When I first spoke my mind on the subject, I instantly got approval from the other participants in the program. The occasion was a Morning Show on a well-known TV Channel ‘Such TV Programme: Such Savara’ on the Birth Anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on December 25, 2023.
I am of the firm opinion that Pakistan was never a British colony even if the geographical bounds were under the British Empire. However, India was a long-time British Colony and remained under a British Governor General even after gaining independence in 1947.
Unfortunately, we have been teaching our generations that Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire on August 14, 1947. The ground reality was that Pakistan was Blessed by Allah in His Name on August 14, 1947, as an independent country with Muhammad Ali Jinnah as its First Governor General.
Since coining this new theory, if it was new due to our ignorance, I have received several ratifications, especially from my teachers and senior colleagues that have further boosted my morale in my conviction.
A country that emerges due to the partition of a colony with a new political identity and does not keep the masters as their ruler even for a single day cannot be referred to as a colony of an Empire.
My argument is that countries that were colonized by any of the Empires of the past may be referred to as colonies, like India and many others in Africa, the Americas, and elsewhere. However, a country that emerges due to the partition of a colony with a new political identity and does not keep the masters as their ruler even for a single day cannot be referred to as a colony of an Empire. Pakistan and Bangladesh are such countries that were never governed by a Representative of the Empire.
Why have our leaders and academics not added this dimension to our history (including myself)? and kept on beating that Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire is perhaps a lack of idea or a simple overlook, but the time is right to rewrite our history as an inherently independent state Blessed by Allah In His Name.
Why is it necessary at this time? Because our new generation is far more independent in its analysis and has more information available than before. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the present generation to correct the mistakes of the past. Moreover, it is necessary to revive the spirit of our founding father’s principles of an independent state for the Muslims of the subcontinent.
Jinnah was deeply influenced by the Islamic values of justice, equality, fairness, equal opportunities for all, and particularly non-discrimination due to caste, creed, and colour. Jinnah had an independent thought and he had embarked upon a journey that was visualized by Allama Iqbal. Therefore, it was no surprise that Jinnah outlined three core values for the largest Muslim state, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan: Unity, Faith, and Discipline.
The question now arises as to why has Pakistan drifted from Jinnah’s defined values which were drawn from the core Islamic values, and why have we become enslaved to geopolitical forces if we were born independent.
The answer lies in our drifting from Jinnah’s defined values. This departure and non-adherence to the defined values have not only colonized us cognitively but also barred us from independent thinking. It is now that we have been colonized even if we were born independently. Our entire education system, which should have the backbone of societal development has been colonized by the traditional Empires and we cannot even craft a curriculum of Pakistan Studies and Islamic History, on our own. Each province has its own Board of primary and secondary education, syllabus, and grading systems. Within the province, there are different Boards, public and private, and above all the Cambridge system that takes away billions of rupees every year in the name of teaching and testing. The rich parents have no issue, and the poor parents have no choice because the domestic education system is so poor that parents fear for the future of their children.
The question is not why are we placed at the bottom of each parameter on education, health, human rights, justice system, passport, etc., the question is that there is no realization and no effort in the right direction to correct the course for our coming generations. This cognitive colonization has eroded our society to a limit where the easy course adopted is to leave the country. I am also guilty of this fever.
This short article was aimed at creating awareness among the academics and the practitioners to insist upon our ruling elite that if we were born independent then why have we fallen prey to cognitive colonization? Why have we stopped thinking independently and why can’t we correct our course if Allah has Blessed our land with enormous resources?
The writer has authored three international books: “Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan” “South Asia Needs Hybrid Peace” and “Understanding Sun Tzu and the Art of Hybrid War.”