Since we have been talking here about Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan, maybe we should also think about Jinnah’s vision on Pakistan’s governance. Particularly on the issue of ‘uniforms’ in politics, which is the concern of the day in Pakistan. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was thinking well ahead of his time. His following address has never been so pertinent as it is now.
On June 14, 1948, addressing the officer at the Military Staff College in Quetta, the Quaid-i Azam said:
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.
(Jinnah, Speeches and Statement 1947-1948, Oxford University Press, 2000).
Lets’ also take a few minutes to review the oath taken by members of the armed services and also the presidential oath, in terms of the constitution:
Oath of allegiance for armed services:
“I, do hereby solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan and uphold the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which embodies the will of the people, that I will not engage myself in any political activities whatsoever and that I will honestly and faithfully serve Pakistan in the Pakistan army by and under the law.”
Let me reiterate, the oath states, “not engage myself in any political activities whatsoever”.
Presidential oath:
“That I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions. That I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
Jinnah’s vision on the matter of governance of Pakistan and the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law is very clear. Much more so than that of the rulers of today.
If only our current leaders were even 2% as intelligent as Quaid or had 1% of the vision he had 60 years ago!!……. on and off, i have felt that more than anything else we lack “LEADERSHIP” in this country…….. its almost as if there is no craddle of leadership in our country…….. not sure if I am the right one to say this but we have been very unlucky in this manner and had been getting one idiot after another for last 60 years!!
Khalid Masood Khan puts it as:
Meter check kara lo hum say, chhapay tum marwa lo
Border utay larna sharna aukha lagta hai
It is the last couplet in the following video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jwJNrtNiY9Q
Slightly below the belt, but the arm forces and their head’s current role is best describe by Shakespeare in Richard III:
And now, instead of mounting barded steeds
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,
He capers nimbly in a lady’s chamber
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
Explained in one word ” hypocrisy”. The gap between what we say and what we do. Every oath starts from
Dawa-i-dll, that story about Jinnah holding someone by the collar sounds made up. I doubt it happened. Seems more like what you would want to do rather than what he did. Can you give any reference for this?
We keep making up stories and lies about what Jinnah said, what is in Hadees or what is in Quran or what Iqbal said without knowing anything, just on basis of what we think they should say!