PAK INDEPENDENCE DAY: Corrupt Politicians Disappointed The Nation, Hurt The Country.

Remembering Aug. 14:

Pakistan Independence Day

Corrupt Politicians

Disappointed The Nation,

Hurt The Country.

(M. Javed Naseem)

Pakistan celebrated 71 years of independence this month (14^th August). There is a mixed balance sheet of gains and losses on the economic front. On the political front, it’s only anger and reaction, while on the emotional front it’s too much of hurt, pain and frustration. Generally, the overall development is marred by corruption and inefficiency or incompetence.

Golden Era of Pakistan:

Looking back, 1960’s was the golden era of Pakistan in all fields. After 1970, the graph went downwards. When I left Pakistan in 1969 for Germany, I purchased US Dollars from the State Bank of Pakistan, Lahore, at the rate of Rs.4.75 per dollar. Yes! I repeat: Pak Rs.4.75 to a dollar. And today? I am ashamed to mention it that it has been around Rs.100.oo (more or less) for many years.

When I traveled to Europe with Green Copy (Pakistan passport) and I felt so happy and special that I did not require any visa for any European country, except the Communist Bulgaria and Switzerland. But even in Bulgaria, I was granted visa at the port of entry for $5.00 fee. The only other visa I needed was of Afghanistan. Europe was so friendly and welcoming for Pakistanis. Those days, Pakistan was a like a brand name!

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In my Pakistan, US Dollar was worth Rs.4.75,

British Pound was worth Rs.9.50, Sugar was

Rs.1.50 per kg (ser), Butter Oil (Desi Ghee)

was Rs.4.50 per kg/ser, Daal Chana was Rs.0.50

per kg/ser, Milk was Rs.0.50 per Litre/ser,

Yoghurt was Rs.0.75 per kg/ser, Tandoori

Roti was Rs.0.10 per loaf (Rs.0.25 in the 1970s).

No visa for 90% of the West European countries!

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In New York city, I met an American lady doctor, an eye specialist. She told me she had fond memories of Pakistan as she got her professional medical training and internship in a Pakistani hospital in the cornea transplant surgery.

Pakistan Helped Japan:

Sir Zafar Ullah Khan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister, was the first Asian at the time to preside over the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice. He supported the application of Japan for entry into the United Nations. Few would know that the only Head of State ever to be received at the airport by the Emperor of Japan, Hirohito himself, was the President of Pakistan, Ayub Khan.

When the Japanese peace treaty was signed at San Francisco in 1951, Pakistan was described as the ‘Tower of Strength’ by the U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.

Japan partnered with Pakistan in their initial growth seeking supplier's credit from Pakistan. Pakistan played a significant role during 1947-51 in lifting the Occupation and restoration of Japan's sovereignty. Pakistan waived off war reparations to Japan to help build its economy.

After the Second World War, Japan was in shambles as its economy was destroyed. Pakistan came to the forefront again and shipped 60,000 tons of rice to Japan in the 1950’s to meet the acute shortage of food in Japan caused by the war. The shipment read: ‘Donated Rice to the Emperor of Japan by the Government of Pakistan’.

Pakistan Helped Germany:

By 1953, Germany also had debts based on reconstruction loans made immediately after the end of the Second World War. Germany’s creditors included Greece, Spain, Pakistan and Egypt, as well as the US, UK and France.

In 1963, under President Ayub Khan, Pakistan dished out Rs120 million loan to Germany, the largest European economy today, for a period of 20 years. At that time, the parity of the then Deutsche Mark was below the Pakistani Rupee. As per the Gazette notification of Pakistan in the 1950’s, the value of British Pound Sterling was Rs.9.50, US $3.50 and with all European currencies below par with even German Mark at Pak Rs.0.75. Pakistan was one of the strongest economies of the world. Pakistan's economy in the 1950s and 1960s was amongst the fastest growing in the world and the most recognized in Asia.

Pakistan Helped South Korea:

The war-torn South Korea consulted Pakistan and it was the Planning Commission of Pakistan with Dr. Mahboob-ul Haq, which helped them with their development plans. South Korea is now one of the world’s largest economies.

Pakistan Helped U.A.Emirates:

Pakistan helped the desert Emirates (the old Gulf States) with construction of its infra-structure and establishing an airline (Emirates Airlines). Its first flight was from Dubai to Karachi.

Pakistan Helped Many Countries:

Pakistan helped Malaysia too when the constitutional experts from Pakistan extended their assistance in preparing the Malaysian constitution. Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and other countries in the region, all looked up to Pakistan for cooperation in different fields ranging from economic to defense collaboration.

Pakistan’s educational institutions and universities were held in high esteem by all Asian, African, Middle Eastern and even European countries. Egyptians, Indonesians, Iranians, Arabian and African students considered themselves very honored to get admission into Pakistani universities.

That was my Pakistan and I miss it. I doubt if any present leader is capable of bringing back its lost glory to Pakistan. Now, Pakistan is occupied by the hypocrites (Munafiqeen) who call the corrupt, dishonest and anti-Islam politicians ‘Shaheed’. They are getting the kind of leaders they deserve!

A Lesson of History For

Dishonest Pakistani Politicians

And The Ignorant Masses!

Learn To Appreciate Pakistan!

