AS the nation enthusiastically celebrates completion of 78-year journey of independence, it is time to recollect, pause and ponder over successes and failures and chart out a clear and consensus roadmap to take Pakistan to the heights of progress and prosperity. This, of course, requires a secure and peaceful environment and a commitment on the part of all stakeholders as well as all segments of the society to uphold hard-earned independence and sovereignty in every respect at all costs. The spirited participation of the people, especially those of the youth, in the independence day celebrations beams out a reassuring message that the country has the inherent resilience and ability to overcome all challenges and move ahead steadily towards fulfilment of the vision that founder of the State Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had for Pakistan.
Addressing 1st Constituent Assembly on 11 August 1947, the Quaid described independence as ‘unparalleled’ in the history of the globe, adding “the whole world is wondering at this unprecedented cyclonic revolution which has brought about the plan of creating and establishing two independent Sovereign Dominions in this sub-continent”. Pakistan was, indeed, achieved in a peaceful and democratic struggle but the partition itself brought untold miseries to Muslims of South Asia as countless people lost their lives and belongings at the hands of Hindu and Sikh attackers during migration besides a multitude of challenges that the new country faced in the absence of necessary resources. All odds were overcome through patience, hard work and sacrifices of the people but the vicious cycle of insecurity and political and economic instability continues to haunt Pakistanis even after seven decades because of internal and external conspiracies as well as self-centred approaches of different players. It is an undeniable reality that Pakistan, from the very inception, showed goodwill to all neighbours including India but its gestures were not reciprocated by New Delhi. This saga is fully explained by the message that the Quaid sent to the Indian Government before his final flight from Delhi to Pakistan “the past must be buried and let us start as two independent sovereign states of Hindustan and Pakistan, I wish Hindustan prosperity and peace” but Vallabhbhai Patel retorted “the poison has been removed from the body of India. As for the Muslims, they have their roots, their sacred places and their centres here. I do not know what they can possibly do in Pakistan.
It will not be long before they return to us.” It was this mentality that imposed war after war on Pakistan, dismembered the country in 1971, illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, hurled nuclear threats to Pakistan, made Pakistan victim of state-sponsored terrorism and created hurdles in the way of plans and programmes aimed at economic well being of people of Pakistan including CPEC. However, Indian designs were successfully thwarted by our armed forces and security agencies, especially the premier intelligence agency, the ISI, as well as scientists, engineers and technicians, who come up to the expectations of the nation in making the country a nuclear power. In fact, the country has necessary resources in men and material to reach to the zenith of economic progress but the cherished objective remains unfulfilled due to political stability caused by infighting and lust for power. It is because of this that a country, bestowed with fertile land and rich mineral resources, is forced to spread the begging bowl before the world and its resources on repayment of a debt that has miserably failed to improve the lot of the people. The protests that we witness these days over back-breaking electricity bills owe their existence to the exploitative system that the Quaid wanted to banish and makes mockery of the slogans of merit and transparency raised by every successive government without moving practically to uphold them in governance. People of Pakistan are fully prepared, as before, to offer every sacrifice for an independent and sovereign homeland but they want equality, justice and corruption from the system. The Quaid, in his speech to the Constituent Assembly, laid emphasis on maintaining law and order; protecting life, property and religious beliefs of the subjects; putting corruption and bribery down with iron hand; and checking black-market, nepotism and jobbery. We cannot delay further implementation of this agenda.
