Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the nation to take guidance from the life of Quaid e Azam and follow his principles to ensure the progress and prosperity of Pakistan. In a message on the occasion of birth anniversary of Quaid e Azam, he said the whole nation was celebrating the 146th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah with patriotic fervor and zeal. The founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam valiantly fought the constitutional and political fight for the rights of Muslims of Indian subcontinent, as a result, today all Muslims were living independently in Pakistan, he added. The struggle of Quaid-e-Azam was against the idea of a majority usurping the rights of minorities on the basis of numerical superiority, he said, adding the Quaid had strived for the restoration of a unique way of life of Muslims and for their separate social, and economic, political and cultural identity in the comity of nations. He said Quaid-e-Azam made the Muslims of the subcontinent truly aware of their rights and also ensured that after independence Muslims should live their lives independently and peacefully, while enjoying religious and cultural freedoms, getting equal opportunities for progress. The PM said the efforts of Quaid e Azam were directed not only for the creation of a separate and independent state for the Muslims but also wanted a state in which the minorities lived without any fear or danger and were given equal opportunities of development and complete religious freedom. The prime minister pointed that because of the rising religious animosity and the thinking of extremist Hindutva, India as a state had failed to protect rights of the minorities. This situation made evident the farsightedness of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and proved right his arguments for the two-nation theory, he stressed. Shehbaz Sharif said the life of Quaid-e-Azam was a practical demonstration of his steadfastness for principles, constitutional struggle, political sagacity, and of the golden principles of faith, unity, and discipline. He emphasized that the Pakistani nation today needed to follow Quaid’s thought and principles, adding in Quaid’s Pakistan nobody would have superiority on the basis of language, class, religion or numerical strength. The Constitution of Pakistan truly represented the 14 points of Quaid-e-Azam and under it without diminishing the individual strength of any federal unit, everyone would have equal opportunities for achieving progress and prosperity. The prime minister said Pakistan was going through a difficult phase at present and the need to follow the principles of Quaid which had become more necessary to follow than ever. The best way to pay tribute to the founder was to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state. “We have to put an end to internal chaos and work tirelessly for the advancement of Pakistan,” he said. “Let us today on the anniversary of Quaid make the pledge that we will take guidance from the life of Quaid and follow his principles to ensure progress and prosperity of Pakistan,” he concluded. All are set to celebrate the 146th birthday of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on December 25 (Sunday) across the country with pledges to uphold his guiding principles of unity, faith, and discipline. The whole nation is busy in the preparations to celebrate the birth anniversary of the father of the nation with traditional zeal and fervor by paying rich tributes to him for his untiring struggle, sagacity and leadership that led to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of sub-continent. Public and private departments will hold a variety of events including seminars, conferences, competitions and discussion programs to highlight the messages and vision of Quaid-e-Azam. The national flag will be hoisted on major government buildings throughout the country on the birth anniversary of the founder of Pakistan.