I am glad Quaid did not live to see all this.

                ‘I am glad Quaid did not live to see all this.’

                                 By Zafar Sultan

Fatima Jinnah, screamed this sentence whilecommenting on the situation of Pakistan in 1956. She lamented that dream which prompted Muslims of Indiaand Quaid e Azam to sacrifice and  create Pakistan did not  materialize. The precarity prevailing in that era hurt her deep, forcing her to utter the sentence that Quaid did not live to witness the destruction of Pakistan at the hands of incompetent, power and wealth hungry civil-mil leadership.

Miss Jinnah also reiterated that Quaid e Azam made Pakistan for hardworking people, not for beggars. She asserted that while kneeling before any country, we must feel ashamed. She also lambasted the people, especially at the helm of affairs, who tell lies and befool the people. She avowed that if a societybecomes greedy, it descends to a level of animals: it is bound to sink and perish eventually.

One wonders, if she were alive today, she would certainly feel entirely heartbroken at the economic situation of Pakistan. The present government virtually prostrated before the IMF, begging for a few billion dollars. Whereas, the ministers, government officials (both civil and military), judges, bureaucrats, all spend lavishly on the money taken from loan, draining the national kitty.

Fatimah’s memories and saying were (thankfully) recorded by Sorayya Khurshid, wife of Khurshid Hassan, the secretory to Quaid e Azam. Fatima Jinnah would call Khurshid his son and hosted him and his wife in Flag Staff House, Karachi. Her observations teachings are as relevant as they were in late 50s. Her visionary remarks seem to aptly describe the contemporary circumstances Pakistan has been passing through.

She observed that hunger for wealth and power leads to downfall of nations .She wondered how her countrymen have become self-centered ,even forgetting that if there is no country, where their wealth would go. If we look at the current situation of Pakistan, we see that three family parties backed by very strong backers are ruling the country for decades, amassing   property and assets in Dubai, London. France, the US, Australia, Belgium and elsewhere.

In this context, it is significant to mention here that Fatima once very candidly asserted that unfortunately those people are ruling Pakistan who did not contribute to the struggle of Pakistan that is while they cannotrealize the value and significance of Pakistan. Seeing from this perspective, it is amply evident that neither any military leader, nor from Bhutto, Zardari, Shrieffamily and family of Molvi Fazal Rehman participated in freedom moment,but they are ruling the county for the decades .And the result is in front of us all: erosion of moral values, absence of rule of law, uncertainty,turmoil, political and economic de–stability in Pakistan.

In 1965, when Ayub Khan announced the presidential elections, Fatimah Jinnah was nominated by five party collation ,Combined Opposition Parties (COP)as their joint candidate against General Ayub Khan. Following it, Fatima travelled widely, addressing massive public gatherings. To scorn her, Ayub Khan called her a traitor and Zulfiqar shamed her, saying that why did not she get married. Another leader, Ghulam Dastgir Khan,disparaged her hanging  a tablet around neck of a bitch.

During her campaign, Fatima expressed deep apprehension at the fact that Ayub Khan would use state machinery to harass the Basic Democrats and rig the elections. When Sorayya Khurshid consoled her that nation is with her, she responded angrily. “Whichpeople: those who can be purchased. Their faith is weak. Not many would stand their grounds when time came.’’

And her fears proved to be wrong. On 2 January Sister of Quaid e Azam lost against the dictator .Ayub Khan grabbed 51000 votes, whereas, Fatima Jinnah won 29000 votes. Ayub Khan, using military establishment, won against Fatima Jinnah but defeated Pakistan, thereby paved a way to dismantle Pakistan, whicheventuated in 1971.

Nowadays, Pakistan is passing through the most precarious time. The family coalition backed by strong establishment has muzzled media. They are openly and brazenly defying the constitution, the orders of the high courts and even the Supreme Court. Even a couple of judges of the higher courts have reported to have shed tears, seeing their orders being blatantly flouted. It seems as though the rule of law has evaporated from our country.  

In AJK, Zardari, Shriefs and their backers toppled the PTI government .Following it, The PPP has stolen the mayorship from Jamat e Islami from Karachi despite its clear majority. Now the same unholy game is being played in Gilgit Baltistan to rob people of their genuinerule to governance. These ignominiously vile actions have strained relations among provinces, furtherweakening the already fragile federation. Besides, they a have enfeebled the case for Kashmir in front of global community. It has happened for the first time that international human rights organizations have expressed deep concern over gross human rights violations in Pakistan. These episodes would keep on haunting Pakistan at the international for a for long time. But it seems the maddening drive for wealth and power has rendered the civ-mil military totally visionless.

While greed, chaos, family and institutional egoism is ruling Pakistan, the international forces are busy in KPK and Baluchistan, raging global game, martyring jawans and officers almost on a regular basis. Is there a way out? Can we learn any lessons Fatima Jinnah, while commemorating her death anniversary on 9 July? If Quaid were alive today, he would certainly feel distraught and agonized, witnessing the remaining Pakistan in the grip of chaos, being eaten away by family parties like parasites.