Pakistan was not run in accordance with Jinnah's vision, says Senate chairperson

Cake-cutting ceremony held at Arts Council to celebrate Quaid-i-Azam's birthday

We failed to run our affairs according to the ideals of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Senate Chairperson Mian Raza Rabbani said this while speaking at the concluding day of the 10^th International Urdu Conference at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi on Monday.

The session titled, 'Quaid-i-Azam ka Pakistan', was attended by Rabbani along with Javed Jabbar, Ghazi Salahuddin, Dr Jaffar Ahmed and Harris Khalique who attempted to describe Jinnah's vision of Pakistan. Huma Baqai hosted the session.



Rabbani lamented that after Jinnah's death, Pakistan was not run according to his ideology. The Pakistan which Jinnah envisioned was a progressive state, he said.

The Senate chairperson asserted that Pakistan was not supposed to be a theocratic state at the time of its establishment. Today, religion is used to gain political advantage which should not have happened, he said.

Rabbani also expressed his concern over endless debate on our history which does not result in a conclusion that is acceptable to all.

The situation of today's Pakistan is not satisfactory, Salahuddin claimed, adding that one needs to check the police stations, sessions courts and civil hospitals before arriving at any positive conclusion regarding the affairs of the state.



Salahuddin claimed that Jinnah wanted Pakistan to be a secular progressive state where everyone enjoyed freedom and equal rights irrespective of their religion.

"We have to fill colours in the sketch of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Pakistan," Jabbar maintained, adding that so far Pakistanis failed Jinnah's mission.

Certain circles have abducted Jinnah's Pakistan, Jabbar said. However, no police station would register the complaint of its kidnapping, he added

Khalique said that Jinnah had said no one could undo Pakistan. He added that it was, however, a half quote. The full quote would be no one could undo Pakistan till we followed the law and believed in unity, faith and discipline, he said.

The session was concluded with the cake-cutting ceremony of the 142^nd birthday of Quaid-i-Azam. National songs of Pakistan were played at the ceremony which was celebrated with enthusiasm by the participants