Don’t bite the hand that feeds You!
By Nosheen Saeed

"THE equality of mankind is one of the fundamental principles of Islam. In Islam there is no difference between man and man. The qualities of equality, liberty and fraternity are the fundamental principles of Islam — the prophet was the greatest man the world had ever seen.

Thirteen hundred years ago he laid the foundations of democracy.”(All India Muslim League session in Delhi on April 24, 1943).

Pakistan’s great leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah believed in democracy, as he did in justice, equality, fair play, tolerance, unity, integrity, brotherhood and freedom.

His ideal was an independent, democratic Islamic Pakistan to grow into “one of the greatest nations whose ideal is peace within and peace without.”

The Governor- General believed in “representative government and representative institutions,” but warned sternly against the dangers of official corruption and “personal aggrandizement.”

Jinnah’s faith in elective Government was unequivocal.” With the removal of foreign domination, the people are now the final arbiters of their destiny,” Quaid-i-Azam told his nation in March 1948.

No “group” should ever “attempt by any unlawful methods to impose its will on the popularly elected Government of the day. The Government and its policy may be changed by the votes of the elected representatives.”

He envisaged Pakistan as a “people’s government, responsible to the people—on democratic lines and parliamentary practice—Make the people feel that you are their servants and friends,” he urged officers to “maintain the highest standard of honour, integrity, justice and fair play.”

Pakistan was conceived and spelled out in democratic terms; established through the democratic process or in other words through the ballot box. The Muslim League which had demanded Pakistan won 87.7 per cent of central and provincial Muslim seats and about 85 per cent votes in the contested Muslim constituencies.

With such democratic credentials why couldn’t we establish a viable democratic dispensation? The two most outstanding leaders who could have nurtured democracy died within a few years; Jinnah within thirteen months and Liaquat thirty-seven months later; a tragic episode for the sapling of democracy to embed its roots into the firm democratic soil.

After their demise securing Pakistan’s survival was the topmost agenda and the problems confronting the fledgling State were manifold. During the formative years the Kashmir and the Islamic State issue consumed most of Pakistan’s energies and attention.

While the politicians and the religious Jamaats wrangled among themselves, the praetorian civil and military concentrated on the stability and security of the State.

The bureaucracy and the police were the most organized group which helped in making Pakistan viable economically and administratively, mainly because they were independent functioning bodies, trained by the British and answerable to the people — not to politicians; neither were they appointed and sacked according to their whims. Their elevation was on merit and competence.

Another fatal weakness was the unbridgeable gap between West and East Pakistan. The bond of Islam was not enough to keep them united.

Their linguistic, economic, cultural, social and political differences became grave with the passage of time; there was no sagacious and politically wise leadership to settle differences amicably. India exploited the hostile environment and divided Jinnah’s Pakistan into two.

Pakistani leadership allowed ambitious and greedy feudals and tribal chiefs to stake their claims to power; they provoked linguistic, provincial, sectarian conflicts and bitter rivalries that deprived Pakistan of national unity.

The Sindhs fought Punjabis and both looked down upon the Bengalis; the Frontier and Balochi tribes reverted to their own tribal and Jirga system, following their own code of violence.

The Mullahs played their own bugle of turning Pakistan into a theocratic State. They fueled sectarian violence and tried to turn Pakistan into an intolerant, orthodox, extremist State, contrary to the wishes of its founder.

Quaid-i-Azam envisaged and projected Pakistan as a modern, liberal and a progressive State; not bound by conservatism, intolerance and authoritarianism but a State in which Muslims were in majority and therefore could preserve their cultural distinctiveness.

His Pakistan was based on sure foundations of social justice and Islamic socialism. A social system based on civilized values, democratic culture, time honoured judicial traditions, supremacy of law, good governance and above all a country based on a modern, non feudal foundation; where the life, property, honour and beliefs of all Pakistanis are fully protected; irrespective of caste, colour, creed, race and community; where negotiations, consensus and reasoning are considered the solution of every problem; where corruption, nepotism, black-marketing, bribery and jobbery would be crushed relentlessly; which would be cleansed of provincialism, sectarianism, ethnicity and discrimination; where fundamental human rights, the dignity of women and the labour force would be guaranteed.

While discussing the future constitution of Pakistan on a broadcast talk addressing the people of USA, recorded in February 1948, the Quaid stated, “Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic State — to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims — Hindus, Christians and Parsis but they are all Pakistanis.

They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan.” On another broadcast addressing the people of Australia, recorded on 19th February 1948, he said, “We are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which we all are equal in rights, dignity and self-respect. Consequently, we have a special and a very deep sense of unity.

But make no mistake: Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it.” The fact is that Jinnah abhorred theocracy and condemned obscurantism. He stood steadfastly for equality, social justice and tolerance. Sick of the landlord, the greedy merchant, the demagogic politician, the corrupt civilian bureaucrats and the religious parties, that tend to exploit Pakistan, the military periodically staged interventions that are considered regrettable but necessary by them. As one military leader followed another, the Army’s vision of Pakistan began to define the State mainly because our politicians have been unable to achieve it.

Instead of brotherly love being spread and a culture of compassion and goodwill being preached our politicians are tempted to indulge in self-serving interests. Jinnah pleaded for solidarity and cohesion amongst all Pakistanis; desiring them to develop a sense of patriotism by sinking individualism and petty disputes and welding themselves into one united, strong nation, working towards a glorious and prosperous future.

Pakistan’s major tragedy has been that those who benefited the most from the creation of Pakistan; bite the hand that feeds them and they feel no shame in doing so. They are pests that have been living off other people’s hard labour.

The silent majority of Pakistan has suffered enough; their leaders whether political, religious, military, judicial, bureaucratic, feudal, educated or the intelligentsias have been manipulating, the ignorance of the masses, their simplicity and their passions, to their own ends.

The truth is that it was a frail and sick man who worked incessantly to create Pakistan by his indomitable will and determination. It is the hard work and labour of the people that has kept Pakistan afloat and God’s will that has made it weather all storms.

Successive incompetent leaders have created a heap of mess, and have always added to the heap; never cleared it.

The masses have never looted their country; its leaders have. The people have never failed Jinnah or his vision, in fact they have been the torch bearers of his mission; the ones who have failed repeatedly are the tried, tested and failed leaders.

As long as they remain nothing will change and our cries will be cries in the wilderness.●

© 2006 Nosheen Saeed