Today is 23rd March, 2008. On this date in 1940 the historic Lahore Resolution (Later Pakistan Resolution) was passed.
Last year in the series of March 23 posts (here, here and here), Adil Najam had written about ‘Owning Mohammad Iqbal.’ This year I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my favorite photographs from 1940’s and also very very relevant speeches of founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. One of the earliest posts on ATP had, similarly, featured some less-seen pictures of the Quaid (here).
It would be interesting if ATP readers can guess all the people in photographs; tough one, I think.
Personally, I love most of the photographs of Jinnah with young students and volunteers. I don’t remember seeing a photograph of a national leader sitting with students and communicating with them like Jinnah sahab in top-right photograph. Looking at these photographs reminds me that, unlike our leaders today, how Jinnah sahab always considered students as his most important asset and main strength and they were the ones who ran Pakistan movement campaign. Unfortunately, students and young people are generally the most depoliticized segment of our society.
Let me also share two speeches by Jinnah sahab which are very relevant to Pakistan’s current institutional situation. If our citizens, leaders and institutions pay attention to the spirit of these speeches, maybe we will all be better off.
First, this excerpt from his address to the Military Staff College, Quetta (June 14, 1948):
During my talks with one or two very high-ranking officers I discovered that they did not know the implications of the oath taken by the troops of Pakistan.
Of course, an oath is only a matter of form; what is more important is true spirit and heart. But it is an important form and I would like to take the opportunity of refreshing your memory by reading the prescribed oath to you: “I solemnly affirm, in the presence of Almighty God, that I owe allegiance to the Constitution and the Dominion of Pakistan and that I will be duty bound honestly and faithfully serve.
As I have said just now, the spirit is what really matters. I should like you to study the Constitution which is in force in Pakistan at present and understand its true constitutional and legal implications.
Next, this speech on Criminal Law Emergency Power Bills before the Imperial Legislative Council (February 6, 1919):
No man should lose his liberty or be deprived of his liberty without a judicial trial in accordance with the accepted rules of evidence and procedure… the powers which are going to be assumed by the executive, which means substitution of executive for judiciary, such powers are likely to be abused, and in the past we have instances where such powers have been abused… there is no precedent or parallel that I know of in any civilized country where you have laws of this character enacted… it imperils the liberty of the subject and fundamental liberties of a citizen.
As I read these statements and think about how relevant they are to our current situation, I am also reminded that it is a pity that there is such little audio or video record of Mr. Jinnah’s speeches. Here is one website (Humsafar) which has some a limited audio/video about Jinnah and Pakistan from 1940-1948. Geo TV also has some audio records (though, not original) of these speeches available at their website. I wonder if there is any way we can get all the speeches and videos of Jinnah and make them available online for public access. If somebody has an audio or video of Jinnah’s speeches, please share with us.
Note: All the photographs are from the collection of Dr. Ghulam Nabi Kazi. I have already written about the wonderful collection of Dr. Kazi in one of my previous post about the last letter written by Ruttie Jinnah to her husband. Click on each image for more details.
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Quaid-i-Azam’s speeches are still very relevant even after 60 years. Thank you for sharing the speeches and I also agree that we should have an online library with all the audio and videos of our leaders (all of them including Z. A Bhutto).
Let’s learn something from our past.
The famous Kaljugg in Pakistan
@ The Great MAJ is watching from somewhere
upon those liars and cheats who have distorted his
sacred convictions and clear indications.
He was the unique Muslim Leader who presented
a piece of land carvedout from The Brit Raj’s enormous
India and gifted it to the “colonial zurriats” on a tray,
and yet some of them dare to speak utter nonsense
against The MAJ, All the speaches are recorded, if anyone
has guts to contest please come forward as men not
na-mards, word by word and phrase by phrase !!!!
My challenge is to the following :
PPP, ANP, Punjab University’s perverses, Geo TV & Co.,
Progys of all sexes, Communists, Roshan-Khayyal Domnis,
Westernized cucumbers, Indian half sisters of showbis
showing their vulgar talents and 28 kg of make-ups, and
the alcoholics- turned suffis “kunglay nakkal Mirasis”.
Zarbhutts have designated their donkey who will
start looting the country very soon,
thuggery has no limits.
One this historical day, we ought to ask ourselves: Have we made any serious effort to accomplish what the Quid said on his election as the first President of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11 August 1947?
Pay attention to his following words:
“You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the State. As you know, history shows that in England conditions, some time ago, were much worse than those prevailing in India today. The Roman Catholics and the Protestants persecuted each other. Even now there are some State in existence where there are discriminations made and bars imposed against a particular class. Thank God, we are not starting in those days. We are starting in the days when there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State. The people of England in course of time had to face the realities of the situation and had to discharge the responsibilities and burdens placed upon them by the government of their country and they went through that fire step by step. Today, you might say with justice that Roman Catholics and Protestants do no exist; what exists now is that every man is a citizen, an equal citizen of Great Britain and they are all members of the Nation. Now, I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.”
One must never forget their history. Listening to, and reading, the speeches of our founding fathers (such as Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal) show us their ideas for our country. We can always learn from them. Remember, those that forget history are doomed to repeat it.
Passion of patriotism need be awaken up among Pakistani people before its too late. However ARYONE and GEO TV after the death of BB showed poems on BB not on Pakistan while Pakistan’s railway system to Power houses were burning. This is what is very scare. Its like Free media in corrput country.
On Pakistan Day let us all pay tribute to our forefathers who toiled and sacrified for this land of the pure. Let also then make a pledge that as a nation we will rise to the challenges before us and that we will Pakistan great again.
Quaid-e-Azam & Allama Iqbal Zindabad
Feimanallah Pakistan
Wasim
Thanks for sharing this article Darwaish.
It is a good idea. Late Mr. Mushfiq Khawaja had some rare photographs of MAJ in his collection which has been catalogued and taken over by a Univ. in the states.
He also mentioned some gentleman in Karachi who was already in his late 80s then who had a vast audio collection of MAJ’s speeches.
A good online library of audio and video records of all leaders - not just the early ones - would be a great idea.