Tomorrow marks the 65th independence day of Pakistan. The country has witnessed many conflicts, victories, triumphing moments and political dilemmas, however, many people across the globe still believe that the country is far from achieving the ‘paradise’ that Jinnah and his team aimed to establish.
With a history of coups and constant battle of power amongst different state institutions, coupled with anarchy and militancy, Pakistan has failed to harbour political and economic stability.
Jinnah dreamt of a secular state where minorities and Muslims could live congenially but given the current state of affairs, including forced conversions, fundamentalism and sectarian violence, have Jinnah’s dreams materialised?
Are the rulers and policymakers of Pakistan working to create the country which was founded on the grounds of humanity and coexistence?
Are we, as common citizens, working in our own capacity towards a better Pakistan and society where rights are mutually accepted and respected?
And most importantly had Jinnah foreseen the contemporary Pakistan, would he had ventured out to create a separate state for Muslims?
Jinnah idea of islamic state was not what people now want to believe. First of, we all know, Jinnah was not a religious (per say) person. Why and how he will create an Islamic state. But lets assume he wanted to create an Islamic state, then why did Jamat e islami (JI) sided with congress to undermine the movement of independent, and now same JI is siding with terrorist, (funded and supported by Saudi Arabia) to undermine the existence of Pakistan. The fact is, Jinnah wanted to create a country where Muslims along with other minorities will have better opportunities to prosper economically, which they did not have in the undivided Hindustan. I want my Pakistan the way it was in the 60’s and 70’s.
After reading this article all I can say is that Either Dawn is lying in this article about Pakistan being secular state or my NANA JAAN who is 85 years old now and still breathes today, aged 20 in 1947 and was an active participant in the freedom stuggle. He told me all the things he saw at that time and how he and his young brothers and sisters had to migrate to Pakistan. The slogan “Pakistan ka matlab kya; LA ILLAHA ILLALLAH” ran through his veins and every body else’s who wanted to have Pakistan. So I have to choose between Dawn’s article and my NANA JAAN’s life experience. I go in favor of my elder’s testimony. Atleast people who call Pakistan a secular state, pay some homage to the elders who still live from the time when this country was born and they bled for it; even if it is lip service from your end. I never want to shame the blood in my veins and bring pain to my sweet grandfathers face in his resting place, make haste to learn and not waste everything our forefathers earned in tears; for my country.
I won’t call Pakistan a secular state because we all know that it was created as a muslim state, we can however agree that Jinnah Sb. was a nuteral person and for him the only thing matter was whoever live in Pakistan must live in harmony and respect, regardless of sect or religion. This mess we are going thru is created by the Govts. during 70s and 80s.
I agree 100% with u Mr.Fallak…. Truly, our elders created pakistan for establishing a State based on true Islamic principles, on the model of Khilafat-e-Rashida…. if anyone has doubts about it, he should read Jinnah’s many speeches, including on the opening ceremony of state bank in which he emphasised on building Pakistan as the bulwark of Islam.
I don’t know why people feel ashamed when we talk of Islam as a political system. Have they not read the history???? The social justice and welfare of the Islamic empire during the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr, Umat, Uthman and Ali is the exemplary system for the world even today! None of the so-called secular states of today have achieved even a small part of what our Rightly Guided Caliphs did. You will give, perhaps, examples of democracies like USA? Countries that wage unnecessary wars on innocent citizens cannot possibly be called “welfare” states!! These secular states have bombed Iraq and reduced Afghanistan to rubble and ash!
But unfortunately, people here suffer from terrible myopia, and fail to realise the truth!
To understand the word “Secular” you need a very broad mind and in-fact you have to be a true human, loving and respecting other human and their opinions. Jinnah being a highly educated, intellectual and a leader believed in that term with a view of Islam which exactly encourages the term “secular”, but soon after independence he realized his view is not what majority thinks and I am sure he must have realized it was a big blunder but it was too late. His daughter and grandson never left India because of this reason.
This forum is for educated mass and I am so disappointed to see comments trying to justify “Secular” as anti Islam. A country cannot be changed without the citizens changing their mind set, I can only wish good luck for Pakistan.
