Adil Najam
Today is March 23. Pakistan Day.
Today, let us listen to the Pakistan National Anthem one more time. Not just ‘hear’ it. But actually listen to it. The words, with its heavy Persian influence, may be difficult for some. But the meaning is not. Nor should the passion.
We have written about the history of the anthem (including about Prof. Jagan Nath Azad, the creator of Pakistan’s first national anthem) before. And we hope to write about it again, including how this current national anthem came to be.
But today, on Pakistan Day, let us sit back, take a minute, to listen and to concentrate. To concentrate on the promise and on the prayer that is Pakistan’s national anthem.
Let us listen to it again:
And, yet again:
Another thing it says:
“Qoum, mulk, saltanat
Paa’inda, taa’binda baad”
Just see the order of the three political entities: It was the ‘Nation’ first which created the ‘mulk’ (country) and then comes the ‘Saltanat’, i.e., the state and government. That is the factual history of Pakistan. But we reverse this order when we say,” Pakistan he to ham hein (We will exist only if Pakistan exists)”. This means the state is the first and foremost and the nation, which brought it into existance, does not matter at all. This is the mentality, you may call it feudal, which was the cause of separation of East Pakistan and has put into jeopardy even the remaining part of it. It is what had led Hakiimul-Ummat, Allama Iqbal, to say:
“In taaza khudaaon mein naiya sab se watan he
Jo is ka he peiraahan woh mazhab ka kafan he”
By ‘mazhab’ Allama obviously meant ‘deen’, the will or wefare of the nation, as opposed to ‘taghooti’ (despotic or anti-people and anti-human government).
Two lines in the anthem are particularly meaningful:
Pak sarzameen ka nizaam
Quwat-i-akhowat-i- awaam
The first line asks or suggests what would be the system of government in Pakistan. The second line answers “power and unity of the people”. It doesn’t say ‘nizam-i-shariat’, ‘nizam-i-adal’ or ‘nizam-i-Sufi Mohammad’ or any of those systems touted by the Qazis, Maulanas and Jihadis of Pakistan.
Just think about it.
I love the headline.
But I do not think people are doing what you asked them to do. Think about the words. The promise was of QOWAT E AKHOWAT E AWAM.
People are supreme. All people. All religions. All sects. All creeds. Pakistan for Pakistanis. All Pakistanis.
Happy Pakistan Day!
Another good post. I liked the first video and the candid views very much