Today, on the 71^st anniversary, Pakistan should be analyzing its achievements and failures (gains and losses). It is accountability time again. But when I look back, it hurts too much. So, instead of going through the painful analysis again, I have decided to remind all Pakistanis of the goals Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had mentioned in his speech to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, on 11^th of August, 1947. See for yourself what you still need to do to achieve those goals, and make Pakistan a great country. Let’s hope that we learn lessons from our past mistakes and march on the right path to make this country a model Islamic state.

Excerpts From The Speech of

M. A. Jinnah To The Pak Constituent Assembly:

The Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, said:

“The Constituent Assembly has got two main functions to perform. The first is the very onerous and responsible task of framing the future constitution of Pakistan and the second of functioning as a full and complete sovereign body as the Federal Legislature of Pakistan.”

Legislation, Law & Order:

“Dealing with our first function in this Assembly, I cannot make any well-considered pronouncement at this moment, but I shall say a few things as they occur to me. The first and the foremost thing that I would like to emphasize is this:

Remember that you are now a sovereign legislative body and you have got all the powers. It therefore places on you the gravest responsibility as to how you should take your decisions. The first observation that I would like to make is this: You will no doubt agree with me that the first duty of a government is to maintain law and order, so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the State.”

Corruption & Bribery:

“The second thing that occurs to me is this: One of the biggest curses from which India is suffering – I do not say that other countries are free from it, but I think our condition is much worse – is bribery and corruption. That really is a poison. We must put that down with an iron hand, and I hope that you will take adequate measures as soon as it is possible for this Assembly to do so.”

Black-marketing & Hoarding:

“Black-marketing is another curse. Well, I know that black-marketers are frequently caught and punished. Judicial sentences are passed, or sometimes fines only are imposed. Now you have to tackle this monster, which today is a colossal crime against society, in our distressed conditions, when we constantly face shortage of food and other essential commodities of life. A citizen who does black-marketing commits, I think, a greater crime than the biggest and most grievous of crimes. These black-marketers are really knowing, intelligent, and ordinarily responsible people, and when they indulge in black-marketing, I think they ought to be very severely punished, because they undermine the entire system of control and regulation of foodstuffs and essential commodities, and cause wholesale starvation and want and even death.”

Nepotism & Jobbery:

“The next thing that strikes me is this: Here again it is a legacy which has been passed on to us. Along with many other things, good and bad, has arrived this great evil -- the evil of nepotism and jobbery. I want to make it quite clear that I shall never tolerate any kind of jobbery (i.e., corrupt employment practices), nepotism, or any influence directly or indirectly brought to bear upon me. Whenever I will find that such a practice is in vogue or is continuing anywhere, low or high, I shall certainly not countenance it.”

Two-Nation Partition:

“I know there are people who do not quite agree with the division of India and the partition of the Punjab and Bengal. Much has been said against it, but now that it has been accepted, it is the duty of every one of us to loyally abide by it and honorably act according to the agreement which is now final and binding on all. But you must remember, as I have said, that this mighty revolution that has taken place is unprecedented.”

“One can quite understand the feeling that exists between the two communities wherever one community is in majority and the other is in minority. But the question is, whether it was possible or practicable to act otherwise than what has been done. A division had to take place. On both sides, in Hindustan and Pakistan, there are sections of people who may not agree with it, who may not like it; but in my judgment there was no other solution, and I am sure future history will record its verdict in favor of it. And what is more, it will be proved by actual experience as we go on that that was the only solution of India's constitutional problem.”

“Any idea of a united India could never have worked, and in my judgment it would have led us to terrific disaster. Maybe that view is correct; maybe it is not; that remains to be seen. All the same, in this division it was impossible to avoid the question of minorities being in one dominion or the other. Now that was unavoidable. There is no other solution. Now what shall we do? Now, if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor. If you will work in co-operation, forgetting the past, burying the hatchet, you are bound to succeed. If you change your past and work together in a spirit that every one of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his color, caste, or creed, is first, second, and last a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges, and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make.”

Minorities’ Rights:

“I cannot emphasize it too much. We should begin to work in that spirit, and in course of time all these angularities of the majority and minority communities, the Hindu community and the Muslim community -- because even as regards Muslims you have Pathans, Punjabis, Shias, Sunnis and so on, and among the Hindus you have Brahmins, Vashnavas, Khatris, also Bengalees, Madrasis and so on -- will vanish. Indeed if you ask me, this has been the biggest hindrance in the way of India to attain the freedom and independence, and but for this we would have been free people long ago.”

One Free Nation:

“No power can hold another nation, and specially a nation of 400 million souls, in subjection; nobody could have conquered you, and even if it had happened, nobody could have continued its hold on you for any length of time, but for this. Therefore, we must learn a lesson from this. You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed -- that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

“We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle: that we are all citizens, and equal citizens, of one State.”

“Now I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal, and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus, and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.”

“Well, gentlemen, I do not wish to take up any more of your time; and thank you again for the honor you have done to me. I shall always be guided by the principles of justice and fair play without any, as is put in the political language, prejudice or ill-will; in other words, partiality or favoritism. My guiding principle will be justice and complete impartiality, and I am sure that with your support and co-operation, I can look forward to Pakistan becoming one of the greatest Nations of the world.”

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