Pakistan is a Muslim state created on the foundations of Islamic ideology. In the 1940s, the driving slogan behind the Pakistan Movement spelled out this direction unambiguously. The Objective Resolution, which is part of our constitution, clearly lays down the direction that this country ought to take. Yet, in the past 65 years, we have collectively failed to move in that direction. The nation has not been able to determine whether this is a wilful failure or intellectual lassitude that has not allowed us to take the projected path.
The Islamic political ideology and secularism are directly opposite systems; though Pakistan has never strictly adhered to it, yet it has kept its Islamic moorings intact. Our political system, nevertheless, is secular in essence, with some ideological dressings that gives us some satisfaction to claim that we are an Islamic State.
We have an Islamic Ideological Council (IIC) that is supposed to translate our laws and procedures in accordance with the country’s Islamic foundations, but it has not made much progress. In the vacuum that IIC has left, the forces of secularism are playing their part vigorously to transform Pakistan into a secular state.
The Islamic political and social ideology has emerged as the political enemy of the West since the fall of Communism. As Pakistan is the only state that emerged on the basis of the Islamic ideology it is the prime target of the secular forces; if Pakistan capitulates, it will become a prime example for the world that Islam as politico-social system is not tenable.
Our bureaucracy and academic intelligentsia is in the forefront of this effort. It is a generalised statement and can be objected to; but the recent attempt to remove the Islamic subjects from the schools’ syllabi strongly suggests that this could only have happened with the complete cooperation and assistance of the Education Department and those academics that are charged with the responsibility to frame the curriculum of schools and colleges.
The timings selected were critical; the interim setup was due that would be involved in the elections. The change was supposed to be implemented un-noticed; however, thanks to a vigilant journalist, who blew the whistle.
The West has branded Islam a radical and militant ideology; Islam has been accused of radical teachings  inducing terroristic trends. The propaganda was intense enough to compel Pakistan to remove Quranic teachings from the school and college subjects.
I distinctly remember that Surah Tauba (Chapter 9) of the Holy Quran was removed from academic curriculum under the pressure exerted by these forces. In their perception, this chapter teaches violence; ironically, none of our religious scholars and the IIC objected to this removal.
The attempt this time was to remove all references to those national heroes, who led the path to independence. It seems that we are trying to gradually erase the names of those who got us the independence. Recently, there was a move to remove the name of Quaid-i-Azam from a university, now the name of Allama Iqbal is intended to be erased from the books. Erasing names and achievements of our national heroes from textbooks implies that we want the future generations to forget them and their ideals; perhaps, it will help to usher in secular ideas.
It is a subtle move. Indeed, the target is the young generation, who is impressionable and can be steered towards secular teachings by making changes in their course of study. These young people will provide the leadership of tomorrow in the country. With secular education, they will move away from the Islamic ideology, which impacts the politico-social and socio-economic collective activity.
Apparently, the secular forces want religion to be a personal and private matter, as is prevalent in the West. Gradually, this attitude results into a free society, where virtue and vice become indiscernible.
This time the target of subversion was selected with deep thought and our own people were selected to launch this onslaught. The secular forces have apt accomplices available here. Many of our academics are educated and trained in Western secular universities and most of them follow the same ideology.
The syllabi that they assemble have visible secular biases. A cursory look of Islamic subjects for class fifth to ten will amply demonstrate my contention. It appears that the Textbook Boards (TBBs) have no nationalistic guidelines.
The recent effort to subvert the ideological contents of the syllabi was not noticed by the authorities; however, the Chief Minister Punjab reacted on the report published in a newspaper. Besides, it is hurting to know that except one journalist no one, including our religious polity, raised any protest against this alteration of the syllabi; looks like the IIC is either ignorant or unconcerned. The Chief Minister did not know what his Education Ministry and TBB were doing.
Education has become a provincial subject, but this does not mean that there should be no check on the concerned authorities by the federal government.
Needless to say, education lays down the foundations on which a country’s survival depends. Those who make policies, determine the curriculum and conduct the education of the young generation should have proper guidance and supervision. The foundation of education must strengthen the ideological foundation so that national objectives can be achieved.
Our TBBs should be made to function under a proper education body; its officials must be properly guided about the evolution of the curriculum that reflects national aspirations; the syllabus developed should be vetted by a superior authority comprising people from different walks of life. This activity should not be left to secular academics alone.
This time Pakistan has warded off the attack, but efforts to subvert the basis of Pakistan’s creation will continue. There is need to develop a mechanism that will curb such attacks in future. The Chief Minister ordered an inquiry to fix the responsibility of this lapse; based on the findings of inquiry those who are responsible for playing with our national and Islamic moorings must be given exemplary punishment.

The writer is a retired brigadier.