Imtiaz Essa Halepoto
It was Muhammad Ali Jinnah who had been a symbol of equality, justice and fair play to everybody. Citizens of Pakistan should not forget him, his struggle and his hardwork that he put for Pakistan, and must celebrate his birthday on December 25, every year with Fatiha. Mr Jinnah had, for a sure, sacrificed his life for the cause of freedom of Muslims of Sub-continent. It was he whose struggles caused Pakistan`s birth as an independent-state for those victimed-muslims. Thus it is our responsibility to respect him, to learn about his life and to remember this great leader on his birthday. It was Muhammad Ali Jinnah who feared that India’s Hindu majority were incapable of treating its Muslim minority either justly or fairly. This fear empowered him to fight for freedom and for a separate muslim state. When Jinnah`s dream was materialized, he had been Pakistan’s first governor general and Jinnah insisted on the need for Pakistan always to safeguard minorities: To whichever community they may belong, their religion will be secure. There will be no interference of any kind with their freedom of worship: They will be, in all respects, the citizens of Pakistan without any distinction of caste or creed.” Mr Jinnah told his nation, “Remember that the scrupulous maintenance and enforcement of law and order are the prerequisites of all progress”. “The tenets of Islam enjoin on every Musalman to give protection to his neighbours and to the minorities regardless of caste and creed.” He felt most proud of having “achieved Pakistan without bloody war and practically peacefully by moral and intellectual force and with the power of the pen,” cautioning his followers not “to besmear and tarnish this greatest achievement for which there is no parallel in the history of the world”. Mr Jinnah was not only safeguard for Muslims but he was also a symbol of peace for minorities in Pakistan. Thus we, all Pakistanis, should celebrate his birthday without any distinction of caste, creed and religion.
(-The writer is a freelance columnist, based in Jamshoro, Sindh.)
