By Sikander Hayat
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the founder of Pakistan and today on 25th of December is his birth anniversary. From the day one, there has been an argument in Pakistan about what Jinnah wanted Pakistan to be. A secular state or a theocracy. I believe he wanted neither because Pakistan got its
independence from the British in the name of Islam so Islam cannot be sidelined but also it cannot be a theocracy. A theocracy stops the practice of other religions but Pakistan allows it. So what is Pakistan these days. Before the reign of terror by Zia Ul Haq, who used Islam to prolong his dictatorship, Pakistan was quite a liberal country at its heart but Zia robbed Pakistan of her traditional
tolerance and instead tried to turned it into a factory for producing Jihadis to fight in the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets.
A whole generation of Pakistanis grew up thinking that they are the sole protectors of Islam in the world. They have to fight every oppressor of Muslims in the world. We in Pakistan are paying the price of that terrible indoctrination these days with the blood of innocent men, women & children.
So what should be the future for Pakistan. I believe that Pakistan cannot be a theocracy but it cannot be a secular state on the European model because Islam has a role in Pakistan. People of Pakistan don’t want to be fundamentalist but want to live there lives according to the rules of Islam. Islam is the guiding light in the life of ordinary Pakistanis. That does not mean that
Pakistanis of other religions are any less Pakistanis as they have the same rights and duties towards their country as any Muslim Pakistani. I invite my readers to discuss this issue and tell the other readers of what kind of future Pakistan they want. I look forward to your views.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the founder of Pakistan and today on 25th of December is his birth anniversary. From the day one, there has been an argument in Pakistan about what Jinnah wanted Pakistan to be. A secular state or a theocracy. I believe he wanted neither because Pakistan got its
independence from the British in the name of Islam so Islam cannot be sidelined but also it cannot be a theocracy. A theocracy stops the practice of other religions but Pakistan allows it. So what is Pakistan these days. Before the reign of terror by Zia Ul Haq, who used Islam to prolong his dictatorship, Pakistan was quite a liberal country at its heart but Zia robbed Pakistan of her traditional
tolerance and instead tried to turned it into a factory for producing Jihadis to fight in the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets. A whole generation of Pakistanis grew up thinking that they are the sole protectors of Islam in the world. They have to fight every oppressor of Muslims in the world. We in Pakistan are paying the price of that terrible indoctrination these days with the blood of innocent men, women & children.
So what should be the future for Pakistan. I believe that Pakistan cannot be a theocracy but it cannot be a secular state on the European model because Islam has a role in Pakistan. People of Pakistan don’t want to be fundamentalist but want to live there lives according to the rules of Islam. Islam is the guiding light in the life of ordinary Pakistanis. That does not mean that
Pakistanis of other religions are any less Pakistanis as they have the same rights and duties towards their country as any Muslim Pakistani. I invite my readers to discuss this issue and tell the other readers of what kind of future Pakistan they want. I look forward to your views.
hello sikander,
ReplyDeleteis there real democracy within the political parties in pakistan.
here,in india,we have certain regional parties which are based on caste/clans.
there are parties like the congress which mostly have the landed class as the mps but also have the common citizens who belong in the party which works for everyone.
an ordinary party worker has the chance to come up in politics.
in pakistan,there seems to be a hold of the feudal classes on politics.
is there a class of people who feel removed from the political process.
Dear samurai,
ReplyDeleteNo there is no real democracy in the political parties of Pakistan. But feudal hold on the politics of Pakistan is loosening slowly but surely. Pakistan has a very independent and free media and a fiercely free judiciary so it is making good progress. It is now up to the people of Pakistan to elect representatives who are worthy of being elected.
Yours sincerely,
Sikander Hayat
i think there is a place for a party say,the democratic party of pakistan.
ReplyDeletethe time is right for some eminent citizens to develop a party with an ideology based on the islamic morals but with nothing to do with the clergy,unlike as in iran.
the people respond to parties which talk their issues.
that is how the congress is cementing the progress of india.
you ve got a great site,sikander,especially with all the cricket.
i am always amazed at the talent that pakistan has with respect to the fast bowlers.
you are right,shoaib akhtar would not have been the best influence for a struggling player.
Dear Samurai,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. Yes, you have got some good ideas. Pakistan is a deeply Islamic country and ordinary Pakistanis want to live their lives according to the teaching of Islam. But at the same time they do not subscribe to the brand of Islam promoted by Taliban.