Jinnah’s political testament

Schools and colleges in Pakistan should discuss Jinnah's message to understand how to resource and implement it

Functions of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan were to: 1) Frame the constitution of Pakistan. 2) Function as the Federal Legislature, a sovereign body. 3) Take responsibility of the decisions. 4) Help the State maintain law and order to protect life, property and faiths of all citizens. 5) Take adequate measures to free the country from the poison of bribery and corruption. 6) Check the curse of black-marketing that undermines control and regulation system of foodstuffs and essential commodities leading to wholesale starvation and even death. 7) Help crush the evil of nepotism and jobbery relentlessly. 8) Make the State of Pakistan prosperous by wholly and solely concentrating on the wellbeing of people, as any idea of a united India could never have worked. 9) Work in cooperation no matter to what community one belongs, no matter what relations one had in the past, no matter what is the colour, caste or creed, is first, second or last, a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges and obligations there will be no end to the progress this country will make. 10) Foster cooperation, consultation and coordination to free us from the angularities of the majority and minority communities to be all equal citizens of the State of Pakistan.

The lesson from the Founding Father of Pakistan through the ten commandments — given out from the floor of the first Constituent Assembly on 11^th August 1947 in the presence of Louis Mountbatten, the Viceroy of British India, and his wife Edwina — is to carry forward this message to the next and following generations? “You are free, you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or any other places of worship in the State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the State. Therefore, we are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State.”

Teachers in schools and colleges of Pakistan should discuss this message with their students to understand how to resource and implement Jinnah’s testament to conceive a Virtuous Humanistic Samaj Model for by and of the people to be among the league of nation-states. This could be possible if social sciences could be taught and are integrated into natural sciences. Students at these institutions would be exposed to philosophy, history, literature, anthropology, psychology, liberal and performing arts. Therefore, they would be able to truly understand the social rubrics of society and its problems. The new educational system from school all the way to university would liberate students from the traditional thought and render them to develop new ideas, creative thinking, and curiosity of learning. Implementation of universal pedagogical curriculum leading to bachelor studies of philosophy being sandwiched by natural and social sciences should be looked for to enable a holistic education for all children in Pakistan.

In continuation, what is it that Jinnah brought from Europe. What changed Europe? The list includes enlightenment of mindset by work of people’s philosophers and thinkers, scientific discovery in research on the micro-world, synergised movements of priesthood, feudal lords, politicians, workers and farmers. The victory of renaissance ended the 12 centuries long batting of kings and church rule in Europe. Furthermore, industrial civilisation switched wealth collection to wealth generation. This led to evolution of democracy in steps and struggle by separating the state from the church. The renaissance finally freed the mankind from the chains of slavery and serfdom turning them to citizens with human rights of health and education for all infants and children of the global family.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2022.

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