On 14 August 1947 a new sovereign state called ‘Pakistan’ emerged on the world map. Under the selfless leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the most brilliant legal mind of his times, it was designed to be a progressive welfare state. As the two wings (East and West) of the new country were thousands of miles apart, constitution making was an uphill task.
Finally, by 1956 finally a constitutional framework was developed and a republic emerged. Ayub Khan, the first Desi Army Chief, had his own plans of creating ‘Takht-e-Hazara’. He took control of the government, abrogated the constitution and moved the capital to Rawalpindi which was close to his roots and seat of power.
He ruled with an iron hand for a decade. His so-called ‘Golden Era’ was based on loans and loot. Under his flawed policies, Pakistan became a debtor nation. His imposed 1962 Constitution was disgraceful as it was formulated for him, quite like the city of Faisalabad (Lyallpur) was built around the Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower).
He even compromised the sovereignty of the state. The designated heir to the ‘Hazara Throne’ was his eldest son Capt (retd) Gohar Ayub Khan. Before he could formally designate his successor, he had a massive heart attack.
His personal physician Dr Mohyuddin was able to save his life but the damage had been done. A palace revolt took place. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, his foreign minister, and Air Marshal Asghar Khan revolted. ZAB then formed his own political outfit in 1967 called the PPP, which promised to build a progressive, democratic state as envisioned by the founding fathers. During his misrule the first dictator also tried to create the ‘State of Gujrat’ led by a dismissed Police constable by the name of Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi. His vision was his Kingdom at the centre with satellite states under him. With his fall in March 1969, the fabric of the nation was shattered and a new state emerged in 1970 in the Eastern Wing called ‘Bangladesh’.
Despite several hiccups (Takht-e-Hazara, State of Gujrat, Riasat-e-Gawalmandi, four Martial Laws) our journey towards freedom has been kept alive through the relentless struggle of our generation. In the words of Comrade Aitzaz Ahsan, “We are the hinge between the founders and the future, we cannot fail the coming generations”Â
As the most popular leader of the Western Wing, ZAB picked up the pieces of what was left of Pakistan. The process of rebuilding was started. On 14 August 1973. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan emerged after the enactment of the unanimously agreed constitution. The democratic journey was short-lived. On 5 July 1977 the third usurper took control of the country and decisively moved to create ‘ Riasat-e-Gawalmandi ‘ led by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,.the eldest son Mian Muhammad Sharif the foundryman ( Lohar ) of the area. Nawaz.
was first inducted as the Finance Minister of Punjab, then Chief Minister and finally the Prime Minister. In every position he consolidated his grip over power by inducting loyalists and winning political support by doling out state resources for personal favours. Riasat-e-Gawalmand’ is real and in control of the levers of power in the largest province of the federation. The recent blatant use of force against peaceful citizens by rhe Punjab Police and ‘Gullu Militia ‘clearly exposed the undemocratic evil designs of the ‘Sharif Dynasty who have now managed to build a huge estate outside Raiwind which they have named after their village Jatti Umra from where the founder migrated with his seven brothers to start a small foundry in the Fleming Road area where manhole or gutter lids were produced after melting scrap in a small graphite crucible called a ‘Kuttali’ in the local language.
Pakistan struggled to become a republic in its formative years (1947 to 1958). Then a brief democratic sojourn took place under ZAB (1971 to 1977) in which ‘People’s Power’ prevailed. ZAB was punished for standing up for his country and its sovereignty which had been compromised by the dictators. In 1996, Imran Khan, the cricketing hero of the country, launched his movement under the banner of ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ( PTI ). He promised to build an Islamic Welfare State replicating Riasat-e-Madina which was built by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in 622. While IK desires to build a welfare state to uplift the people of Pakistan, he faces stiff resistance from the rulers of ‘ Riasat-e-Gawalmandi ‘ who are allegedly being backed by the establishment, the most powerful status-quo force in the country. In other words the choice is now between the two ‘Riasats’ , Madina versus Gawalmandi, one led by IK while the other by NS or his partners in crime.
Theoretically, Pakistan has been a constitutional democracy since August 1973 but practically it continues to be the fiefdom of the elite who indulge in corrupt practices of all kinds, yet they go unpunished. Nawaz is a typical example of this selective justice. While serving his jail term for corruption, he managed to seek parole for medical treatment abroad based on false medical reports. His platelets count and health both recovered when he set foot on the Royal Qatar Airways which was supposed to be an air ambulance used to transport the sick and dying.
Azadi March is in fact a march towards a republic where people matter. First it was Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan then ZAB and now IK the three real PMs of Pakistan who have led from the front.
Despite several hiccups (Takht-e-Hazara, State of Gujrat, Riasat-e-Gawalmandi, four Martial Laws) our journey towards freedom has been kept alive through the relentless struggle of our generation. In the words of Comrade Aitzaz Ahsan, “We are the hinge between the founders and the future, we cannot fail the coming generations “.
The journey will remain incomplete till the constitutional republic emerges and the ‘Gullu Miliitas’ are disbanded together with their founders and benefactors. Pakistan was designed and is destined to be a progressive welfare state ‘ Stars of Gawalamandi ‘ cannot stop our ‘ Azadi March ‘.
