Maemuna Sadaf
Pakistan day is celebrated as a memoir of Pakistan resolution being passed on 23rd March of 1940. Â Going back to history on this day (23 March) in 1940, Lahore resolution was passed in an annual session of all India Muslim league. For the first time, the idea of two separate nations has been presented. Lahore Resolution is considered as a major milestone in the Muslim struggle for an independent state in undivided India. The roots of struggle for independence of British India can be traced back to 1857 which started off as a rebellion of British East India company soldiers but soon took the shape of freedom struggle. Leaders such as Sir Syed Ahmed Khan worked tirelessly for the political, social and economic uprising of Muslims who were 25% to 35%. Followed by him, many others struggled to gather Muslim in one flag of Muslim league. In later years, Muslim league became the most famous political party of Muslims. For the first time in 1933, it was coined by Choudhry Rahmat Ali, a Pakistan Movement activist, who published it in his pamphlet “Now or Never”, using it as an acronym (“thirty million Muslim brethren who live in PAKSTAN”). Allama Iqbal is accredited for weaving the two nation theory an ideology that eventually made the creation of Pakistan possible. Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah endorsed the idea of two nation and worked for achievement of this dream. Muslim from all over the Indian sub-continent gathered to achieve this goal, even those who knew that the area in which they are living will not be a part of Pakistan.Later on, Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other party leaders unanimously rejected the idea of United India, endorsed the two nation theory and called for a separate homeland. A country where Muslims can spend their lives with full freedom and dignity. Pakistan gained independence from British rule on 14 August 1947. The Lahore resolution is the only text that was discussed and agreed by the leaders of all over the Indian sub-continent. It can be referred as “Father Document” of Pakistan. This resolution has never been published in any Pakistani newspaper. Therefore many of us are not even aware of what was actually purposed of Lahore Resolution. Let’s review this text engraved in Minar-e-Pakistan, the minaret built in Iqbal Park Lahore. It was built as a memoir of annual session of Muslim League in Lahore and Lahore Resolution. Â Interestingly, The Lahore Resolution did not use the name “Pakistan” in the text. As the idea of Pakistan is presented in this resolution, Hindus started using word Pakistan resolution for this resolution as a satire. Later on “Lahore resolution” gained fame by the name of “Pakistan resolution”. Â Pakistan resolution, as it is called now, is a brief but comprehensive declaration of five paragraphs. In paragraph three, essentially purposes of the creation of “independent states” in Muslim majority areas of sub-continent under British rule. The paragraph four of this Resolution instructs that the constitutional “safeguards” should be enacted to protect the minorities in these “regions” as well the Muslims who are a minority in other parts of India. Paragraph five tasks the working committee to start working in a “scheme of constitution” for all the purposed” regions (states). The resolution consequently offered a new course of action of Muslims of British India as compared to Muslim league position adopted on constitutional and political issues in the past. After Lahore Resolution passed, freedom movement took a great pace and within seven years the destiny of a separate state has been achieved. Today Pakistan is not a dream; it has carved into a reality. Once a strategy, it became the only destiny for over 200 million people. Â Pakistan day celebrations recall the entire struggle in achieving freedom. But celebrating Pakistan day is not enough, we should try to protect this homeland from destruction and deprecate. We have to stand against all such people who are violating the sovereignty of Pakistan and making lives of common people hell. We must know our friends and enemies. We should serve this country and die for the higher purpose. We all are the ambassadors of the country. In the world, no one is remembered by his name but by the name of the country.Concluding more, 23 March “Pakistan day” is a day of covenant faithfulness for the country which was created in the name of Islam. It is the day which evokes us to implement Islam with true spirit in the country. To keep Pakistan proud, Pakistanis should work in such a way that the coming generations proud on us.