Pakistan was originally meant to be a place for
people, not for the purpose of a religion. That its political leaders chose a different course without consulting their electorate was a huge betrayal.
Jinnah was quite aware of weaknesses of "Islamic" rule. He did defend such extremism in his professional capacity as a lawyer defending his client but he never advocated for it politically. Rather, by splitting off Pakistan from the rest of India he aimed to give its Muslims the chance to reconsider and refashion themselves in a new way without the oppressive weight of majority Hindus bearing down on them. Sadly, his successors - starting with his lieutenant, Liaquat Ali Khan - decided to tread the "
pre-packaged, ready-made cause" path of religious totalitarianism - preserving their wealth and power while shafting the rights of the citizenry. No wonder the Bengalis jumped ship when they invoked Jinnah's promises yet the West Pakistan leadership refused yet again to honor them.
