The nation is celebrating yet another Pakistan Resolution Day on 23rd March, which is a very momentous day in Pakistan's history. The Pakistanis commemorate the day every year as a real day of the "making of Pakistan" when a historic Resolution - widely known as Lahore Resolution was passed.
The Resolution, moved by Maulvi Fazlul Haq and seconded by Chaudhry Khaliquz Zaman paved the way for creation of an independent Muslim State. The passing of the Lahore Resolution, which was dubbed by the Hindu and the British Press as 'The Pakistan Resolution', ended in a great hue and cry in the Hindu, Sikh and British circles.
One of the major impacts of the resolution was that under the leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah not only it did stimulate the Muslim middle class to unprecedented political action but also it caught the imagination of the people of all classes of Muslim community.
It was the resolution, which made the Muslims of India discern their own destiny and spelled out their destination and itinerary of action for a separate homeland and Muslim-State. The resolution not only injected new blood into the veins of Indian Muslims to speed up their struggle to their destiny but also rejuvenated heir slow-down political activity for self-determination in the areas where they made a numerical majority.
The background to the Pakistan Resolution is that in 1937 provincial autonomy was introduced in the sub-continent under the Government of India Act. 1935. The elections of 1937 provided the Congress with a majority in six provinces, where Congress governments were formed.
This led to political, social, economic and cultural suppression of the Muslims in the Congress-ruled provinces. The animosity shown by the Hindus to the Muslims and their own experience of two-and-a-half year Congress rule strengthened the Muslims belief in their separate nationality. The discriminatory attitude coupled with attempts by the Hindu-dominated Congress to suppress the Muslims impelled the Muslims to finally demand a separate sovereign State for the Muslims.
Hence, 23rd March is a special day of much significance. This is a day when the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of sub-continent was openly demanded as Pakistan. But in present times, for most of us, it passes off without so much as a thought regarding the importance of this day. Unless some drastic efforts are made, this day will be forgotten by the future generations.
As time passes, the necessity of highlighting the importance of this momentous and vital day gets more significant.
It is not too late even now. We can still generate the spirit that was present in the hearts of Muslims of the sub-continent on that fateful 23rd March 1940.
Keeping in mind the untold sacrifices of the Muslim men, women, youths and children, certainly it is not 'just another day' in our lives as many people find this day especially boring: Except for listening to monotonous speeches, watching a symbolic armed forces' parade and national songs on television. What should be the true spirit of 23rd March? But, unluckily, as a nation we have not been able to keep the spirit of this day alive and fail to remind ourselves as to why we demanded a separate homeland when we could have very well lived with the Hindus and Sikhs.
23rd March is a day, which ignited the lights in the hearts and souls of the oppressed Muslim people of the sub-continent. The need of the hour is to remember the message of the Quaid today, which told them that they had "to use their brains and not muscles that knowledge is the power to play with the British and Hindus that they would progress if they stand together and consolidate politically to defeat the oppressor." It is also about reliving the spirit again on the day and making sincere efforts to do something for our country. It means a lot to us all.
The instant one rises up from his seat in honour of those who have done something for Pakistan, it seems like one has also contributed to the country in some way. Maybe a few people will gather at Minar-i-Pakistan and think about times long gone by and forgotten, when the tall structure was not there and the landscape was totally different and a few people stood at that same spot and made a historic decision.
The thing to remember is that 66 years ago, a group of dedicated people decided that they had had enough and decided to put their petty differences aside to stand united for their common interests. "In the life of most Pakistanis, march 23rd is just like another day characterised by usual handshakes and exchange of pleasantries with relatives and associates who do not have even the slightest inkling of the Lahore Resolution. The heart seems to miss a beat. There is a lump in the throat and nostalgia in the air.
The so-called holiday presents a different setting. For some, the winter of despair continues to linger, for others the spring of hope has arrived. "Pakistan Resolution is what 23rd March is all about.
Youth has always been a harbinger to a welcome change and given a proper direction, our youth can easily channelize the passion for its country. Mere lip service cannot instill the spirit of patriotism. It needs to be displayed. It needs to be encouraged. If we can churn out support for our national cricket team when there is no national pride at stake then why not do the same as a nation.
To many, 23rd March is a mere holiday when one can stay an hour or two longer in bed. Except for dashing out to watch the fighter jets swirling in the skies and displaying badges of Pakistani flag there is nothing special about 23rd March. One sees politicians and people from other walks of life appearing on television and expressing their undying love for Pakistani but unfortunately one is unable to relate to them since everyone knows that they are lying.
To get the real essence of the day, it is worth quoting from the Quaid-i-Azam's speech that he had delivered on 23rd March 1940. "We wish our people to develop to the fullest spiritual, cultural, economic, social and political life in a way that we think the best and in consonance with our own ideals and according to the genius of our people."
Ideally it is the sort of day that should motivate people to seriously contemplate and reflect over our lives in a national sense rather than with the myopia of personal and individual evolution. Especially, how far we have treaded on the path of democracy which has been derailed several times, and an uncertain future awaits the nation. How many messiahs will go by and shall we never learn any lesson from history.
To do what some writers call "soul searching" and see how far we have strayed from our original goals, and the glorious vision that brought this country into being in 1947. One realises that in fact the people of Pakistan reflect and ruminate over the state of the nation as well as the state of society on every day of the year. That is the peculiar way things are, and that is how we have deviated from the original vision and objectives of why this country came into being. The way the people suffer makes them lament their lives almost all the time.
While the young neither care nor really know about the struggle for Pakistan, those from that generation who saw it all unfold before their eyes, must surely be wondering about why this country lost half its wing in 1971, and why we seem to have lost track of our vision.
We have all but lost focus after independence. It seems we do not know where to go even now: Look at the demand for changing academic syllabus, a demand that is there all the time; as a result even little school children carry such heavy school bags, which is a torture for them; institutions have failed and basic needs like water, medical care, housing etc remain beyond the reach of the majority. The more we converse on this theme, the more painfully sad it becomes that there was still so much to be initiated. And the inspiration that could drive people together as a strong united force that could combat poverty, diseases and illiteracy, was till missing.
That the spiritual values for which this country came into being had apparently been forgotten or side tracked. We are also a confused people, getting our priorities wrong, and where consensus is so desperately needed it is missing. That we have only paid lip service to the Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and to the poet philosopher Allama Mohammad Iqbal. That all the programmes held to mark this day and other national days are stereotyped in their format and hollow in their content.
There is something repetitive about the meaningless way in which we handle these occasions, like empty rituals. As against this, the enthusiasm shown on lesser occasions like Basant is really amazing! As a matter of fact, Pakistan was supposed to be a progressive and moderate welfare State with equal socio-economic opportunities for all citizens without prejudice to color, cast, creed and faith.
A cursory look at the domestic scenario, however, reveals that the ideological moorings of the nation are being ignored amidst the government's thrust on the economy. Ofcourse, economic development is vital for realisation of the objectives of Pakistan's creation yet to stay the path of progress and survival of the country. But, the commemoration of 23rd March is an expression of the whole nation's resolute determination to preserve her independence.