Naya Pakistan nothing but semantics. You can’t have economic growth unless there is improvement in Law & Order situation. And you can’t have peace until you buckle up and fight terrorism. But how can you do that if you think perpetrators of killings & bombing ever are not even your enemies.
Situation will probably improve in Baluchistan but not in KPK. Especially since in my view Jamaat Islami; an anti-Pakistan & anti - Quaid e Azam party; is a part of the coalition. Munawwar Hasan's admiration for Taliban has not diminished as evident from his comments during ARY Waseem Badami talk show.
I hate to disappoint PTI supporters but I don’t want ‘Naya Pakistan’ I want Pakistan as conceived by the founding fathers not by the Taliban friendly KPK gov’t. The gov’t has been in power for only 2 months but IMO situation is worse that during ANP times. Anyway, we will know the results soon enough.
Being 14th August and a good time to remind all the young members as to who has really gifted us this beautiful country of ours. Quaid was a Shia; I wonder if Quaid was alive today would TTP sluaghter him too as they did Shia prisoners in DI Khan jail with KPK gov't happily a powerless by-stander?
Jinnah founded Pakistan
Harris Khalique
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Jinnah founded Pakistan
Side-effect
The writer is a poet and author based in Islamabad.
I am afraid it was not Maulana Abul’ala Maudoodi or Mufti Shafi Ahmed Usmani who founded Pakistan. It was Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Likewise, at a personal level they may instruct their religious followers on which ritual to perform and which sin to avoid but as a nation it cannot be Dr Tahirul Qadri or Maulana Tariq Jamil or Allama Talib Jauhari who will tell us how to organise the value system of our society and how to lead our public lives as citizens of the state. Again, we will refer to the founding principles of the state and society professed and practised by the Quaid himself when we seek to regulate the Pakistani society and its institutions.
How pitiful and ironic! We are seeing a time when the people of Pakistan have to be reminded of what the man who founded their country stood for, asked us as citizens to do and those of us with authority not to do. It is time to ponder over the use of his guiding principles to lead us out of the present quagmire of violence and terrorism, the war within and the war outside, religious extremism, corruption, inefficiency, mediocrity and the shackling elite-capture of the state, society and all our primary institutions. On the 66th anniversary of independence from colonial rule, I will largely restrict myself to quoting from the founder of this country on issues that continue to mar our freedom and existence.
Before coming to his much-quoted and least-heard first speech to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan after being elected as its president and the governor-general of the new dominion, let me just remind you of a press conference he held in Delhi on July 14, 1947. He said, “Every time I spoke about the minorities I meant what I said and I said what I meant… They will be, in all respects, the citizens of Pakistan without any distinction of caste and creed.”
When a journalist asked him, “Will Pakistan be a secular or theocratic state?” he said, “You are asking me a question that is absurd. I do not know what a theocratic state means.” Another correspondent tried to elaborate the point by asking if Pakistan would be a country where Muslims became full citizens and non-Muslims did not enjoy the same status. The Quaid retorted, “Then it seems to me that what I have already said is like throwing water on a duck’s back. When you talk of democracy, I am afraid you have not studied Islam. We learned democracy thirteen centuries ago.”
He furthered this point in a talk broadcast to Australia in 1948, “We are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which all are equal in right, dignity and self-respect. Consequently, we have a special and a very deep sense of unity. But make no mistake; Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it. Islam demands from us the tolerance of other creeds, and we welcome in closest association with us all those who, of whatever creed, are themselves willing and ready to play their part as true and loyal citizens of Pakistan.” That was the reason that the first ever law minister of the country appointed by Quaid-e-Azam in the cabinet of Liaquat Ali Khan was Joginder Nath Mandal – he also held the portfolio for labour rights and issues.
In his first speech to the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, it was not just the equal citizenship of all without distinction of caste, creed or faith that the Quaid talked about at much length. He began his speech by emphasising the need for a parliament to be the sovereign law-giving body in a state. Then he also highlighted the need to curb bribery and corruption and end black marketing. The words most-quoted and least heard in this speech include, “You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state.” What else is a vision for a modern, secular state? To him, a state founded by progressive Muslims like him had to be inclusive, modern and secular in nature by default. He was a constitutionalist and a democrat who found his principles completely aligned with his understanding of Islam.
In the short time he was destined to live for after the creation of Pakistan, the Quaid reminded the defence forces and the civilian bureaucracy of their obligations more than once. While speaking at the Staff College in Quetta in 1948, he asked the officers to remain loyal to the government and owe allegiance to the constitution and the dominion of Pakistan. He clearly asked them to follow the orders that were issued by the executive head of the country and reiterated that no order could be made without the sanction of the executive head.
When it came to civil servants, the Quaid understood fully well how the Indian Civil Service had created ‘brown sahibs’ to run the affairs of the British colony. On March 25, 1948, he addressed the civil bureaucracy and said, “Wipe off that past reputation: you are not rulers. You do not belong to the ruling class; you belong to the servants. Make the people feel that you are their servants and friends, maintain the highest standard of honour, integrity, justice and fair play.” He further said, “Let not people leave you with this bearing that you hate, you are offensive, that you have insulted or that you are rude to them.”
Quaid-e-Azam was very clear on the need for peace in the region, particularly with India. For him, the premise for the partition of the Subcontinent was to bring peace, not to perpetuate tension and warfare. He was also cognisant of his own country’s responsibility towards global peace. While proposing a toast to King George the Sixth in a banquet held for Lord and Lady Mountbatten on August 13, 1947, the Quaid said, “There lies in front of us a new chapter and it will be our endeavour to create and maintain goodwill and friendship with Britain and our neighbouring dominion – Hindustan – along with other sister nations so that we all together may make our greatest contribution for the peace and prosperity of the world.”
At one point in time, he was so hopeful of a cordial relationship between India and Pakistan that he mentioned retiring to Bombay after finishing his tenure as the head of the state of Pakistan. He wanted the Kashmir issue to be decided in favour of Pakistan but he also wanted to create peace in the region. He wanted the hundreds of millions of poor and destitute women and men in the Subcontinent to get a chance to prosper. He knew this was only possible in an atmosphere of peace and by a willingness by both India and Pakistan to resolve disputes amicably.
There are many other short speeches and statements made by the Quaid that need to be read and understood afresh. His August 11, 1947 speech to the first Constituent Assembly should become the preamble to Pakistan’s constitution. It is most significant because it is the first official statement of the Quaid as the head of the state. He has made insightful remarks on a range of international issues of his time – from Afghanistan to Palestine, Burma to Indonesia, US to Australia.
On the domestic front, the Quaid discussed a range of issues, from the unbridled pursuit of profit under capitalism and oppressive feudal order to development of cities and institutions to fixing problems faced by the people in Balochistan and Fata. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s internal and external policies, as they have stood for many years, have little to do with the Quaid’s vision of a modern, rational, progressive and peaceful country. We do not have another 66 years to correct the course. Time is slipping out of our hands.
Email: harris.khalique@**********
Jinnah founded Pakistan - Harris Khalique