Pakistan's Motto: Ittehad, Tanzim and Yaqeen-e-Mukham
ON DECEMBER 29th, 1930, Allama Iqbal’s presidential address in a Muslim League convention called for an autonomous “state in northwestern India for Indian Muslims, within the body politic of India.”
In the year 1934 Chaudhri Rehmat Ali published a pamphlet, “Now or Never” in which he coined the name “Pakistan” for the proposed autonomous state for Muslims. Muhammad Ali Jinnah put forth the Two Nation Theory and led the Muslim League to adopt the Lahore Resolution of 1940 (popularly known as the Pakistan Resolution).
Under the pressure of “Direct Action” of Jinnah and “Indirect Actions” of the British, Pakistan was born on 14 Aug. 1947. India was partitioned on communal basis.
In 712 AD, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab. The Pakistan’s history of the country states that “foundation of Pakistan was laid” as a result of this invasion. This statement from their official history very appropriately sums up the typical mentality of Pakistan perceiving itself as a reaction to the Indian state.
This perception has pitted Pakistan time and again against India as a competitor and rival. When India conducted nuclear tests in 1974. the then Prime minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said, “If India acquires nuclear power Pakistan will put every effort possible to acquire the same at any cost. Even if the entire country has to feed on grass we will go for it.”
Pakistan became Islamic Jamhuriyah Pakistan (Islamic Republic of Pakistan) on 23 March 1956 with Islam as its official religion and with a motto of “Ittehad, Tanzim, Yaqeene-Muhkam”. Literally these words mean unity, discipline and faith respectively. The objective of this essay is to analyze to what extent Pakistan has been able to do justice to its State motto.
lttehad (Unity)
Pakistan was founded as a sanctuary for Indian Muslims. Yet it failed to fully absorb and accept the Muslims that migrated from India. The discrimination against Mohajirs (as the Indian Muslims that migrated to Pakistan are called) is still prevalent. Migrated Muslims are still struggling to get equal status under the aegis of Mohajir Quami Movement (it has rechristened itself as a political party with the name of Muttahida Qaumi Movement).
It is not uncommon to notice wall graffities in the Sindh region of Pakistan, where the Mohajir movement was strongest, reading Na Khape Pakistan (Pakistan is not Acceptable). Except the Punjab region all provinces of Pakistan see themselves as colonies of Punjab, exploited by the ruling class, majority of which comes from the Punjab region.
Tanzim (Discipline)
Volumes can be written on how undisciplined every organ of the state machinery of Pakistan is. Even the President and the Chief Justice of the country has publicly shown their displeasure with each other on several occasions. Looking at the history of “independent” Pakistan it can be very easily concluded that the civilian authority of Pakistan has always been at the mercy of the Army.
Many of the misadventures, some of which had even led to war with India, were planed and executed by the Pakistani Army keeping the civilian authority under complete dark. Such a disciplined army of a State having Tanzim as part of their official motto!
Yeqeen-e-Muhkam (Faith)
By building the State of Pakistan on the Two Nation Theory Jinnah gave birth to a Satan that was well nourished by the succeeding rulers of Pakistan as it was quite useful for them. But after 9/11 the Satan, which was at the service of the Pakistani establishment, got out of their hold and has turned its ruinous gaze towards its earlier masters.
The driving potential of this Satan is certainly not ‘faith’ in Islam but it is a ‘fanaticism’ as followed by Qasim and other invaders. The word ‘Pakistan’ meant the ‘Land of Pure’ in Urdu or Persian, but it proved to be a ‘Land of Pure Fanaticism’n.
The awaam of Pakistan have lost faith in the State of Pakistan and may be even in the very reason of its formation. The silent majority is made to pay for the sins of fanatics. It is never too late to correct certain historical follies committed by the “founding fathers” of our country that gave birth to Pakistan.
In the year 1934 Chaudhri Rehmat Ali published a pamphlet, “Now or Never” in which he coined the name “Pakistan” for the proposed autonomous state for Muslims. Muhammad Ali Jinnah put forth the Two Nation Theory and led the Muslim League to adopt the Lahore Resolution of 1940 (popularly known as the Pakistan Resolution).
Under the pressure of “Direct Action” of Jinnah and “Indirect Actions” of the British, Pakistan was born on 14 Aug. 1947. India was partitioned on communal basis.
In 712 AD, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab. The Pakistan’s history of the country states that “foundation of Pakistan was laid” as a result of this invasion. This statement from their official history very appropriately sums up the typical mentality of Pakistan perceiving itself as a reaction to the Indian state.
This perception has pitted Pakistan time and again against India as a competitor and rival. When India conducted nuclear tests in 1974. the then Prime minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said, “If India acquires nuclear power Pakistan will put every effort possible to acquire the same at any cost. Even if the entire country has to feed on grass we will go for it.”
Pakistan became Islamic Jamhuriyah Pakistan (Islamic Republic of Pakistan) on 23 March 1956 with Islam as its official religion and with a motto of “Ittehad, Tanzim, Yaqeene-Muhkam”. Literally these words mean unity, discipline and faith respectively. The objective of this essay is to analyze to what extent Pakistan has been able to do justice to its State motto.
lttehad (Unity)
Pakistan was founded as a sanctuary for Indian Muslims. Yet it failed to fully absorb and accept the Muslims that migrated from India. The discrimination against Mohajirs (as the Indian Muslims that migrated to Pakistan are called) is still prevalent. Migrated Muslims are still struggling to get equal status under the aegis of Mohajir Quami Movement (it has rechristened itself as a political party with the name of Muttahida Qaumi Movement).
It is not uncommon to notice wall graffities in the Sindh region of Pakistan, where the Mohajir movement was strongest, reading Na Khape Pakistan (Pakistan is not Acceptable). Except the Punjab region all provinces of Pakistan see themselves as colonies of Punjab, exploited by the ruling class, majority of which comes from the Punjab region.
Tanzim (Discipline)
Volumes can be written on how undisciplined every organ of the state machinery of Pakistan is. Even the President and the Chief Justice of the country has publicly shown their displeasure with each other on several occasions. Looking at the history of “independent” Pakistan it can be very easily concluded that the civilian authority of Pakistan has always been at the mercy of the Army.
Many of the misadventures, some of which had even led to war with India, were planed and executed by the Pakistani Army keeping the civilian authority under complete dark. Such a disciplined army of a State having Tanzim as part of their official motto!
Yeqeen-e-Muhkam (Faith)
By building the State of Pakistan on the Two Nation Theory Jinnah gave birth to a Satan that was well nourished by the succeeding rulers of Pakistan as it was quite useful for them. But after 9/11 the Satan, which was at the service of the Pakistani establishment, got out of their hold and has turned its ruinous gaze towards its earlier masters.
The driving potential of this Satan is certainly not ‘faith’ in Islam but it is a ‘fanaticism’ as followed by Qasim and other invaders. The word ‘Pakistan’ meant the ‘Land of Pure’ in Urdu or Persian, but it proved to be a ‘Land of Pure Fanaticism’n.
The awaam of Pakistan have lost faith in the State of Pakistan and may be even in the very reason of its formation. The silent majority is made to pay for the sins of fanatics. It is never too late to correct certain historical follies committed by the “founding fathers” of our country that gave birth to Pakistan.
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