Pakistan Day (March 23) is a powerful reminder of the country’s pliability against all the odds. This year we celebrated our national day with political uncertainty as well as economic brittleness. Today, the country is short on optimism about the future while the vision of its founding fathers remains unfulfilled.
Political leaders both in power and opposition have to go a long way. They have to offer a long-term vision to define where they want the country should go. The challenges confronting the country remain intimidating. They are interconnected like an unbroken cycle. The government is spending much of its time in firefighting, procrastinating much-needed reforms, and just going for short-term solutions. Hence the basic issues of economic, institutional, and social reforms are mostly unattended and resultantly multiplying the basic structural problems, like economic issues, budget deficit, uncontrolled population growth, environmental degradation, internal and external security challenges, etc.
The sharp increase in financing gaps in the government’s budget and the country’s trade account as well as rising debt are all a consequence of the country living beyond its means. Inflation has soared, foreign exchange reserves have depleted, pressure mounted on the rupee, and business confidence has eroded, while the country remained in need of urgent funds to avert a financial crisis.
On the other hand, Pakistan is facing threats due to unstable Afghanistan, on the western border and an always enemy hostile India on eastern border.
This is not an exhaustive list of issues that need to be addressed, but they are the most consequential and merit the attention of political leaders if they are to shape a hopeful future for the country. It is a well-known fact that the country’s institutional capacity has weakened over time. Institutional reform is also domineering on which the country’s political leadership is required to look upon. Even the most well-conceived government policy cannot be effectively implemented, until and unless the modes and methods of ascendancy are made fit for purpose to meet the requirements of modern governance. This requires inclusive and detailed reforms and not just superficial fiddling.
The Pakistan Day anniversary celebrations must become a reminder of the commitment of Pakistan’s founding fathers in laying the ground for a new country, born in extreme uncertainty just 75 years ago. Pakistan’s powerful legacy is much too precious to be forgotten.
The Lahore Resolution was presented on March 23, 1940, by the Chief Minister of Bengal, Maulvi A. K. Fazlul Haq. Though consists of a few paragraphs, it gives a complete direction and a road map for a new nation to be honest, prosperous and peaceful. These ideas are stated in the resolution that passable, active, real and obligatory protections shall be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in the units and the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative, and other rights, with their consultation. Arrangements thus should be made for the security of Muslims where they were in a minority.
Moreover, the Lahore Resolution invalidated the idea of “majoritarianism” and emphasizes the supremacy of the constitution, protection of human rights, and acceptance of different heterogeneous groups, hence a plural society.
Quaid-e-Azam intelligently supplemented the spirit of the Lahore Resolution by stating: “We wish our people to develop to the fullest spiritual, cultural, economic, social and political life in a way that we think best and in consonance with our ideals and according to the genius of our people”. (March 22, 1940)
The social fabric sewed within the Lahore Resolution advocates a just society based on equality, peace, and acceptance of other identities, protection of human rights, and a greater sense of community development in citizens. However, the situation is otherwise in present-day Pakistan. Sectarianism and extremism have spread their tentacles in the social fabric of the state.
Quaid-e-Azam in his presidential address said that “we cannot be moved or diverted from our purpose and objective by threats or intimidations. We must be prepared to face all difficulties and consequences, make all the sacrifices that may be required to achieve the goal we have set in front of us.”
Moreover, The Holy Quran is the general code for the Muslims, a religious, social, civil, commercial, military, judicial, criminal, and penal code. Islam has taught equality, justice, and fair play for all. Let us make Quran the future Constitution of Pakistan. The Holy Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) laid the foundations of democracy thirteen hundred years ago. Let us lay the foundation of our democracy based on truly Islamic ideals and principles.
In Pakistan, there were many non-Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others, but they were all Pakistanis and would enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizen. Pakistan needs to work hard to implement Quaid’s vision by removing above mentioned weaknesses and laying more focus on increasing its industrial/agricultural production and exports, amassing foreign exchange reserves, and ensuring better services to the poor masses at cheaper rates.
The birth of Pakistan within just seven years after Pakistan Resolution the event in 1940, was a miracle. The migration to Pakistan is supposed to be the largest in the history of mankind. The migrants found themselves in a country that critics at the time felt may not survive for long. They paid a heavy price in blood, facing the brunt of armed attacks along the way.
The early departure of Quaid-e-Azam i.e. just a year after successfully leading the journey to create Pakistan, was a great loss for the infant country. Eyewitness accounts of the initial weeks and months following the creation of Pakistan still recount story after story of civil servants parked under trees in Karachi; which was the country’s first capital and Lahore, the second-largest city, anxiously working towards creating a new state structure.
Now the question arises, do we fully understand the true spirit of the Lahore Resolution? Have we truly tried to win the resolve and fulfill the promises of the Lahore Resolution? Are we serious about the promises made in the memoirs of our nation? What does the Lahore Resolution demand from present-day Pakistan?
Unfortunately, our education is just asking our students to just cram the Lahore Resolution’s date and a few of its important points. The common man does not bother to extract any useful ideas, understand the true spirit of the document, and realize the hidden meanings of it which can help the nation prosper if applied in true spirit. Otherwise, this day would only be restricted to the celebration and a day off from work or studies.
About education policy, Quaid said, “Education is an important pillar for the development, for the success of democracy, for recruitment of political system of the country, for building the character of future generations, and for training the people in scientific and technical education to build up the economic life of the country.
Regarding being Pakistanis first, Quaid had said, “Our duty to the State comes first; our duty to our Province, to our district, to our town/village comes next. We must develop a sense of patriotism, which should galvanize and weld us all into one strong nation.
Moreover, Quaid had said, “Our duty to the State comes first; our duty to our Province, to our district, to our town/village comes next. We must develop a sense of patriotism, which should galvanize and weld us all into one strong nation. Although Pakistan has excelled in many fields and has become a strong military power with nuclear capabilities, economically, socially, education-wise, and in building strong and independent democratic institutions and providing justice to the people, it is yet far away from implementing Quaid’s vision. Today major issues which Pakistan is facing are heavy foreign debt, low industrial and agriculture production, high prices, weak judicial system, corruption, nepotism, poor education, health, and civic amenities.
Hence, Pakistan needs to work hard to implement Quaid’s vision by removing above mentioned weaknesses and laying more focus on Education, industry, and exports, amassing foreign exchange reserves, and ensuring better services to the poor masses at cheaper rates. Increasing foreign exchange reserves is necessary for paying the foreign debt and becoming self-sufficient and making its defense further strong.
[box type=”note” align=”” class=”” width=””]The author, Nazir Ahmed Shaikh, is a freelance columnist. He is an academician by profession and writes articles on diversified topics. Mr. Shaikh could be reached at nazir_shaikh86@hotmail.com.[/box]