AS an ideological state, Pakistan is a blessing and gift of the Almighty. The forefathers of Pakistan had a farsightedness and determination in conceiving the idea of this great state and subsequently making it a reality. As an unflinching personality, the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam M.A.Jinnah played a great role in the formation of Pakistan based on Islamic ideology. The famous American writer, Stanley Wolpert, writes in his book, entitled, ‘Jinnah of Pakistan’ “Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. M.A.Jinnah did all three.”
Achievement of Pakistan under an environment of stiff resistance and opposition from Congress leadership and British colonial bosses could not have been possible without the statesmanship and visionary leadership of Quaid-i-Azam. Under the leadership of Jinnah, the Muslims of the subcontinent achieved what seemed to be impossible before 1940. Indeed, Muslims of this region were alienated, exploited and kept backward by ruling colonial power and the majority population of Hindus. Hindu leadership was optimistic that in any future arrangement after decolonization, they will be the legitimate rulers of the subcontinent, based on their majority population.
23rd March has a special significance in the history of Pakistan. On this historical day in 1940, the celebrated resolution for the creation of Muslim state was passed in the Lahore session of the All India Muslim League. In the political struggle of the Muslims of the sub-continent, this was the biggest gathering, attended by over 100,000 people from all parts of the united India. Indeed, under the exploitative British Colonialism, Muslims of India were targeted to the maximum being the former ruler of India. Through this historic gathering, the Muslims of the sub-continent gave a message to the world in large and Britain and Hindu majority in particular that they were determined to have their own homeland in the form of Pakistan, a state where they can freely live as a nation, while following the glorious principles of Islam.
This resolution was adopted ten years after the historical address of the great philosopher, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal, in the Allahabad session of the All India Muslim League, in 1930. This visionary thinker and poet had envisioned a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia in his address. The Lahore session of Muslim League was indeed the first substantial step towards the implementation of this vision, a dream turning into reality. Struggle for nothing less than a separate homeland (Pakistan) was the agenda of this session of Muslim League in Lahore, as Quaid had specified prior to this historical congregation of the Muslims of the sub-continent. “The watch-words of ‘Faith, Unity and Discipline’ were the munitions which the Quaid-i-Azam gave to the nation for waging the battle for Pakistan. The most dependable powerhouse in the struggle for Pakistan was the Muslim nation’s unity.”
Following the adoption of this resolution, Muslims of the sub-continent, devotedly struggled for this God-gifted first ideological Muslim state; Pakistan. Despite difficulties faced by this newly established country, the spirit of Pakistan’s Resolution remained alive and this great nation confronted the challenges with great vigour, zeal and zest. Unfortunately, in 1971, owing to a number of external conspiracies and bad governance domestically, half of the country was lost in the form of Bangladesh. However, the ideology of Pakistan; the concept of ‘two nations theory’ did not die, as Bangladesh did not become India.
Pak Day reminds us of the contributions of our forefathers, who sacrificed their comfort for our future and struggled to attain Pakistan for us. Today, after 84 years of the passage of the historical resolution we need to review ourselves as a nation. If our forefathers have given us an ideological state, are we following its ideology in letter and spirit? Let us trace back the blunders we have committed which harmed Pakistan and correct ourselves. Let us unite ourselves and follow true values of an Islamic brotherhood and Pakistani nationhood by shedding the mutual differences and bridging fault lines. Let us respect our sovereignty and secure this God-given motherland by defeating the evil forces – domestic and external. A well aware and educated future generation provided with adequate and identical opportunities of employment would definitely guarantee a stable and peaceful Pakistan, as dreamed by our forefathers.
Unfortunately, today Pakistan is facing political instability, economic crisis and social fault lines. Regionally, India is all set to destabilize Pakistan on various grounds. Globally some forces have agendas to undermine Pakistani sovereignty and integrity through various covert and overt means. Pakistan has to tackle all these challenges with wisdom and wisdom. This great nation has fought a prolonged war against terrorism and is still facing the ensuing waves of this war. Despite over 85,000 human losses and $150 billion direct economic losses, the resilient Pakistani nation has survived with dignity and national integrity while defeating the menace of terrorism, extremism and sub-nationalism.
The masses and brave defence forces of Pakistan have given unprecedented sacrifices for the motherland. The defence forces have defeated and deterred the well planned external aggression and conspiracies in the last two decades. Let us be united and defeat all these challenges through a visionary approach of bringing social cohesion and national harmony among the masses by providing social justice, equal opportunities for progression, ending political bitterness and collectively working for the economic prosperity of Pakistan based on indigenous Pakistani means.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
Email: [email protected]
