What led us to demand Pakistan

Which one is necessary first: getting united or becoming a nation? How much important and how urgently needed is achieving both the objectives simultaneously? And what we have to do now?

These are questions in the minds of common people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Alive to socio-religious scenario in tribal areas and its impact on economic life are the poor who consider bread one of their basic problems.

Finding only one answer to these questions is not a difficult exercise. Just look into the holy Qura’n, study the socio-economic, political and religious life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for guidance to overcome today’s internal and external problems and, in the light of all that, glance over the arduous struggle for freedom through unity from the foreign rule.

During the process of unity Muslims realised the significance of legal and constitutional protection and uninterrupted and peaceful use of their political, economic, social and cultural rights. And that realisation led them to demand an independent and sovereign homeland called Pakistan.

It was that thinking and effort for freedom which united us. And the newly-born spirit of unity strengthened our faith in being a nation. Discipline became the part and parcel of our national character because of these two qualities.

Men and women who are in their 70s whisper say justice demands of us to prepare ourselves afresh to strengthen our homeland economically and from the defence point of view by taking in our minds some words of the father of the nation, which live on today.

For instance, he said “Pakistan is the embodiment of the unity of the Muslim nation and so it must remain. We are all Pakistanis -- not Baloch, Pathan, Sindhi, Punjabi and so on -- and as Pakistanis we must feel, behave and act.”

He alerted the people against any folly which could undo what they had achieved. “Do you want to build Pakistan? Well, then, for that purpose there’s one essential condition, and it is complete unity and solidarity among you.”

Following and practising such humane and great principles broadens the base of unity of a country achieved on the basis of Islam which stands for justice, equality, fair-play, toleration and even generosity to non-Muslims who, the Quaid said, “are like brothers to us as the citizens of the state.”

There’s no ‘jabar’ (compulsion) in Islam, it believes in peace and harmony. So, miscreants disguised as Taliban in the name of Islam had to be subdued, writ of the government maintained and a lesson taught to the internal mischievous groups funded by some external forces who wanted to create disunity, disorder, disturbance and disruption.

The armed forces, as the Quaid said, have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of Islamic democracy, social justice and equality of manhood in the native soil. So, asked by the government, the army is meeting the challenge successfully.

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