Refocus on Quaid-e-Azam Day by Sajjjad Shaukat (JR108SS10)
Every year, on
December 25, Pakistanis celebrate Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s birth
anniversary with every possible way of showing reverence to their country’s
founder. It is called the Quaid-e-Azam Day. Jinnah was born on December 25,
1876 and founded Pakistan in 1947. On this very day, seminars, debates and
programmes are held to remember the services of the founder of the
nation.
Although various
programmes are held about the personality, vision and the hard work of this
great leader who struggled a lot to get a separate homeland for the Muslims of
the Sub-continent, yet the best way to celebrate Quaid-e-Azam Day is to promote
the soft image of Pakistan, as envisaged by the founder of the country.
This very day
has come at a time when Pakistan is facing multiple threats of grave nature
internally and externally, which are not only worrying all the citizens, but
are also creating divisions among the ruling party and the opposition parties.
This drastic situation is distorting Pakistan’s image abroad.
While, it was
due to the selfless practical unity among the Muslims under the leadership of
Quaid-i-Azam that Pakistan became a tangible reality, on August 14, 1947. But
that unity started declining after passing through various crises, and the
result was separation of East Pakistan in 1971, as India manipulated
differences between East Pakistan and the West Pakistan.
However,
Pakistan’s security forces have been facing a different war against the enemy
which employs subversive activities of various kinds which also include
internal and external challenges. Pakistan is in the state of new war, being
waged by the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies against terrorists. In this
regard, our Armed Forces have successfully obtained their objectives in North
Waziristan Agency (NWA) including other tribal agencies through military
operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists who had challenged the writ of the
state, and had frightened the entire nation by their terror-acts. In
Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi and other parts of the country, our
security forces and law-enforcing agencies have restored peace, after coping
with the militants, foreign agents and criminals.
Externally, Pak
Army and Rangers have boldly been responding to India’s unprovoked firing at
the Line of Control in Kashmir, including Working Boundary in Sialkot and other
sectors. While, the fundamentalist party BJP led by the Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi is implementing anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda. They leave
no stone unturned in distorting Pakistan’s image.
Unfortunately,
it is because of lack of unity among our politicians, leaders and media that
foreign opportunists have been manipulating the chaotic situation of Pakistan
in order to fulfill their secret agenda by destabilizing the country which is
the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. In the past few years, nefarious
designs of some foreign secret agencies like Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad can
be gauged from a number of anti-Pakistan developments such as their support to
insurgency in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, separatism in Balochistan and targeted
killings especially in Karachi. Now, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is
special target of these CIA-led intelligence agencies, as America and India
have already opposed the project.
In case of
Pakistan’s war against terrorism and the external enemies, in his address on the event of commemorating
the Defence Day, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa,
while emphasizing on national unity said on
September 6, 2017, “Pakistan has done
enough in’ the war on terror and now it is time for the world to do
more…Pakistan has made numerous sacrifices fighting terrorism but today the
country is being accused of not doing enough to eradicate the menace.” On
September 6, 2018, he ensured to root out extremism and terrorism once and for
all and, matching response to Indian threat of war.
Nevertheless, although Quaid-e-Azam supported the Two Nation
Theory which was basis of the Ideology of Pakistan, yet some hostile elements
misinterpret it including the vision of Jinnah. In fact, Mohammad Ali Jinnah
who was against every sort of extremism, had favoured a moderate Pakistan where
other religious communities and minorities would also live without any restriction,
along with the Muslims.
It may be recalled that August 11 was official declared
National Minorities Day by the former government in 2009 in line with the
historic speech of founder of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah at
the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947. In his speech, Quaid-e-Azam said,
“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.”
In the same speech, Quaid-e-Azam said, “We are starting in
the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community
and another, no discrimination between ones caste or creed and another. We are
starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens, and equal
citizens of one state.”
It is notable that in accordance with the vision of
Quaid-e-Azam, the Constitution of 1973 protects the real rights and interest of
minorities, living in Pakistan.
While, India which claims an arch secular state has surprised
the world because of continued attacks on other minority groups, especially
Christians, Muslims and Sikhs—and events of forced conversion of Christians and
Muslims into Hindus.
Unlike India, where religious minorities are being targeted
by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits like the ruling party BJP, RSS, Shiv Sena
etc., all the minorities such as Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and
Buddhists enjoy fundamental rights in Pakistan, including all other rights of
citizenry in Pakistan.
It is mentionable that the founder of the country had
strongly supported the idea of peace in the world as well as with other
countries. In this respect on August 15, 1947 Quaid-e-Azam stated, “Our object
should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live peacefully and
maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the
world at large.”
Regarding the status of women, Mohammad Ali Jinnah pointed
out on March 25, 1940 at Islamia College for women, “No nation can rise to the height
of glory unless your women are side by side with you; we are victims of evil
customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the
four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the
deplorable condition in which our women have to live.”
In accordance with Quaid-e-Azam’s vision, now, Pakistani
women are not only working in various public and private sectors, but also in
the armed forces of the country.
Notably, Pakistan which came into existence on the basis of
Islamic principles to provide respect and protection to all the segments of
society is giving full safety to all the minorities as mentioned in the
Constitution. Besides other minority groups, particularly Christians are not
only serving in the armed forces, but are also working in other departments.
Without any discrimination by the Muslims, they also run their own business and
are working in private sectors.
Nonetheless, while commemorating the Quaid-e-Azam Day, let
us use this opportunity not only to bring ourselves closer to each other by
displaying selfless unity, but also to promote soft image of Pakistan in order
to castigate the conspiracy of our external enemies.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author
of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift
in International Relations