Mr. Anand Jha, i agree with you view.
It is very simple. Pakistan was made in the name of Islam CLEARLY NO DOUBT:
Mr. Jinnah Said: “You are only voicing my sentiments and the sentiments of millions of Mussalmans when you say that Pakistan should be based on pure foundations of Social Justice and Islamic Socialism, not other isms!” October 1947
And in his Last Speech, just a few weeks before he passed away at State Bank he clearly gave us instructions and said “we must work on our destiny in our own way and show to the world an economic system based on true Islamic Principle of equality and brotherhood… we will thereby fulfill our mission as Muslims and give to the world THE message of Peace” July 1948
I fail to understand why SOME people brand him as secular when he spoke of minorities rights as the rights of minorities were even more strongly defined in Mesak e Medina by our Beloved Prophet (PBUH). Giving rights to minorities was new to the world when Muslims started to treat them well 1400 years ago.
Our failure as a nation has nothing to do with religion and people claiming that, have completely lost their minds. The reason we are in this mess of corrupt democracy or compromised discatorship is only because of the fact that we did not make Pakistan a ture Islamic state where humans are treated as humans, weak are given their rights, where you pick up your brother when he falls, where you give women their rightful place in society with equal rights to education (not the western concept of women equality) but a respectful one , where science and techonology is promoted, where economy is based on gold and silver and especially where the corrupt leaders would be hanged instead of letting them live in luxury.
Follow what we wrote in objectives resolution and get rid of liberal extremists as well as the religious ones. Islam always takes the middle path with Quran and Sunnah (Saaw) as a guiding light.
PEACE!
I must yawn now. How much of Islam do you want? It isn’t working. Look at the state of all the Muslim states? Can you find one good example? Think outside the box and look for other solutions. World is a very different place now then it was back then. The separation of states and religion is the way to go. Don’t mix religion and state affairs. It doesn’t matter what Jinnah had intended back then. Those were very different times with very different problems.
I had read somewhere that “current ‘muslim’ democracy is a human rights disaster”, if you see it with an unbiased eye, it actually is true.
Spot on HJK;
Objective Resolution is enough to justify all misleads spread over by our frantic media. does anybody ever read it? I doubt.
Happy Independence day to Pakistan. However I am in great wonder that after religion caused so much havoc in country and spoiled the image of a general muslim, many readers are still advocating more Islam/Shariah as evident from the comments above.How much more Islam do you want?
Islam has been mis-interpreted by frantic Mullahs and that’s what makes you think this way. Does burning alive a “Suttee” mentioned in your Vedas? No, it isn’t but ever since it was mis-interpreted by Pundits and Pujaris.
HA.. Keep the blame game on.. Thats the way to go..
Jinnah’s Pakistan died on Fall of Dhaka. That is half of the country. Very sad indeed.
InshALLAH Pakistan will become a true Islamic welfare state… where the constitution will be Quran. and the rights of the people including minorities will be respected…
Islam is not merely worship.. Worship is only a small part of Islam.. but important is our good behavior towards fellow beings on the moral grounds.. Unfortunately we are very far from these things,..
But we should not lose hope in the mercy of Allah.
Pakistan Zindabad.. the dream of Jinnah, the sacrifice of a million Muslims shall not go waste inshALLAH!
Are you dreaming like Jinnah?
Pakistan is totally failed state.Sorry to say that people here are fighting against india instead of fighting against corruption,illiterte,fundamentalism etc…
No. He wouldn’t. Fact is we are an internationally recognized failed state. India has progressed as a secular multicultural successful democracy.
Kindly explain how if the Muslims as a minority i.e about 30 % of the undivided population could not live with Hindus & claimed a separate country only for Muslims .With a overwhelming 90% Muslims how they expect other religious minorities could survive in Pakistan.And % of minorities is reducing on a daily basis.Plus even today the Pakistanis are not sure what Jinnah wanted.
I believe that the Dawn is totally off the mark when it suggests that somehow military coups and battle between institutions were the reasons Pakistan failed to achieve political stability. The real reason is that politicians failed to produce good, honest and devoted political leaders.
