ARTICLE (December 25 2008): The nation today is observing the birth anniversary of its Father and the first Governor-General, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, to pay tribute to him for his selfless services for the just cause of the South Asian Muslims and deploying his prodigious political and legal acumen to mount an unremitting struggle for the creation of the new State of Pakistan.
What really motivated Quaid-i-Azam to struggle so resolutely for the just cause of the Muslims was his abiding concern for the political, social, cultural and economic future of the Muslims, who had reposed implicit trust in his ability to deliver. As a renowned leader of the people, the Quaid showed keen perception of the mass mind and impulse as well as shrewd insight into political moves and diplomatic manoeuvres.
Most revered and undisputed leader of the South Asian Muslims was a pillar of moral strength having far reaching vision, indomitable spirit, a steely determination, an unflinching resolve and steadfastness of purpose. A renowned historian Stanly Wolpert commenting on the Quaid's great historical role says" few individuals significantly alter the course of history.
Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three." The Founder of Pakistan, who discarded his worldly comforts, worked day and night and guided his people at every step, saved them from many a pitfall and led them to a victory through his single-minded devotion to the cause of their freedom.
The Father of the Nation, in his speeches, statements and messages to the nation on different occasions, had been laying special stress on strictly maintaining discipline and unity for furthering the national cause. He wanted to build Pakistan through national self discipline and regarded indiscipline as "more deadly than our external enemies."
The Quaid desired constructive efforts, selfless work steadfast devotion to duty and wanted every Pakistani to vow to himself and be prepared to sacrifice his all, if necessary, in building up Pakistan as a bulwark of Islam and one of the greatest nations. Quaid-i-Azam`s vision of Pakistan was underpinned by Islamic values such as universal brotherhood and equality of man regardless of caste, creed or gender.
Quaid-i-Azam devoutly wished to see both Muslims and non-Muslims as equal partners in the progress and prosperity of Pakistan. He wanted the people to shun differences, intolerance, bigotry and obscurantism. He said "you are free to go to your temples; you are free to go to your mosques or any other place of worship in the State of Pakistan".
Addressing the Constituent Assembly 0n 11 August 1947, Quaid-i-Azam had emphasised that "now if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely concentrate on the wellbeing of the people, especially the poor".
While thanking the Members for electing him President of the Assembly, he underscored the imperative need of framing a constitution for Pakistan enshrining such ideals and immutable values as equality, justice, fair-play, rule of law etc.
M.A. Jinnah had desired that each one of us should realise the great ideals of human progress, social justice, equality and fraternity, which constitute the basic cause of the birth of Pakistan and also the limitless possibilities of evolving an ideal social structure of our State. He was of the view that "cohesion and solidarity amongst all its citizens, from whatever part they may come, is essential for its progress, nay for its survival.
Pakistan is the embodiment of the unity of the Muslim nation and so it must remain. If we begin to think of ourselves as Bengalis, Sindhis, Punjabis etc first and Muslims and Pakistanis only incidentally, then Pakistan is bound to disintegrate". The Quaid had made it clear to the Government officers that "you do not belong to the ruling class; you belong to the servants.
You should make the people feel that you are their servants and friends, maintain the highest standard of honour, integrity, justice and fair-play. If you do that, people will have confidence and trust in you and look upon you as friends and well-wishers". Addressing Sibi Darbar on 14 February, 1948, Mr Jinnah had said "let us lay the foundations of our democracy on the basis of truly Islamic ideals and principles.
Our Almighty has taught us that our decisions in the affairs of the State should be guided by discussions and consultations". He told the students of Islamia College, Peshawar, on 21 March, 1948, that "our duty to the State often demands that we must be ready to submerge our individual or provincial interests unto the common cause for common good. Our duty to the State comes first; our duty to our province, our district, our town and to our village and ourselves comes next".
The Quaid emphasised that Pakistan was not an end in itself but rather a means to an end. He devoutly wished to make Pakistan "one of the greatest States in the world", progressive, economically vibrant, and cherishing democratic ideals. He regarded it as a sacred duty to alleviate the poverty of the masses and was implacably opposed to making rich richer and the poor poorer.
The Quaid presided over the AIML session at Lucknow in December 1916, and was chiefly instrumental in devising of the renowned Congress-League Lucknow Pact; he moved a resolution at the 10th session of the League in Calcutta (December 1917-January 1918) urging the Government to immediately introduce a bill embodying the reforms contained in the Congress-League scheme of December 1916 as a first step towards a responsible government.
Quaid-i-Azam had joined the All India Muslim League in 1913, which was founded in 1906. He was elected President of the League (12th session at Amritsar in 1919); presided over the AIML extraordinary session at Calcutta in September 1920; in a spirited and indignant speech he spoke about the Rowaltt Bill, the Punjab atrocities and dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire and the Khilafat.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah had a long and brilliant career in the Central legislature. He was an active member of Imperial Legislative council during 1910-19. When Rowlatt Bill was passed into law in 1919 riding roughshod over all opposition, he resigned from the Council in protest against the `black Act`(1919). He remained elected member of the Legislative Assembly from 1924 to 1947.
