Pakistan has to have aggressive foreign policy, compatible and dynamic domestic policies with strong focus on finance and economy and social sector, catering to the needs of the people. The rulers and the bureaucracy should go an extra mile to find out what do the people want and how their needs and aspirations could be satisfied and actualised?
It is the firm belief of the leader for a cause that creates a strong following. And it is the hope that they have together that makes things happen. That is the story of Pakistan and dream for a separate homeland for Muslims in the Indian sub-continent under the flag of Muslim League and the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. His towering personality and constitutional approach made the miracle happen. Islamic Republic of Pakistan came into being. We need leaders today who can strengthen Pakistan and its institutions and make this nation proud of its history and society. Much needs to be done to achieve a reasonable standard of good governance and to let democracy function. At the same time defence of the country has to be given the highest priority in the face of internal and external threats and waves and shades of terrorism, extremism and sectarian divide. Now a days we don’t talk of the menace of ‘provincialism’. But that problem was the first that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had pointed out to the people of East Pakistan seven months after the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
Sadly, the mainstream political discourse in Pakistan is completely devoid of talking of real issues. Talk shows on electronic media are simply waste of time and a display of distasteful behaviors. Media hardly plays its part bringing vital issues into mainstream. Sensationalist reporting is often that could be avoided. Meaning of what we call news has to be understood.
Character building has to be one of the important themes for the media to focus on as well as educational and informative programmes. Pakistan needs responsive and responsible media to help improve country’s soft image. Pakistan needs some rebranding. In this context media can provide real support base and direction. If we wish to strengthen our educational systems and refocus on our culture and ethical values who could play a more meaningful role than the electronic and print media? If media itself plays the leadership role sincerely we could soon expect positive change in terms of understanding the meaning of authority and responsibility and the need for accountability.
With fast growing population Pakistan’s problems are getting more complex and difficult to handle within existing resources and managerial and organizational abilities and capacity, specially in an environment of growing tensions and ethnic conflicts, all intensified by terrorists and extremist and enemies of Pakistan. It is not simple “threat perception”. The real threats are looking into our eyes, and challenging us day and nigh with a real fright. If these threats are an obstacle, is democracy providing us some guideline to feel secure and comfortable? Shall we keep crying and never find peace and justice?
Unity and autonomy to provinces put together could make the federation of Pakistan strong. According to a provision of Delhi Resolution it was necessary to constitute a sovereign independent state with a view to save Muslim India from the domination of the Hindus and in order to afford Muslims full. Scope to develop themselves according to their genius. That was a pragmatic decision and thus involved no contradiction. Pakistan was to be built from the ground up, it was refused its due share of the British Raj’s assets. Nehru was reluctant to give Pakistan its rightful share which, it is reported, prompted Mahatma Gandhi to go on hunger strike to pressure Nehru. In this background of injustice Pakistani leaders were forced to believe that India did not want ‘their’ country to survive. Time has proved it true.
Blaming the failure of the constituent assembly of 1947 for not enabling an institutional framework to satisfy all parties needed an objective evaluation. Same goes for the 1971. Partition and the creation of Bangladesh. It was Indian military intervention and interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. Here I am not talking of conspiracy theory but the real conspiracy that Indra Gandhi had planned and implement. Pakistan’s major disadvantage was 1000 miles of Indian Territory between East and West Pakistan.
The real problem was that Jinnah’s Nation-State was between the poison of provincialism and the Indian threat. As Governor General and President of the constituent Assembly Jinnah was fully alive of the menace of provincialism. He began his fight against ‘provincialism’ in East Pakistan where he made a nine day visit in March 1948. He warned people in Dacca against foreign agencies working against Pakistan. He talked of national consolidation. He wanted India to deal with Pakistan on equal footing. Major external factor in not being able to contain ethnic divisions was the Indian attitude and hegemonic approach and conspiring to damage Pakistan’s interests. In one of his speeches the Quaid-e-Azam said, “Pakistan is the embodiment of the unity of the Muslim Nation and so it must remain. The unity we, as true Muslims, must jealously guard and preserve. If we begin to think of ourselves as Bengalis, Punjabis, Sindhis, etc; first and Muslims only incidentally, then Pakistan is bound to disintegrate. Do not think that this is some abstruse proposition: our enemies are fully alive to its possibilities which I must warn you they are already exploiting. I would ask you plainly, when political agencies and organs of the Indian press, which fought tooth and nail to prevent the creation of Pakistan, are suddenly found with a tender conscience for what they call the ‘just claims’ of the Muslims of East Bengal, do you not consider this a most sinister phenomenon.
With all the limitations, a territory, a homeland for the Muslims, had to be created. A ‘moth eaten’ Pakistan was acceptable to Jinnah because he knew there would never be another such opportunity available. Pakistan had to resist India more effectively since they saw this country as posing an existential thereat after the first Kashmir war and New Delhi’s rapprochement with Kabul. What a perception? In fact it was not India but Pakistan that faced existential threat. India had invaded and occupied the Muslim Majority state of Kashmir through conspiracy. The British commander-in-Chief had provided all support to Nehru to make the illegal occupation of Kashmir possible. And he did not obey the order of the Governor General of Pakistan. India had all the resources of the British Raj. Pakistan was denied of its rightful share and had to start from a scratch. It was a great injustice to Pakistan and to Kashmiris. Kashmir is a disputed territory. The solution has to be found in the United Nations Resolutions.
There is no military solution. A negotiated settlement of Kashmir is the only way possible. Conflict resolution is the immediate need to stop bloodshed and killing of innocent civilians. Bilateralism on Kashmir has clearly failed. A third party intervention is necessary if could be made possible through forces sincere to both India and Pakistan. Mediated dialogue could mean hope for peace in the region. Hower progress with this kind of approach would require some flexibility. There is give and take when you negotiate. Both countries will have to be imaginative and not sticking to their fixations. Progress will be possible if both countries move away from their set view point. Patience and consideration is needed from humanitarian point of view to put an end to violence and brutal killings. Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris. If they are fighting for their rights it is no sin, it cannot be labeled as terrorism or Jihadism. Kashmir is their motherland. So, don’t humiliate them in their own homeland.
Our foreign office rightly draws attention of the international community because some of them could help for the sake of world peace and international justice and protection and promotion of human rights.
Kashmir is Pakistan’s life line. Much of our future and that of our next generations is linked with free Kashmir; free of Indian hegemony and brutality. We need also to augment our defence infrastructure and strengthen capacity of officers and men of our Armed forces to enable them to tackle internal and external threats. We want peace within and peace at our borders. Peace and security is essential for progress and national development. We should keep our struggle marching, looking for alternative approaches and possible solutions. We need to strengthen Pakistan and its positive image.