That said, this is a good time to embark on something different. Devote a regular column that highlights one issue/concern faced by the nation for a week – there are enough to keep such a column going for the next ten years. Ask citizens to comment on “how it impacts them” and what should be or could be done about the issue. Pick top ten (or whatever number) of responses and send them to our useless and worthless leaders in Islamabad. Ask them why they could not address it and let the citicens decide.
most of them are illiterate… i mean ask them how many are regular book reader leaving aside writing any
My answer is quite clear, “NO”.
It has many reason, First Governor General was died very soon, afterthat only Liquat Ali Khan ran the government but lost his life very soon, afterthat a continuous turmoil situation is running till date which does not stop, so our country flow here and there smoothly, See in near future we are history or we make a history.
Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated and Army has many unanswered questions over his assassinations.
The biggest problem in Pakistan is that all of us very easily blame Pakistan for all our problems as we are somehow superior and the fault lies with Pakistan. Pakistan is what we make of it so the problem lies with us and we have failed as people. Just look around and see what morals are taught in our homes from birth, none. Nationalism is non existent in our homes and our schools. Just raising teh flag on 14th August is not nationalism. Pakistan is a beutiful country and a miracle sadly inhabited by corrupt and insincere people
Nationalism makes people dumb and disintegrate them. It does not bond people in the world. We are all human beings and the concept of being nationalistic is simply ridiculous. Why should we parade around our flags? It is really primitive and not a sign of a developed and civilized society. In Pakistan, everybody is a chauvinistic and for what reason? That is how we have embarked on wars with our neighbors. The Pakistani army has always played with the very notion and successfully able to gulp 90% or more of the GDP. We are taught in schools to be nationalistic which later leads to chauvinistic behavior. We never question the norms in our society and our critical thinking is just not present or we just analyse and examine everything with a religious zeal.
“The country has witnessed many conflicts, victories, triumphing moments”
I wonder what those victories and triumphs are?
Guys, God gives you what what you seek. You sought being removed from your forefathers, you got it. You wanted association with your co-religionists, you got it. You sought enmity from your brothers, you got it. You wanted wars, you got it. Same with Jinnah, he wanted the new country, he got it. He wanted the premiership, he got it. In our ancient mythology, we have numerous such examples. Ravan, Hiranyakashipu and numerous others were all blessed with boons that they aspired for and worked hard towards, each one assumed that they had emerged more powerful until the folly of their ask was ultimately made clear to them by none other than the God himself! Good Luck!!
I agree – Pakistan as a Muslim state has completely failed on all fronts. It’s people were deceived by the ruling class who never offered opportunities for education, health or work to millions hard working every day in the country. Pakistani establishment became obsessed with geography of it’s state but forgot the geometry of its people’s aspirations. Leave alone the minorities, even the majority has not realized Jinnah’s dream.
Two countries in history came into being on the basis of religion, Isreal and Pakistan, we should not worry about Isreal, here is how Pakistan is performing,
on religious grounds,
1. religion became a tool to persecute those you disagree with, even if it’s your own blood
2. fundamentalism has reeked into every corner of the system
3. no respect for minorities, treatment getting worst every year
4. no rights for women, even from those who declare themselves the “holder” of religion
5. madrissas (not all of them) have becamse sancturies for grooming future terrorists
6. killing in the name of blasphamy laws, which are found no where else in the world
7. clergy demands sharia laws, while their sons and daughters study abroad getting western education
8. these so called talibans are hell bent on spread true islam, but won’t mind declaring other muslims kaafir and taking drug money to support their “cause”
on the other side:
1. no accountability for the Govt.
2. corruption is a norm
3. no care for the people, too busy rewarding their peers
4. no framework for improving industry
5. no framework for improving engery/oil/gas sector
6. no efforts to improve image of the country that IS the reason they are in power
you are welcome to add to the above, this is all I can think of so early in the morning !!!
100 percent agree with you Syed. I wish many more Pakistanis can think that clearly.