The Quaid devoted more and more time and attention to organising the Muslim League after the party suffered the setback in the 1937 general elections, and due to his whole-hearted efforts the League won all the Muslim seats in the Central Assembly and 85 per cent in the provincial assemblies in the 1945-46 elections. He demanded of the British to divide India and quit.
Finding the Nehru Report(1928) militating against Muslim interests and revoking some important concessions made by the Lucknow Pact(1916), Mr Jinnah formulated his famous fourteen points programme (1929) as demand of the Muslims.
Quaid-i-Azam had for years worked untiringly for Hindu-Muslim rapprochement in the Sub-Continent but he was completely dismayed when at the Round Table Conferences, called by the British Government in London in 1930 and 1931, the Hindu delegates, including Mr Gandhi, broke up all chances of Hindu-Muslim agreement over a few seats for the Muslims in Bengal and the Punjab. He felt so despondent that he chose to stay back in London and started his law practice at the Privy Council (1931-34).
Poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan strongly urged him to return to India and lead the Muslims.. He returned to India on 24th October, 1935 to organise and consolidate the Muslim League for securing Muslims` rightful place in the body politic of India and launch a struggle for Muslim statehood.
The struggle, led by him by unswerving devotion and indomitable will, culminated in the emergence of Pakistan on 14th August 1947. M.A. Jinnah was elected president of All India Muslim League in 1934 and held that important position until December 1947 when Party was bifurcated in the aftermath of the partition. The Quaid protested against forcing upon the people of India the Government of India Act, especially its federal scheme as unfair to the Muslims and arbitrary.
He welcomed the exit of the Congress Governments which had trampled upon Muslims` political and economic rights as he was deeply distressed at the Muslim sufferings under the Congress rule in Hindu majority provinces in 1937-39; and on the resignation of the Congress Ministries at the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, the Muslims all over India observed 22 December as a Day of deliverance and thanks-giving with "complete success and in an orderly and disciplined manner."
The bitter taste of the Congress rule had convinced the Muslims that an independent Muslim homeland was the only remedy against the tyranny of a permanent Hindu majority at the Centre.
Quaid-i-Azam in a press interview on 19 January, 1940, demanded that the constitution to be evolved for India must recognise the existence of two nations and shared governance of the common motherland. He reiterated that the Indian Sub-Continent was peopled with nationalities, Hindus and the Muslims being the two major nations.
Addressing the convention of the league legislators in Delhi in April 1946 after the League landslide victory in the general elections, M.A. Jinnah reiterated that the acceptance of the fundamental principle of Pakistan was a sine qua non of the consideration of the question of Muslim League co-operation in an Interim Central Government and that a single constitution-making body would be entirely unacceptable.
Accepted cabinet mission plan in 1946 but subsequently withdrew the acceptance due to failure of the viceroy to invite the Muslim League to form the interim Government only to appease the congress.
Joined the Interim government on Viceroy's persuasion and advice of the colleagues in October 1946, but refused to participate in the Constituent Assembly under Cabinet Mission Plan Quaid-i-Azam, who flew into Karachi on 7 August with his sister Fatima Jinnah to an emotive and tumultuous welcome by a surging sea of humanity, was elected President of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11 August, 1947, and took over as Governor-General on 15 August 1947 in Karachi.
Quaid-i-Azam`s health was not well when Pakistan came into being but in spite of that he devoted his all energies and endeavoured day and night for the development and prosperity of the country.
This year the Quaid`s birth anniversary is being observed by the people amid their genuine deep and touching sentiments because of the prevailing displeasing and uncertain situation, national crises, including internal and external threats to the country restoration of the Judges, unchecked price spiral, power loadshedding and deteriorating law and order situation, and terrorist acts at different places.
Nation needs constructive work, not confrontation, aspiring all the State organs, including the Government, legislature and judiciary as well as the media must perform only their respective functions competently, credibly, compassionately for ensuring stability, peace, security and national development.
The people rightly expect from the elected representatives to embark upon a realistic and welfare-oriented work to fulfil the commitments made before the elections in their manifestos, statements, press interviews and public meetings as already vast time has been wasted in prolonged political wrangling.
The Government and the Opposition benches are part of the democratic process and it is their joint responsibility to strengthen democratic institutions and work in unison for resolution of people's problems and provision of civic, health and education facilities to them and make Pakistan a prosperous and stronger country as envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,.
The people are experiencing the hard fact that our leaders even after more than 60 years of the creation of Pakistan are still to achieve the goals of speedy economic growth, provision of basic needs of life to them and removing ignorance and poverty from the country.
Pakistan came into existence as a result of successful democratic and constitutional struggle of the Muslims of South Asia against two imperials, British and Hindus, and its creators had sacrificed their all for the just cause so that their future generations could lead their lives in a fully independent State.
It would be a realistic approach in the national interest as per democratic norms if the Government makes the parliament a forum to thrash out all national issues, and the treasury and the opposition direct their leaders to avoid giving irresponsible, provoking and contradictory statements so that hopes of reaching accords on the issues are not frustrated.
