Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the following period. There is no doubt the greatness of a nation depends upon its men, especially upon its heroes. “ Society is founded on hero-worship, “ says Carlyle. The bright star of the history of Pakistan is Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It was the will of Allah that the physically weakling son of Poonjah Jinnah would one day be the founder of Pakistan. He was born in Karachi on December 25, 1875. After matriculation, he was sent to England for higher studies. He distinguished himself over there as a keen and upright student. He qualified from the Lincoln’s as a brilliant Barrister. On his return to India he joined the Indian National Congress. He was the ardent supporter of the Hindu-Muslim unity. But the narrow vision of certain Hindu leaders disappointed him. He decided to join the Muslim League after realizing the deep rooted prejudice against the community of Muslims of some of the powerful congress leaders, among them the most prominent is Petal . He inspired the Muslims of India with his glorious vision. He worked hard with unwavering determination for a separate homeland for Muslims. The odds were against him. The Hindus, the British and a section of Muslims who claimed the religious leaders of the depressed and repressed community were hostile to him, They called him Kafir and the Pakistan as Karfarsatan ( the land of infidels). Among them the most prominent was Maulana Abul A’la Maududi the head of the Jama’tay Islami. But his penetrating eye led him to the right path, and he grappled with every problem. His aim was high. He soared like an eagle. He organized a Party. Muslims rallied round him. The hostile forces had to beat a retreat. August 14, 1947, was the day of his triumph. Pakistan appeared on the map of the world. He took oath of the office of the first Governor General of the new country. Muhammad Ali was the true Quaid-e-Azam in the true sense of the word. His health had been breaking down under a heavy pressure of work. He died in Karachi on September 11, 1948. But founders and heroes like him never die. Do they? The most important aspect of the State of Pakistan was clarified by Quaid Azam in his famous presidential address to the Constituent Assembly:- “ You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, or caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the State. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of a state. Now, I think, we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in the course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.” It may be noted that this address was delivered in the Constituent Assembly, Constitution making body, and not in a public address in which most of the things are poured out for the public consumption. The place is most important, the situation is most serious and the audience is consisting of the cream of the nation. Hence this speech may be taken as policy of the newly born state of Pakistan. This can rightly be taken as the nucleus and hub of the constitution of Pakistan insinuated by the father of the nation. The focus and core of his address is:- The State of Pakistan will not be a theocracy because in theocratic states there are distinction of religion. The vision of the father of nation is to see Pakistan immune from such diseases as racial, colour and religious prejudices. He was born in an educated family, nurtured and grown up in a modern society in a posh area of Karachi and groomed in the Western culture to lead a nation that was depressed, illiterate bankrupt in right thinking and Maulvi ridden badly. He firmly believed in humanism and justice to ever body without any distinction of race, colour, caste and religion. I do believe that his love of freedom, betterment and prosperity of the public was dominant in his struggle in creating a new country. Justice for every one irrespective of caste and religion was embedded in his psyche. I also do believe that he would have showed the same zeal and enthusiasm to free any depressed, deprived and downtrodden community in India. That is why he agreed to leave the demand of separation if the congress leaders would have been a little more liberal to accept the demand of the Muslims to give them 33 percent representation in the federation. But the stalwart leaders of the congress refused to give that just and established concession to the minority. It is my opinion that one of the causes of the partition of the Sub-continent is the bigotry and prejudice of some of the Hindu fanatics but powerful in the Congress. And Muhammad Ali Jinnah rightly understood that the hegemony of the Hindu majority who was already more advanced and active in every walk of life would certainly crush the Muslims minority which is backward, ignorant and beset with the internally religious conflicts. He was a humanist more than anything else. His life style bespeaks his vision for Pakistan. He desired Pakistan a modern welfare state. No doubt there are some speeches of Quaid-e- Azam that contain his announcements that the constitution of Pakistan will be Islamic, and this contradicts with the policy statement delivered in the first session of the constituent assembly of Pakistan. It probably implies that his announcements delivered in Public meetings were chiefly for the public consumption. However if we suppose that he desired that the new state of Pakistan would be an Islamic state, even then it is not obligatory upon the citizens of this country to materialize his desire against the demands of the time. Everywhere, and all over the world there is a demand of secular philosophical systems in all walks of life. Let us see this matter in the vision of his address in reply to a question as to what would be the economic policy of Pakistan in an interview to a representative of the foreign Press, on 8th November, 1945, he said ; “ You are asking me to interpret what the Government will do. But personally I believe that in these modern days essential key industries ought to be controlled and managed by the State. That applies also to certain public utilities. But what is a key industry and what is a utility service are matters for the lawmakers to say, not for me”. In this address the Quaid-i-Azam recommended to nationalize the key industries and ‘ certain’ public utilities. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1970 nationalized key industries, some utilities and we saw the complete destruction in these departments. The policy of industrialization of key industries and utilities proved a tragic event for the health of Pakistan. Its bad effects are still felt in every walk of life. It may be noted that the Quaid was not an economist. He did his matriculation and went to U.K. for studies of law. No doubt he was intelligent, diligent and possessed all qualities of a good lawyer and politician but it is fact he did not study economics and we cannot take him an expert in economic policy for the betterment of the country.. The living nations go with the march of time and do not tread inevitably the path chosen by their ancestors. Every age has its own requirements and we must adopt ourselves according to the circumstances in order to make nation progressive and country viable. The best example can be quoted of China. In the mid fifties, the quotations of Moa Se Tung were the best guidance for every citizen of China. People even copy the dress of their great leader. Moa firmly believed in labour and denied the importance of capital, because he thought that natural resources were the property of the nation. The core point and vital strength of communism is the theory of surplus value which totally denies the role of capital. And the most attractive slogan of the socialists was “ to very body according to his needs and from everybody according to his capacity”. Is it not true that these things have been buried since long and the new generation had altogether banished the quotations of their great leader to meet the requirements of the time. The sagacity of new leaders welcome the Western investment and the culture of the West against the wishes and policy of their great leader. They succeeded to get prosperity and strength because they know the march of the world. Life is dynamic and we must be active to accept the new demands of the changed circumstances. But our leaders are beating the same drum and sounding the same slogans; they are entangled in the labyrinth of so many thoughts, religious and worldly. We cannot see clearly our path of progress because we are prisoners of hackneyed systems and time bared philosophy. Our daily assignment is to recite the old glory and achievements of the Muslims of Middle Ages. We are blind and deaf to see the wonders of science and hear the call of future. We have altogether forgotten that it is the age of computer and unbelievable changes have occurred. We are still driving the horses of our ambitions. In this situation we should follow the path carved by the developed nations without any mental reservations. The prosperity of the country is more important than futile discussion of Hoodooed Ordinance, Islamic Economy, Islamic Bank , Islamic Bomb, the defence of the boundaries of Ideology of the country and Pakistan the fort of Islam. Such catchwords and strategy were designed and tailored by a dictator on the advice of the fanatic religious leaders who were eager to wreak revenge on the patriots who loved Pakistan more than their lives. They exploited the emotional attachment of the people with Islam and tried to impinge upon the rights of women. The discussion on the merits and demerits of equal rights of men and women is to soil the fair name of mother, sister, wife and daughter. It should be condemned strongly and the advisers of the dictator should be punished for misleading the ignorant and tyrant, Zia.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 17:30:06 +0000
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