Dont forget:
1. Industrialisation on a massive scale – for a country that couldnt even produce nails and had no banks.
2. Literacy at 60% where previously it was maybe 10%
3. Masjids everywhere – where many apolitical and non-fanatical people quietly find solace every day
4. A road network that includes dual carriage ways and motorways where previously the main GT road could not take two large vehicles side by side.
5. Technical know-how that are breathtaking for a ‘failed state’
6. The ability to survive tremendous pressure from much bigger states
7. Increasing knowledge of the Islamic texts which is steadily if slowly empowering people to start shedding cultural practices that cause suffering.
8. A ‘secular’ Muslim governance structure where religious scholars are prevented from using state force (police, army, courts) to officially interfering in peoples daily lives. (Imagine if magistrates were clerics and could call on state security forces to assist them – for example to whip those with short/no beards!)
Pakistan is a poor country, has no real independent water supply, had no real state infrastructure at birth, is under the sway of an elite (non-clerical) wealthy class, is has been on the brink of collapse since 1947 (apparently).
All things considered the glass is half full. (which is not to minimise the suffering of the poor and oppressed)
Very well said Mr. Syed. The very notion of creating a state based on religion whether it be Pakistan or Israel is disparately deceptive. Israel is becoming an apartheid state and Pakistan is not better off after 65 years of independence. Imagine all the pain and causalities caused by the creation of Pakistan. Was it really worth it? Considering the current state of affairs in Pakistan.
Two nation theory was the very basis of Pakistan’s creation. It seems that secularism is being indoctrinated in the young minds by so called intelligentsia of this country. What we fail to understand and realize is that the autonomy of action, protection and security which the Religion of Islam provides to the the non-Muslims is unprecedented. Since we are ignorant of the very soul of Islamic teaching therefore, we tend to find solutions in other ideologies like secularism.
Moreover, the kind of Islaam practiced by the contemporary Mullas is a concocted version of their own narrow mindedness, ignorance and selfishness that enables to satiate their own ulterior motives!!
Every citizen if in his capacity becomes honest, sincere and hardworking, the nation would see a tremendous change and yes that would be towards betterment!
“Jinnah dreamt of a secular state” author you need to retake history lessons, only if you took some. Gandhi was striving for a secular state, why would Jinnah let so many muslims get killed, if he knew that he was going to for the same state as Gandhi was promoting.
To support Haris’s views,Jinnah sahib was even offered to be the first President of united India.Gandhi ji knew that if they neutralize Jinnah sahib there would not be Pakistan and the Muslims of united India would have the fate as they have today in that country after 65 years.
Its said that one thing that Jinnah regretted in later years was the creation of Pakistan.
This can’t be true; Jinnah died within 13 months of the creation of Pakistan unless he is lamenting his mistake from the netherworld. If so, we are unlikely to hear of it!
Pakistan has failed miserably to be what is was created for – “A nation to protect the rights of minorities”. Now, the same nation has no minorities left – converted, killed or thrown out. Such a pity!
The dream of Quaid-i-Azam to create a separate homeland for Muslims is still to be achieved.In one of the meetings,the Colonial masters the British did ask our Quaid,”you are asking for a separate country,homeland for Muslims of India,where is your Constitution?”Do you know what our Quaid said,”we have our Constitution,The Quran.”This answer was from the man who was called a non muslim and many prominent Muslim clearks and leaders were against the Muslim League and strong supporters of The Congress party.Quaid-i-Azam was not only facing hostilities from the Hindus and the British but even from the misguided, ignorant Muslims.Women rights,Rights of the Minorities,honesty in business dealings,corruption in government and high office,in fact the total way of living one’s life is contained in the Quran.The best example of living by the Quran is the life and example of Allah(swt) prophet and Rasool Mohammed (sws).This was the vision of our Quaid,to create a true Islamic Country where every one irrespective of colour,creed,gender,rich or poor has the same rights.Justice is provided as a right rather than purchased or forced.All this can be achieved if as a nation we follow the Quran and Sunna of the Prophet Mohammed (sws).Inshallah we would then have a different
Pakistan in the next 65 years.Remember all this is to start individually,collectively and then countrywide.
