Follow in footsteps of Quaid

Citizens who as growing children participated in struggle for Pakistan now exhort educated youths to follow in the footsteps of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and unite for a welfare state.

“That was in fact the vision of millions: thousands sacrificed their life and property for the great cause.”

“God helps those who help themselves; we’re with you,” that’s how such city elders encourage the youths and inculcate sense of responsibility and self-reliance. But the curious young boys ask why that ideal hasn’t been achieved so far, and why the common man is in search of socio-economic justice?

The youths have to be told that Pakistan’s founder had never wanted a state ruled by landlords and capitalists “who flourish at the expense of masses by a vicious and wicked system which makes them selfish”.

The Quaid pointed out he had visited villages: there’re millions of our people who hardly get one meal a day; greed and selfishness have made such elements subordinate to the interests of others in order to fatten themselves. He couldn’t help saying: “If that’s the idea of Pakistan I won’t have it.”

The Quaid believed in peace and prosperity and well-equipped defence of the homeland. The task may look gigantic, but that’s certainly not beyond accomplishment provided we get united with iron determination to translate the dream.

For that, as true Muslims, we’ll have to zealously guard and preserve our unity; we’ll have to think of ourselves as Pakistanis first, not Punjabis, Sindhis, Balochs and Pakhtuns and so on. And as such we must feel, behave and act in the national interest.

Necessity is the mother of invention and law demands we must do something without loss of time to save the country and make it a welfare state where people do not die of hunger and poverty and disease.

Urgently needed in this context is united effort to end corruption at every level. Worth appreciation is the example set by the former Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif for his successors and the civilian administration which is not unconscious of the fact.

One can say frankly the prime minister hasn’t slept over people’s demand for electricity at affordable price. That’s why he has more than once explained how he is determined to resolve the energy crisis in the interests of the people. “All development and progress depends upon electricity.”

One is sure he remembers the Quaid’s broadcast to the people of USA: “We believe in the principle of honesty and fair play in national and international dealings”.

The father of the nation made it clear that Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending its material and moral support to the oppressed and suppressed peoples of the world and in upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter.

It was a heartening moment when the prime minister espoused the cause of the people of Kashmir forcibly occupied by India at the world body. Pakistani and Kashmiri youths are waiting for the day he will visit the forward locations on Line of Control along with the new COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the wake of Indian aggression.

The message with befitting response remains the same: we want peace.

zasarwar@hotmail.com