Daily Times

The creation of Pakistan was a blessing for the Muslims of the subcontinent. The purpose of the creation was to accommodate the minorities with their full religious rights. It was envisaged as a country where corruption, exploitation of the weak and religious fanaticism will be non-existent.

Unfortunately, after the death of its founder, Pakistan adopted the trajectory that was completely opposite.

On March 23, we are going to celebrate the 79th Pakistan Day. People are once again engaged in the old debate on what kind of Pakistan did the founder of the country wanted. The debate, regardless of its consequences, is in reality started by political opportunists; and for the same reason, the country has failed to achieve what it was created for.

The first constituent assembly of Pakistan came into existence under India Independence Act 1947. It held its first session in August 1947. The founder of the country was elected as first President on 11th August 1947. He delivered a landmark speech on the occasion which provides guiding principles for the entire country. It provides a comprehensive document of leading the country to the peace and prosperity. It can infuse a sense of nationalism amongst the divided nation.

The Quaid-e-Azam spoke on bribery and corruption, black marketing, nepotism, influence to get work done, well being of people, division on the basis of caste and creed, protection of the rights and religious freedom etc.

Nowadays, corruption is one of the biggest problems of the country. When Pakistan came into being corruption was in vogue. The Quaid-e-Azam foresaw that it might get worst, thus, he warned the country from this curse. He said, “One of the biggest curses from which India is suffering -I do not say that other countries are free from it, but, I think, our condition is much worse-is bribery and corruption. That really is a poison.”

This poison is prevalent in almost every department of our life. No doubt, there is an exception and some people do not accept bribery at any cost. Due to corruption, the governance system has bitterly failed to serve the masses. It has disfigured us abroad also. According to Corruption Index of International Transparency, Pakistan stood as 117 out of 180 countries. Due to corruption, the lower middle class is bound to wipe out.

Pakistan has been divided into different groups and factions. The schismatic political and social landscape is symptomatic of intolerance and hatred that has penetrated deep into society’s fabric

This class of a society plays a pivotal role in the political and economic development of Pakistan. The Quaid had already perceived that corruption and bribery might make deep inroads in the society, thus, seventy years early he emphasised on the first constituent assembly to take adequate measures to nip the evil in bud.

According to the Quaid-e-Azam, black-marketing is another curse. Look at the treatment given by founder Doctor of the country for bringing black marketing to an end. He guided that non-traditional approach is required for uprooting this menace. He said, “Well, I know that black-marketeers are frequently caught and punished. Judicial sentences are passed or sometimes fines only are imposed. Now you have to tackle this monster which today is a colossal crime against society, in our distressed conditions, when we constantly face the shortage of food and other essential commodities of life. A citizen who does black-marketing commits, I think, a greater crime than the biggest and most grievous of crimes.”

It creates a grave situation of food shortage in a society. But in a society where already shortage of food is prevalent condition deteriorates more. According to one report, the total value of black marketing in Pakistan is 6.53 billion US dollars. There are chances that this money may not be taxed which is a direct loss to the national exchequer. The founder of the country wanted to deal with the black marketers with iron hand, thus, laws may further be improved.

Moreover, the principle of thorough investigation and exemplary punishment may be introduced to create deterrence against black marketing in the society. Further to add, monitoring quarters may also review their respective laws for eradicating the curse of black marketing.

The local and foreign politicians and analysts recognized Quad-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as an honest, committed and dedicated person. He was an ideal leader of the Muslims who believed in him as an emancipator. After elected as a first President of the constituent assembly of Pakistan, he made it clear, “I shall never tolerate any kind of jobbery, nepotism or any influence directly or indirectly brought to bear upon me. Wherever I find that such a practice is in vogue, or is continuing anywhere, low or high, I shall certainly not countenance it.”

Quaid-e-Azam, in other words, has described the characteristics of a leader. A world leader means a person who visualises and leads. Head of a family is also a leader who makes efforts for the upbringing of one’s family through guidance and earning livelihood etc. In this way, a leader of a country, who may either be head of a state or head of a government or both, must be fair, believe in justice, render services to the masses without any discrimination, hate corruption, nepotism and favouritism and misuse of public office etc.

Currently, the society of Pakistan is divided into pressure groups, interest groups, sectarianism, ethnic groups and haves and have-nots etc. Consequently, hatred has braced our country completely. It has caused intolerance in our society. Thus, the terms of peace, prosperity, economic success, harmony, political consolidation, healthy society, service delivery, protection of rights and brotherhood etc seem unknown to us.

The founder of Pakistan gave treatment in his words. He says, “if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor. If you will work in co-operation, forgetting the past, burying the hatchet you are bound to succeed. If you change your past and work together in a spirit that every one of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his colour, caste or creed, is first, second and last a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make.”

The great leader held the division of nation in caste and sects as the biggest hindrance to attaining the freedom. The freedom may not be achieved only in terms of getting independence from the foreign yoke. It is necessary to have freedom from all discrimination and exploitation etc and ensure implementation of the law in its true spirit. Due process of law and rule of law are important in this regard subject to the condition that law had been prepared on the basis of merit and in the public interest. Moreover, justice is provided without any delay. Expensive justice is also an injustice.

Discussions are going on in the country that Quaid-e-Azam desired to have Islamic system of governance in the country. Others say that he wanted to see Pakistan as a secular country.

Section of people advocates that the founder of the country wanted Pakistan as a theocratic state. Whatever, the claim is being done, we must view the saying of this great leader. He emphasised on the protection of rights of the minorities.

He also emphasised that everyone must be extended religious freedom and it must not come in the way of good governance and welfare of the people. He said,” You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other places 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 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 deduced from the above words of our emancipator that a state will not be prejudice or favour to any of its citizens on the basis of religion. Their religious identification must not create hindrance in converting and emerging image that all are Pakistanis. If a person who is allowed to live in accordance with one’s religion and is not discriminated on any ground protected under the law will naturally invest all his energy and loyalty to the country.

The Quaid-e-Azam worked day and night for the Muslims of the sub-continent. He never took care of his health. He fell victim to cancer in 1944. When Doctor diagnosed and intimated him, he never felt disappointed. Rather, he advised his doctor not to disclose it as the Muslims might get discouraged. He fought with the British government and the leaders of All India National Congress and its followers and other quarters. His sincerity and dedication surpassed all the hurdles and the Muslims got their separate homeland.

After independence, the Quaid-e-Azam gave us a course of action for bringing our country to the peace and prosperity, forging unity, extending rights to the minorities, burying the hatchet and nabbing favouritism and unfair play etc. He said, “My guiding principle will be justice and complete impartiality, and I am sure that with your support and co-operation, I can look forward to Pakistan becoming one of the greatest Nations of the world”.

We may neither hold our great leaders responsible for our failure nor remember them in a dislike manner. They played their role. Now we have to play our role. The main cause of our failure, currently, is that one holds other responsible for one’s failure. In other words, it is shifting of responsibility which affects the sense of performing duty in its true spirit. If all will only demand rights and will not perform their respective duty, then we may not make our country what our founder visioned.

The writer is an author and has a doctorate in Political Science

Published in Daily Times, March 23^rd 2018.