Daily Times

Sir: Even after 66 years we are still contemplating whether religion and the state should be treated separately. History has proved that theocratic states had been unfair towards the minorities. The founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah had very clearly stated in his inaugural session to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan that the state would have nothing to do with the religion of its people. However, things were never allowed to sail in the direction that Jinnah had envisaged for Pakistan. The situation is that we are surrounded by a handful of Mullahs who want the country’s constitution subservient to their brand of Islam and have openly challenged the law of the land, calling it evil’s design. One remembers Mian Iftikharuddin and other liberal leaders who had advised Liaquat Ali Khan against the Objectives Resolution calling it in clear violation of the dream of Qauid-e-Azam about Pakistan. Time has proved how right these people were.

Xavier P. William
Via-Email