Amidst these slogans of Naya Pakistan which captivate minds of young generation of this country that grew up in a society devoid of equal opportunities and in an environment plagued by extremism, intolerance and hate, where moral values do not exist and corruption is no longer considered a taboo, it is perhaps time to consider what went wrong and why. I still wish revival of Jinnah’s Pakistan. 

People of my generation grew up in a country which had as yet not wavered from MAJ’s vision of modern democratic welfare state. Till the 60’s there was peace and law and order and every child had an opportunity to avail subsidized education and health facilities. Clean drinking water flowed from taps and there was neither load- shedding, nor insecurity or street crimes, neither were basic food items adulterated and pure milk available. Government and uniformed officers went to offices on bicycles and affordable public transport available. 

These were times when Quaid e Azam’s vision and message continued to dominate minds of citizens, while paid public office holders performed role of servants of people, not their masters. Those living in big cities like Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi would remember small enclaves like GOR considered remnants of British Raj and cantonment areas where troops lived in barracks with no commercial activity allowed within their jurisdiction except CSD etc. 

Unfortunately MAJ’s doctrine of modern welfare state was replaced by security state of Ayub Khan, and majority population living in former East Pakistan, from where Muslim League was launched in 1906, felt betrayed and let down and from there-on this country has gone downhill. The welfare state of Jinnah became a country haunted by extremism under Zia ul Haq and we still are suffering from aftershocks. 

MALIK TARIQ,  

Lahore, August 2.