ISLAMABAD: The president and prime minister have called on the nation to take guidance from the life of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father, and follow his principles to ensure the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.
In a message on the occasion of the 146th birth anniversary of Jinnah, the prime minister said the nation was celebrating the day with patriotic fervour and zeal.
The founder valiantly fought the constitutional and political fight for the rights of Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, and, as a result, the Muslims were living independently in Pakistan, he added.
Jinnah’s struggle was against the idea of a majority usurping the rights of minorities on the basis of numerical superiority, he said. The leader had strived for the restoration of a unique way of life for Muslims and for their separate social and economic, political and cultural identity in the comity of nations, he added.
He said Jinnah made the Muslims of the subcontinent truly aware of their rights and also ensured that after independence Muslims should live their lives independently and peacefully, while enjoying religious and cultural freedoms, and getting equal opportunities for progress.
Shehbaz Sharif said the efforts of Jinnah were directed not only at the creation of a separate and independent state for the Muslims but also wanted a state in which the minorities lived without any fear or danger and were given equal opportunities for development and complete religious freedom.
The prime minister pointed out that because of the rising religious animosity and the thinking of extremist Hindutva, India as a state had failed to protect the rights of minorities. This situation made evident the farsightedness of Jinnah and proved right his arguments for the two-nation theory, he stressed.
Sharif said Jinnah’s life was a practical demonstration of his steadfastness for principles, constitutional struggle, political sagacity, and of the golden principles of faith, unity, and discipline.
He emphasised the nation today needed to follow Jinnah’s thoughts and principles, adding that in his Pakistan, nobody would have superiority on the basis of language, class, religion or numerical strength.
The Constitution truly represented the 14 points and under it without diminishing the individual strength of any federal unit, everyone would have equal opportunities for achieving progress and prosperity.
The prime minister said Pakistan was going through a difficult phase at present and the need to follow the principles of Jinnah which had become more necessary to follow than ever.
The best way to pay tribute to the founder was to make Pakistan a welfare state, Sharif said. “We have to put an end to internal chaos and work tirelessly for the advancement of Pakistan,” he said.
The prime minister appealed to parents and teachers to inform the new generation about the lives of Jinnah and other leaders of the Pakistan Movement so that they could know about the struggle for the creation of Pakistan and consider the lives of their leaders as a guiding light and play role in the progress and development of Pakistan with renewed enthusiasm and passion.
“Let us today on the anniversary of Jinnah make the pledge that we will take guidance from the life of Quaid and follow his principles to ensure the progress and prosperity of Pakistan,” he said.
‘UNTIRING EFFORTS’
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi urged the nation to reiterate its commitment to cherish and uphold Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan and mobilise resources to tackle the grave issues to move on the path of political stability and economic prosperity.
In a message, he said: “Today, we celebrate the 146th birth anniversary of our beloved founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, with great affection, enthusiasm and reverence.”
“On this day, we express our gratitude for carving out a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent where we are free to realise our dreams as envisioned by the Jinnah.
“Due to his untiring efforts, we were blessed with a country where we can live and breathe as free men and can develop it according to our own wishes and culture and uphold the principles of Islamic social justice.”
“We also reiterate our commitment to always cherish and uphold Quaid’s vision for Pakistan where we mobilise all our resources in a systematic and organised way and tackle the grave issues that confront us with grim determination and discipline worthy of a great nation,” he added.
Alvi said: “We also pledge ourselves to take the right decisions at the right time and ensure the continuation of policies to create stability in the country by embracing Quaid’s advice to think a hundred times before you take a decision, but once that decision is taken, stand by it as one man.”
“Let us pledge to uphold Quaid’s vision of upholding the democratic values spelt in the following golden words, “Democracy is in the blood of the Muslims, who look upon complete equality of mankind, and believe in fraternity, equality, and liberty”.
“Let us reiterate our pledge to give equal rights to all citizens in pursuance of Quaid’s advice: You are free: you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in the state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the state.”
“Let us embrace Quaid’s advice that no nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live. Let us treat our youth as advised by our Jinnah.”
He said: “Pakistan is proud of its youth, particularly the students who have always been at the forefront in the hour of trial and need. You are the nation’s leaders of tomorrow and you must fully equip yourself with discipline, education and training for the arduous task lying ahead of you. You should realise the magnitude of your responsibility and be ready to bear it.”
“Let us revisit Quaid’s guiding principles on foreign policy and pursue ‘peace within and peace without’, maintain peaceful and cordial and friendly relations with neighbours and with the world at large, continue to promote peace and prosperity among the nations of the world and maintain the principles of honesty and fair play in national and international dealings.”
The president said: “On this day, let us not forget what the Quaid said about Kashmir, Kashmir is a jugular vein of Pakistan and no nation can allow its jugular vein to be held by the enemy.”
“We repledge ourselves to continue our moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiris of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in realising their dream of self-determination in line with UNSC resolutions.
Let us journey towards prosperity and progress by forging Unity, Faith and Discipline in our ranks and files, inculcate the guiding principles of Quaid in our individual and national lives, and commit ourselves to selfless devotion to duty to rise as a great nation in the comity of nations,” he said.
