LAHORE - The real destiny of Pakistan was to achieve a state as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal, however the rule of four military dictators had created hindrance.
These views were expressed by Nawa-i-Waqt Group Editor-in-Chief and Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust Chairman Dr Majid Nizami while giving an interview to PTV on Sunday.
He said that Nawa-i-Waqt Group was leading the ideological path in journalism, as the Group’s publications including The Nation, Nawa-i-Waqt, Nida-i-Millat, Phool and Family Magazine were following ideological path. He added that he had made all efforts to present Waqt TV as another ideological front of the country.
Commenting over the impacts of military rule over Pakistan, Dr Majid Nizami said that four military dictators, who ruled the country for half of the time since its inception, barred Pakistan from its true target envisioned by Quaid and Iqbal.
Expressing his thoughts over peace efforts with India, he remarked that how could he consider peacemakers efforts rightful when India was occupying our jugular vein (Kashmir) declared by the Quaid. He said that it was very true that one could not change its neighbours, but what should be done if a neighbour was not ready to accept the existence of its other neighbour. He added that India could not harm Pakistan if the nation firmly believes in faith.
Dr Majid Nizami said that Almighty has ordered us to ready your horses to face the enemy and nuclear weapons were the horses of this century’s warfare.
He said that there was no institution under the name of Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam in the country and he started the project of Aiwan-i-Quaid at Johar Town expensing millions of rupees and by the grace of Almighty he would inaugurate the institution next year. He said that he earlier established an institution Aiwan-i-Iqbal.
Referring to his encounter with former military dictator, General Ayub Khan, The Nation Editor-in-Chief said that Ayub during a meeting with him in Karachi said that journalism was a business. He replied to Ayub that he should put a newspaper to his son who was former army captain along with the Gandhara industry to ascertain whether journalism was a business or not, he added.
Dr Majid Nizami further said that he had a relationship of “carrot-and-stick” with Ziaul Haq. He said that once Zia set precondition when the staff of Karachi Nawa-i-Waqt asked for an interview. He said that he would give interview only if Majid Nizami would be part of the panel.
“Following the interview, Zia asked me why you didn’t ask any question? I said that the precondition of the interview was that I should be part of the panel only not to ask a question,” he said, adding that when he insisted I asked a simple question “When you are going to leave us?” on which he replied, it would have been better if you had not asked any question at all.”
He also said that he had cordial relationship with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto since Bhutto was his age-fellow. He said that whenever we criticised the policies of Bhutto he never minded it.
“Once Mustafa Sadiq had arranged my meeting with Bhutto. After having a cup of tea, Bhutto looked at Mustafa and said you did not talk about the advertisements. I replied that I am not going to ask for advertisements and it is up to you whether you reopen the advertisements or continue the ban. Then Bhutto said, “It is really difficult to deal with you.”
Dr Majid Nizami recalled that when late Mian Muhammad Sharif along with his two sons came to see him, they had offered him of the office of the President of Pakistan. “I told them that editorship is more important for me than the office of the President,” he said.
Dr Majid Nizami further said that he had asked Mujeeb-ur-Rehman to make Dhakka as the capital of the country and form his own government here as well since he was in majority. And not to divide Pakistan but he wanted Bangladesh, a separate country. Now the daughter of Mujeeb-ur-Rehman is following the footstep of his father as she has been awarding 90-year imprisonment to 90-year-old leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami. She is her father’s identical.
Dr Majid Nizami also said that Waqt news channel would always remain a family channel.
“During Martial Law of Ayub Khan, Hameed Nizami succumbed to the pressure of dictator and lost his life due to cardiac arrest. After couple of days when I visited newspaper office I was astonished to know that the office was in pathetic conditions. News Print quota was not available and government advertisements were also banned for Nawa-i-Waqt,” Nizami added. Majid Nizami said that he was student of Islamia College when Pakistan Resolution was passed in 1940. He was of the view that there was major role of Islamia College Lahore, Islamia College Peshawar and Ali Garh University in formation of Pakistan.
Nizami said that though he could not talk to Quaid-e-Azam but he was lucky enough to sit near great leader. He said that Liaquat Ali Khan awarded him with certificate of Mujahid-e-Pakistan and a sword in 1946.
Majid Nizami said that his ideal columnist was Hameed Nizami and Charagh Hassan Hasrat. “I wrote Sare Rahay for four years when I was student of Government College,” he said. He stressed upon the youngsters to try their best to form Pakistan as per wishes of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.