The problem is that that Pakistan was created on a false notion. The idea of creating a nation based on a religion is inherently weak. Religion cannot be a nation. A nation cannot be based on a religion. How can one link culture, traditions, language and civilization with a particular religion. They are independent from each. The Muslims in different parts of the world are quite different with different cultures, backgrounds, tradition and languages. Therefore, when states are created based on nations the minorities are suppressed, radicalism takes root and religious tolerance disappears.
Islami Jamhouri Pakistan should be changed to just Pakistan. Pakistan is neither Islamic nor was democratic. The state should be secular and free of any religious interference.
It is DIFFICULT to be secular, liberal, democratic and open minded, which was Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s dream for Pakistan.
It is EASY to be conservative, narrow minded, autocratic and ‘over religious’.
Unfortunately leaders in Pakistan has always chosen the EASY route.
Some Hindu fanatics, in India want to follow these policies, fortunately they are in a minority, and
Pakistan’s present condition is a stark warning to them.
On the short term terrorism, war and aggression, may get some results but on the long term there
is a price to be paid in terms of lawlessness, weak economy & corruption.
Wishing both countries a better future
The answer is “NO, never!”
amen to that Agha sb. this could be Jinnah’s nightmare but certainly not a dream.
Jinnah Never dreamt of a secular state this is a sheer concoction of his dreams, efforts and his speeches.
In his speech at the Frontier Muslim League Conference on November 21, 1945, he said:
“We have to fight a double edged battle, one against the Hindu Congress and the British Imperialists, both of them being capitalists. The Muslims demand Pakistan where they could rule according to their own code of life and according to their own cultural growth, traditions and Islamic laws.”
While addressing the Karachi Bar Association in January 25, 1948, the Quaid-i-Azam said:
“I cannot understand the logic of those who have been deliberately and mischievously propagating that the Constitution of Pakistan will not be based on Islamic Shariat. Islamic principles today are as much applicable to life as they were 1300 years ago.”
I agree totally with you!
Shoaib, is absolutely correct, where is question of secularism stands in the world of Islam. The sole idea is produce more and more children, convert with love or other wise increase number of believer and finally eat up all others believing in anything other then Islam . Shoaib is on the bang again when he says “code of Life” If foreigners don’t kill inside Pakisthan, I gurantee there won’t be any killing , not even one in Pakistan. After all why there would be any , for this country was curved out so that “Muslim could rule according to their own code of life.. “
As far as i know Jinnah use Islam as political mileage he is secular and advance by heart he merely practice Islam.
“We have to fight a triple edged battle, one against the Hindu Congress, one against the US Imperialists and the British Imperialists, all of them being capitalists.
The USA? Where did they come from?
That’s a concoction. From the very first days of independence he was preparing to sell his country to the highest bidder which he always knew would be the US. His successors did indeed go ahead and fulfilled his desire and the results are there for all to see – a truly puked up country. The solution now has to be at least two pronged – first to liberate the country from the clutches of the Americans for which drastic pruning of the army is a pre-condition; and secondly to liberate the country from the clutches of the mullahs for which the junking of Jinnah’s dream is a pre-condition. Neither of these two seem achievable, but, you never know, an Ataturk may, may just be around the corner. Dreams do not cost anything.
Mohammed Ali Jinnah did not create Pakistan for the sharia rule of Maulana Fazlurrahman or Mullah Omar — Jinnah was no shariati Maulana he was a Western educated secular lawyer and he wanted a secular country with Muslim Majority in power treating minorities with equality fairness and justice — as he envisaged the Hindus were going to do in post partition India — Hindu majority ruling the country while treating the minorities with equality fairness and justice.
If Jinnah would have lived half of the years Nehru lived — Pakistan today would indeed have been a Muslim majority secular democratic country that Mohammed Ali Jinnah dreamt of.
If what you say is correct, it only proves that Pakistan was never meant to be a secular state and all the apologists are liers.
Which is it?
Can not have it both ways
You are right my brother. Islam is the answer to everything. What Pakistan needs today is Islam and its teachings. Thanks to our scholar for protecting this so far.