Adil Najam
Today is August 11.
Sixty-two years ago, on this day, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Founder of Pakistan, made one of the most important speeches of his – and of Pakistan’s – life. A speech in which he laid out – in the most unambiguous terms – his vision for Pakistan and the rationale for that vision.
In this speech Mr. Jinnah laid out a detailed case for his argument and famously proclaimed:
…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 [Pakistan].
Read full text and a detailed analysis of the speech here.
Today is August 11.
Barely ten days ago in Gojra, in Mr. Jinnah’s Pakistan, over 50 houses belonging to Pakistani Christians were burnt down by a mob and at least half a dozen Pakistani Christians were murdered for still unproven charges under a draconian law neither whose intent nor whose vigilante implementation Mr. Jinnah could ever have tolerated.
Today is August 11.
Our government has declared today to be ‘Minorities Day,’ but neither our government nor we as a people are willing to repeal the draconian laws that enable the bigots amongst us to persecute the vulnerable and the marginalized amongst us.
Today is August 11.
Today, once again, we will shower platitudes on Mr. Jinnah’s vision of a tolerant Pakistan and then conveniently ignore that vision. A Pakistan for all Pakistanis, irrespective of, as he would say, “caste and creed.” A Pakistan where neither Mr. Jinnah’s vision nor our Pakistaniat would be high-jacked by the sanctimonious custodians of righteousness, the self-styled gate-keepers of morality, and the arrogant arbiters of patriotism.
We are sorry, Mr. Jinnah.
We are sorry that we have not been able to actualize the Pakistan of your vision. At least, not yet. Cursed by the very intolerance that you had warned us of, we have not only failed to bridge the divisions that existed already, we have worked hard to create new divisions. We have not only failed the minorities that were, we have created new ones by legislating exclusion.
We are sorry, Mr. Jinnah.
We are sorry for being so drunk in intolerance that we made ourselves the arbiters of who was Muslim enough to be Muslim, or Pakistani enough to be Pakistani.
We are sorry, Mr. Jinnah.
We are sorry not only for the Gojra that happened ten days ago. We are sorry for the Gojra that happens every day in the Pakistan you created.
Hi Everyone
I am an Indian and stumbled upon this space by accident (searching for something else actually). The comments of Abil bhai were interesting because it is so like what is happening in India.
Just a couple of days back we had a news article that told the story of how the place where Gandhi had an Ashram had outlawed entry of Lepers (toward whom Gandhi was really devoted).
Well the above story is just symptomatic about India today. Its madness with really everyone out to get power and money. No one thinks about goodness or about their fellow citizens. Most people just do not understand the real agenda of the people in power.
I was reading the comment of one person who justifies deviation from the founding principles of nation. I agree that deviation is not necessarily wrong. But deviation has to be for something that improves that common lot of the people, for somethig that spreads brotherhood, for something that makes everyone equal in the true sense, for something that God would be happy about. Some of the instances that he quotes ( like that of the USA) actually support my argument.
Killing innocents is madness and only serves the interest of those who are high and mighty and who want to remain high and mighty.
Divide the people and create hate – this is how all rulers have preserved their position as rulers.
Spread the ideals and spread love. I liked this space and would try ot see if somethig similar is avialable for India.
Adil Bhai – keep up the good work.
@ sadabhar
You have a very valid argument. In a democratic setting and through a democratic process any nation can take a different course than that envisioned by its founding fathers.
All of the american founding fathers were slave owners and their concept of equality of all men did not extend to “negroes”. Still, when Abraham Lincoln took steps to abolish slavery and when blacks (and women) were given constitutional rights, that was not termed as an insult to the founding fathers.
Bismarck, the founding father of modern day Germany envisioned a militant nationalist vision for Germany and today’s Germany is miles apart from it.
How is it fair to ignore the democratic wishes of a nation in the name of founding father’s vision?
——————————————
@ adil
You wrote ” Barely ten days ago in Gojra, …….at least half a dozen Pakistani Christians were murdered for still unproven charges under a draconian law neither whose intent nor whose vigilante implementation Mr. Jinnah could ever have tolerated………….”
As far as I know neither the said law condones such murder nor these christians were killed under this law. Do you think that if this law had not been there, the situation would have been different? In that case, would these people who were torching these houses and killing these christians would not have done so?
On the contrary, history of our lands shows us that Muslims have always reacted angrily and violently on any instance of what they deem as blasphemy. So blaming the law and repealing it would only give people even further license to resort to violence as then they would have the argumnt that the law will not punish alleged blasphemy.
At least some of us are making the first step, apologizing. This concept is a novelty in Pakistan.
We must acknowledge first, what we have done wrong, and then begin to correct our mistakes.
Mr. Najam, the readers of this blog should be grateful to you, for bringing this to everyone’s notice.
There is a long struggle ahead, to steer Pakistan back towards the dreams of its founding father. Even all those years ago, he knew what was right for us. Today, when bigots threaten to ruin this country, those of us with a sense of what is right, must stand against them.
Let us raise our voice against these inhuman laws, and bring about a change in legislation.
Thank you Dr. Najam.
Your courage and your honesty is an inspiration to all of us.
I salute you for saying out lud what so many feel but dare not say:
“We are sorry for being so drunk in intolerance that we made ourselves the arbiters of who was Muslim enough to be Muslim, or Pakistani enough to be Pakistani.”
These were the two most shameful acts in our history (declaring Ahmadis non-Muslim and Bengalis non-Pakistani). The Quaid would not have tolerated either of them.
Dr. Najam, I am proud of you. If we had just a few more Pakistanis with your courage of conviction we could bring teh Quaid’s dream alive. Thank you.
Excellent.
Yes, We are sorry Mr. Jinnah that we could not fulfill your dreams and we keep fighting amongst ourselves.
But we promise to keep trying. We will not give up on your dream.