‘The Quaid-e-Azam was a westernised person and he used the slogan of Islam for his political benefit. He was a non-practicing Muslim.’
We often hear this from the people who are after all not persons of insignificant stature. Such chatter had started even before the creation of Pakistan and Quaid-e-Azam himself refuted such allegations in his speech in Quetta on September 24 1945.
‘Liaqat Ali Khan didn’t care for the Quaid’s commands. Quaid didn’t like him and when he visited him in Ziarat where Quaid was spending last days of his life, Quaid said that he had come to see how long he was likely to live. He delayed sending a replacement ambulance when the ambulance carrying the Quaid broke down on its route from airport to the hospital’.
Such talk about his person are so widespread that people have started quoting these in their books without any historical evidence. There is sufficient evidence to the contrary that establish the good relations Quaid-e-Azam and Liaqat Ali Khan enjoyed and the high esteem in which they kept each other.
Dr Safdar Mahmood had taken it upon himself to respond to such baseless allegations in his columns that he later published in the form of books as well. Such contemptuous remarks about the founders of this country are oft repeated to erode the credibility these two stalwarts of Pakistan movement enjoy in the eyes of people of Pakistan. Founders of nations are generally kept above such things to maintain their position amongst their countrymen.
After Quaid-e Azam and Liaqat Ali Khan, Dr Abdul Qadeer also enjoyed respect amongst the people of Pakistan. How he was disgraced and made to live a secluded life is still fresh in the minds of people.
When it comes to the institutions of this country, bureaucracy never enjoyed the respect of the people that could enable it to play any role in the nation building.
Due to Pakistan’s unresolved dispute over Kashmir with India, military had assumed a position of importance in our national affairs since the early days of its creation. This on the one hand allowed them to interfere in the matters ranging from politics to foreign policy to economy and on the other exposed them to public criticism.
Due to the insecurity of our external borders, military in general and army in particular enjoyed a unique position in the country in that even four martial laws imposed by army were tolerated by the people albeit reluctantly. People thought that army was the only binding force that could keep the country together. But due to its continuous interference in politics it has lost the credibility it once enjoyed in the eyes of the people.
In a civilised society, the judiciary enjoys a very important position. We have heard Winston Churchill’s famous statement in which he showed his confidence in the invincibility of Britain because courts were functioning in the country and giving justice to the people. Unfortunately, we do not have any such cherished history of judiciary in Pakistan. Since the time of Justice Munir, we had many personalities in our judiciary who were not judge-like. From controversial decisions to controversial remarks in open courts and at public fora, we have a lot to regret. In short, judiciary as an institution has lost its credibility to an extent that it cannot be looked upon to play any important role in building a civilized society.
Politics keeps society united and leads to national consensus in the matters where a consensus has to be forged. Very unfortunately, in Pakistan, since the time of Ghulam Muhammad, politics and politicians have always been vilified. Politics as an institution has been accused to be corrupt and incompetent. Political parties were formed and disbanded in successive martial laws. Whatever time was allowed to have a civilian face to run the affairs of the country, was thoroughly used to discredit the politics and politicians. It is mind boggling that we had four martial law administrators who were so ‘competent’ that they could rule till they wanted and no prime minister could call for next elections of his own free will.
In 75 years of our history not a single prime minister has been allowed to complete his term of office. Each one of them were either killed, hanged, dismissed or forced to leave the office through judiciary or faced a vote of no confidence. This relentless campaign against the politicians has led to an ineffective parliament and a government that is always looking for some political capital to run the country that it is unable to get. A government that is only firefighting and making short term decisions and frequently changing its earlier decisions cannot create an environment of trust that is so important for the economic stability of the country.
When we look at the professionals, lawyers were highly respected professionals in British India and at the forefront of freedom movement. Today the profession is facing a crisis of credibility and a major hindrance in obtaining the justice.
When it comes to our day today life, we don’t trust the description of ingredients on the packing of food and medicines. We are always sceptical while placing an order online. We are afraid of using online banking due to various frauds. We are unsure while dealing with a supplier or customer. We are not sure that a doctor’s diagnosis is an honest one and our car has the same problem as has been identified by the mechanic. The only thing in which we have been able to obtain certainty is that when it come to a government office, money will make the mare go. All these things affect the nation (if I may call it) both psychologically and economically as our businesses cannot grow in this environment.
After all what is a state other than its institutions and what is a nation without shared values? Pakistan was created on very lofty ideals and was supposed to be an important country in the world. On the contrary what we have made of it in 75 years is a multitude of 230 million people who have been bound together by fate without respect and care for one another, without any desire to create any kind of harmony amongst its people, without a goal and determination to progress. It has almost become a country of 230 million individuals who do not believe in any system and follow none- a country in which people’s only desire is to live in heaven after death as they do not have any hope of any decent living in their country.
The situation is indeed bleak that is evident from the fact that thousands of educated persons are leaving the country every year. The only way forward is that the institutions of Pakistan act within the bounds of the Constitution of Pakistan; focus of the state should be on the basic necessities of its people; we should start educating and training our youth urgently; we should start implementing the rule of law equally for all citizens; and we should keep our egos and greed in control. Let us start behaving before it is too late.