It is time for us to reimagine Jinnah’s vision in the contemporary world
LAHORE: We, the people of Pakistan, owe it to Mohammad Ali Jinnah, to follow in letter and in spirit his vision of Pakistan as a modern democratic welfare state with a well-written constitution. It was the commitment of founding fathers Jinnah, Allama Iqbal and other members of the All India Muslim League that citizens today live in an independent country. It must however be understood that freedom comes at a cost and we must ensure that the constitution reigns supreme and no individual is able to subvert it or think of himself as above it.
Jinnah and Iqbal visualised that the Muslims of the subcontinent would be subjected to harassment and exploitation under the Hindu majority in an undivided India and their reservations have proven correct today under Modi’s rule.
It is the collective public interest which alone defines national interest and not the ambitions or the ego of a few. Individuals are dispensable and proof of this lies in the graveyards of the world. We have lost half the country because we wavered from path laid down for us by our Quaid and because we allowed selfish individuals to derail Jinnah’s vision by not allowing constitutional rule.
It is time for us to reimagine Jinnah’s vision in the contemporary world and try to bring it back to light so that the meaning and purpose of Pakistan is rejuvenated.
Malik Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2019.
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