WE live in a world cursed by intolerance and racism. Sanity in the corridors of power is a rare phenomenon, while greed and lust has blinded many. Pakistan, with all its shortcomings, is the only country which we can call our home and live in it as first class citizens. The choice for us is to be a first-class citizen of a third world country or third-class citizen of a first world country. It is time we collectively work to resolve our differences, focus on economic development and ensure that our territorial sovereignty is secured, with no space for aliens, irrespective of their faith or ethnicity. On 14 August the Indian subcontinent was divided. In the NW, the Durand Line, which was established on 12 November 1893 by British diplomat and Abdur Rahman Emir of Afghanistan, was declared as international border, while a new demarcation boundary was drawn in the NE, dividing Punjab and parts of Sindh.
The Quaid had elaborated in his address to FCA, on 11 August 1947, the importance of adopting constitution at the earliest, essential for creation of a modern democratic Muslim majority welfare state, where all citizens enjoy equal rights. He stressed upon importance “To put down with an iron hand” the curse “of bribery and corruption, which really is a poison”, along with black-marketing, inherited from Colonial Raj. He was referring to mindset of the civil and uniformed bureaucracy created by Colonial Raj to deprive the colonies of their assets and ship them to England. Even, in the holy month of Ramadan, an artificial shortage of essential food items is created in Pakistan.
It is a fact, that when East India Company landed on the shores of India, its economy constituted almost 25-26% of the worlds GDP. By the time they left in 1947, India’s GDP was reduced to less than 3%. This was typical of all colonialists, not just the British but also French, Dutch, Germany etc. The Bureaucratic set-up in British India had nothing in common with the bureaucracy that exists in England. In the post-August 1947 era, almost all the British civil servants who had served in colonies were either retired or rehired as clerks etc. MAJ never wanted Pakistan to be a theocracy, but a Muslim majority state which should incorporate Islamic concept of justice and jurisprudence in their constitution.
Discrimination and exploitation by Hindu Supremacists against citizens of other faiths and ethnicities was a major factor that motivated AIML to seek independence. Unfortunately, MAJ died in 1948 and intrigues were initiated to delay adoption of Constitution and prevent restructuring mindset of paid and ruling elite of this country. India was lucky in the sense, that Nehru lived till 1964. By 1950, they had adopted a constitution and in 1952 embarked upon plans to cancel all Absentee Land Allotments, given by Raj to those who served them.
Unfortunately, after MAJ demise, the Raj culture of allotting state lands to paid servants was not only retained but became an obsession. This has resulted in shortages of fertile green pastures and reduction in yields of agriculture produce. Today in 2026, even the air we breathe in parts of Punjab is toxic, because millions of trees have been felled by powerful Land Mafia, in pursuit of unplanned urban sprawl.
The 1943 Bengal famine was a devastating man-made crisis, in which 2.1-3 million died. This was facilitated by official British Indian Army Catering contractors during WW11, who were allotted hundreds of thousands of acres for services rendered.
MAJ made efforts in 1923 to rehabilitate the League and restore confidence of Muslims. He desired that Muslims should not tow any policy adopted by other groups and instead look after their own collective interests. However, there were others, who did not aspire to his call, for need to have unity within their ranks. The Quaid convened League Annual Session at Lucknow on 23 March 1923, under presidentship of Rais Bhurgri, which was adjourned through engineered lack of quorum.
The adjourned session was then held at Lahore on 24-25 May 1924 presided by the Quaid, where a resolution drafted by Malik Barkat in consultation with the Quaid, seeking separate electorates for Muslims; Guarantee for Muslim majority in Punjab, Bengal and NWFP in case of territorial redistribution; Population to form basis of representation in the legislature with provision for small minorities to get representation in excess of their numbers, subject to safeguards; no resolution if three-fourth of members oppose it. This resolution was adopted despite opposition by Ch Khaliquzzaman etc. Dr Ziauddin’s amendment to guarantee representation to minorities in every province was accepted. Quaid was elected President for 3 years. In 1926 the annual League session was held at Delhi, where it was decided to shift central office from Lucknow to Delhi, where it remained till 1947.
Despite a plethora of intrigues by toadies of Raj, it was the dedication and commitment by AIML leaders that Pakistan was achieved in 1947, against all odds. In July 1935, on the night between 4-5July, hordes of Sikhs gathered around a mosque built during tenure of Emperor Shahjahan in Lahore, near the vicinity of Railway station. It was demolished during the tenure of coalition government in Punjab, which included nominees of Unionist Party like Feroze Khan Noon and Nawab Qazilbash.
On 26 July 1943, Rafiq Sabir a follower of Allama Mashreqi, who opposed MAJ and Pakistan, attacked him at his Bombay residence. He was critically injured. The Khan of Kalat who was very close to MAJ sent his personal guards to protect him. The fate and destiny of over 250 million citizens of Pakistan is wedded to the existence and survival of Pakistan as an independent sovereign democratic state.—Concluded
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
