamic?
There are so many countries in the world with different religions, different languages and cultures. They are making relationship and trade between them on the basis of their interests. Wherever there is a conflict of interest, there may be some tension between them but they never consider other as an enemy of their religion.
Americans, British and other European countries are always taking care of their public’s interest. There are many instances where they move in favor of Muslim countries, for example Bosnia and maintain good relations with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Malaysia. But when their interest conflict with Pakistan’s interest we immediately declare they are acting against Islam. Since the basis of our assumptions are on the wrong footing, we can not settle our issues with other countries.
The majority of Pakistanis are as normal as any other country’s public but a few pockets of religious extremists have hijacked the whole country’s image as the World trouble maker. Our extremists are not satisfied even after making our constitution Islamic. Islamic constitution made our minorities unhappy and deprived them some basic fundamental rights. Our extremists want to drag the whole nation back fourteen centuries era which is not possible by any means.
Some pockets of enlightened moderates like Pervez Musharraf and NGOs are also poking these religion extremists unnecessarily. Their way of life and comments make extremist more rigid in their behavior.
What is the solution to the problems?
First Point – It is required to educate the nation. Any basic Islamic education should be included in the school sylabus for Muslim students only. Make education free of cost and close all the Madarsas. Establish highier Islamic Education Institues for those students who opt for higher Islamic Education. All the Education Institutes should be of the same level and their teaching staff should be highly paid. They should be respectable, highly trained Teachers.
Second Point – Let Democracy continue. Democracy in the beginning may not look nice. Several people will insist they are the only people who are right and others are wrong. With a series of elections things very slowly and gradually will smooth out. Mankind learns from mistakes and bad experiences. This process is very long. It may take ten to a hundred years but it surely makes the Nation sensible.
Third Point – Don’t quote Quaid-e-Azam wanted Pakistan to run as a country of an era fourteen centuries back. He used Islamic names just to distinguish his nation from Hindus. Because Hindus were claiming the Muslims and Hindus in India are one nation. He was never in line with our present day religious parties. His own life style was a proof for this.
Fourth Point – Support your national interest and also understand the interests of other countries. Avoid conflicts of interest. If unfortunately the conflict occurs, resolve it by all means but do not make it a religious affair.
Fifth Point – We have been trained from the childhood to respect the elders and obey their orders and advice; favor your family members at all cost; Help your neighborhood and friends and help the poor generously; Support your culture and life style. These values are very good, we need to carry them forward in a personal capacity but when we are holding a public position and then push these values, it becomes an evil leading to nepotism. We should act as per the established rules and procedures and serve justice. Do not waist your time while you are on duty. You are a Public servant and not a Ruler.
Sixth Point – Make our Law-enforcing Agencies trustworthy. They should be highly paid, highly trained professionals. They must be ready to sacrifice their own lives if its required. They should help general public at all levels. They should not discriminate and treat everybody by the same rules and procedures. They should be free from all political influence. This is very important and it is the backbone of good governance.
Seventh Point – Improve our tolerance level and accept others freedom of speech. Do not interfere with the affairs of others and do not let others to interfere in your affairs. If the situation is not in your control let the law enforcing agencies take control. We should not break the law and do not damage public property and do not disturb the city’s daily business. If for some reasons long rallies or protest processions are required, take permission from the authorities and arrange this procession in such a way that the route’s traffic should not be disturbed. Avoid selecting crowded roads for this procession. It is better to transport the participants from inside of the city to the outside of the city for this purpose.
Eighth Point – Town Planning requests should be controlled on strict regulations. Any kind of constructions should no be approved if it is disturbing the beauty, traffic, drainage, Educational Institutes, Hospitals, Utilities, entertainment or becoming an environmental hazard for the town. Contingency plans should be in place in all situations and it should be practiced regularly. Power distribution, communication and drainage systems should be underground and should be well protected, inspected and should be replaced before their life ends.
Nineth Point – Judicial System needs improvement. It should be easy, approachable and prompt. The lower Court should be constituted by a judge supported by 10 members of the jury. The Court decision should not take more than one working week.
Tenth Point – The Provincial Assembly elected members should be the administrators of all the Union Councils coming under his polling area. The Election of Provincial Assembly and the Election of Union Council should not be same time so that they should not influence each others Election.