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Thursday March 28, 2024

‘Dreams, vision of Quaid and Iqbal still unfulfilled’

By Rasheed Khalid
August 16, 2018

Islamabad : Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik, former Director, National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, has said that Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azad Mohammad Ail Jinnah throughout their struggle in Pakistan Movement envisioned an inclusive, progressive and tolerant state, where every citizen shall have equal rights regardless of caste, creed, language and faith.

Prof Malik was delivering a lecture here on ‘Pakistan’s 71 years of independence: envisaging future’ organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Prof Malik said that there had been a fundamental difference between the founders of Pakistan and the then clergy on very creation of the homeland for the Muslims of sub-continent. He said that the then clergy opposed the creation of Pakistan. He said the youth now should learn history of Pakistan to reach the real truth. “Though after a long struggle we have acquired a piece of land, but the dreams and vision of Quaid and Iqbal could not be fulfilled even after 71 years of independence,” he added. He regretted we had chosen the wrong path after assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan which led to slavery of the United States of America. He said that amid political instability we now need a leadership which could follow the correct path of Pakistan Movement and steer the country towards prosperity and an inclusive and democratic Pakistan.

He said that the debate on Islam or secular state is largely misguided. He said that we should instead learn and understand the 1946 manifesto of All India Muslim League, which would enlighten us about the Quaid’s vision of Pakistan. He advised to strive and struggle for real Pakistan as envisioned by Iqbal and Quaid.