Editorial

Dr. Basharat Elahi Jamil

Pakistan is now suffering from religious radicalism, the religious and religio-political entities and clutches are threat to the existence of Jinnah’s moderate Pakistan. By birth according to the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah Pakistan no doubt a Muslim or Muslim majority state but not an Islamic State. As in a telegraphic message to president Muslim League London on July 7, 1947 Mr. Jinnah expressed:

There remains the far greater task of constructing and building up Pakistan which will require every ounce of our energy, but by the Grace of God we shall build up this new greatest Muslim sovereign State in the world with complete unity, discipline and faith.

On July 14, 1947 he assured the protection of non-Muslims (minorities) within Pakistan. He wanted to decorate non-Muslim communities with the equal social and political rights. He said that:

Minorities to whichever community they may belong, will be safeguarded their religion or faith or belief will be secure. There will be no interference of any kind with their freedom of worship…they will have their rights and privileges ad no doubt along with it goes the obligation of citizenship…

Mr. Jinnah issued a statement on August 24, 1947 which is reflecting his concerns with the issues of Muslim minority living particularly in East Punjab. He said:

I have been watching with increasing grief and concern the orgies of violence in the Eastern Punjab, which have taken such a heavy toll of Muslim lives and inflicted indescribable tragedies on hundreds of thousands of Muslims…Pakistan should be kept absolutely free from disorder, because the outbreak of lawlessness at this initial stage is bound to shake its newly-laid foundations and cause irreparable damage to this future…

But regrettably, today’s Pakistan has been overlooked the dream of Mr. Jinnah and his visionary directions and tragically touching particularly the limits of religious extremism. In Pakistan, clerics are mistreating the non-Muslims and tiny communities and also harming the true face of Islam which is peace and harmony. Different religious clutches are involved to occupying his properties and businesses of non-Muslims; Mullah’s are interfering in the religious practices of non-Muslims. Tiny communities are facing huge exploitation socially, politically and economically. Particularly Ahmadis are the soft target for the radicalised groups. They were not allowed to do Qurbani on Eid as well. They cannot practised respective believes and facing enormous social and religious discrimination.   This is entirely against the vision of Mr. Jinnah the first Governor General and the founding father of Pakistan.