‘Follow’ the Essence of the Pakistan Resolution

By Sajjad Shaukat

The 23rd of March 1940 was a watershed in the history of the Sub Continent, when All India Muslim League passed the Resolution in Lahore for the creation of an independent state. Now, it is popularly called as Pakistan Resolution. Earlier, in his address to the Muslim League at Allahabad in 1930, the idea of a homeland for Muslims in their majority areas had been envisioned by the poet Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, and had become the aspiration of Indian Muslims.

As a matter of fact, the British colonialists in connivance with majority Hindu population had manipulated and targeted Muslims through every possible way. In that background, Muslims started struggle for a separate state.

Prior to the Lahore session of Muslim League, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had specified to this historical congregation of the Muslims, the watch-words of ‘Faith, Unity and Discipline’ which were not only necessary for waging the battle for an independent homeland, but also for present Pakistan. So, while struggling against the enemies, the essence of these watch-words, is unity which is the real spirit of the Pakistan Resolution. However, it was due to the strong unity among the Muslims under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam that Pakistan became a tangible reality. But that unity started declining after passing through various crises, and the result was separation of East Pakistan in 1971.

The 23rd March which is celebrating by every Pakistani as the Pakistan Day, has come at a time when Pakistan is facing multiple threats of grave nature, which are not only worrying all the citizens, but also putting the very integration of the state at stake.

Unfortunately, it is because of lack of solidarity among our politicians, leaders and media that foreign opportunists have been manipulating the chaotic situation of Pakistan in order to fulfill their secret agenda by destabilising the country. In the past few years, nefarious designs of secret agencies like American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad can be gauged from a number of anti-Pakistan developments such as their support to insurgency in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, separatism in Balochistan and targeted killings especially in Karachi coupled with subversive acts all over the country. In fact, the US-led India and Israel is creating unrest in Pakistan through their spy agencies which have deployed their collective networks throughout Pakistan. These elements are supporting violent acts in our country on daily basis. Notably, the US seems determined to shift Afghan war to Pakistan after the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, as Obama administration has already started a covert war against Pakistan where these foreign secret agencies are also assisting their affiliated militants and agents with money and weapons.

Besides, American double game with Islamabad, pressuring the latter to do more against the militants by ignoring the internal backlash, drone strikes on FATA, threat of sanctions regarding inauguration of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project, accusation of cross border terrorism, perennial propaganda about Talibanisation of the country, Pak Army, country’s intelligence agency, ISI including India’s distortion of Pakistan’s ideology, its history, violations across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir etc.clearly show future aims of the US, India and Israel which want to ‘denuclearise’ Pakistan.

It looks that the ongoing deteriorated situation is not being grasped by the general masses and even the political leaders at large, who abruptly change their opinion without logic. Therefore, they become unintentional victim—benefiting the external plotters who seek to weaken Pakistan by creating a rift among the political groups, divided on ethnic and linguistic lines. These foreign enemies also seek to create a division between the political leaders on one side, while Pak Army and ISI on the other.

It is regrettable that on the one hand, country’s multiple crises indicate that Pakistan is rapidly advancing towards a ‘failed state’ due to the sinister designs of the external forces, while on the other, our media, particularly most of the TV channels conduct controversial debate between politicians and commentators, contesting internal politics. Besides our media, so-called human rights groups and NGOs are also following the propaganda of the external elements. In this regard, sometimes, these entities manipulate memogate scandal, sometimes case of the missing persons and sometimes Mehrangate issue in maligning Pakistan Army and country’s superior agency. In this context, let us know the example of the missing persons—a majority of these people include those people who were either kidnapped or killed by foreign-backed secret agents and their affiliated insurgent groups. Many of the disappeared persons also went to Afghanistan for Jehad purposes, while some of them joined the Jehadi groups inside Pakistan.

Nevertheless, like the anti-Pakistan enemies, our internal entities have ignored the sacrifices of these security agencies against terrorism. Now, they have started a new practice of taking some cases to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, without knowing the fact that it is likely to demoralise the armed forces and ISI which are essential for maintaining the integrity of the country.

It is our misfortune that at this critical hour, while situation demands selfless unity, both our media anchors and some politicians exploit every terror-incident or negative development against Pakistan. While, it was owing to the non-interference of army that the civil government completed its tenure, but these media commentators kept on targeting country’s key security institutions in one way or the other. As regards the forthcoming elections, on renowned TV channels, our politicians oppose their rivals for the sake of opposition. Accusation and counteraccusations have become their routine practice. In this respect, they opine as to what the people want, but conceal as to what people actually need? Especially, it seems that a majority of Pakistan’s media anchors and human rights organisations are on the payroll of external enemies.

While Pakistan’s economic crisis has accelerated, bringing about other-related problems like loadshedding of gas and electricity, unemployment and soaring prices of products. Today Pakistan stands at the crossroads of its destiny, facing internal and external threats to the national security of the country. Besides, people of Pakistan, its security forces and intelligence agencies are coping with suicide attacks, bomb blasts, sectarian violence and target-killings including sporadic battles with the militants in the tribal areas.

At this critical moment, the 23rd March demands true national unity. We can also deduce it from the statement of Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani who, while taking note of the present critical situation, repeatedly stressed upon national unity. Kayani especially explained on June 9, 2011, “Any effort to create divisions between important institutions of the country is not in national interest…the people of Pakistan whose support the army has always considered vital for its operations against terrorists.” Recently, he has again emphasised upon unity.

This significant day demands that our political leaders must pledge that they will not manipulate their regional and provincial differences at the cost of the national interests so as to grab political power. In this context, a blind dedication to one’s own race, tribe and creed should not be allowed to create hatred in one group against the other. They must avoid exploiting present thorny issues in order to increase their vote-bank at the cost of security agencies. If any controversy arises, it can better be settled in consonance with the constitution. For this aim, in order to castigate the conspiracy of the external enemies against the integrity of the country, our political leaders, media and human rights groups must also stop manipulating any crisis against Pak Army and ISI whose image are deliberately being tarnished by the external plotters.

True unity against the foreign enemies requires that our rulers and leaders of other political parties and must create national cohesion among various segments of society. Particularly, our electronic media should give a matching response to malicious propaganda of the US-led some western countries including India and Israel which are distorting the image of Pakistan, its army and ISI. Pakistan’s TV commentators must openly disclose the collective connivance of CIA, RAW and Mossad regarding their support to subversive acts inside our country and against Pak nukes.

No doubt, at this crucial time, Pakistan’s survival lies in selfless unity and strong cohesion as at present, even a layman can note that our country is in chaos and it seems as if there is a “war of all against all” in the sense of ‘Hobbesian state of nature.”

We must follow the essence of the Pakistan Resolution through real unity which is not possible unless the government, the opposition leaders, civil societies and media owners pledge to sign a charter of integration which is very necessary to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com