(Asghar Ali Mubarak)
Lahore (TNS) Pakistan Day “Renewal of Pakistan’s Era is a Day of National Unity. It is a great historical occasion that this year Pakistan Day is on Shab-e-Miraj.
It should be remembered that on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day, 14 August 1947 was also Shab-e-Miraj. The Muslim League is the founding party of Pakistan.“March 23, 1940 is the day when the formal movement for the establishment of Pakistan started in the subcontinent and that is why this day is also called Pakistan Day on this occasion. On March 23, 1940, a resolution was passed in the annual session of the Muslim League in Lahore, through which it was decided to establish a separate homeland for Muslims and after that the achievement of Pakistan was completed in just seven years. On March 23, 1940, the annual meeting of the Muslim League was held in Lahore, which was presided over by Quaid-e-Azam. In this meeting, a resolution presented by Sher Bengal Maulvi Fazl-ul-Haq was approved, which demanded a separate homeland for Muslims in the Muslim-majority areas of the subcontinent. This resolution was approved by the Majlis-e-Shura of the Muslim League and more than one lakh people from all parts of India. Because this resolution was presented at the place where Minar-e-Pakistan is located today, it was accordingly named the Lahore Resolution, but later, when Congress leaders ridiculed it and called it the Pakistan Resolution, it came to be known by that name. After the Pakistan Resolution was passed, this resolution not only became a part of the constitution of the Muslim League in 1941, but on its basis, seven years later, our beloved country came into existence on the map of the world. On this historic occasion, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, while delivering a speech at the session of the Muslim League, gave a clear message to the British occupying the subcontinent that the problem of India is not a communal or local problem, but it is a global problem and it should be solved in this sense because unless the units living in the subcontinent are taken into account, no law or constitution can be successful in this subcontinent. Because the Congress had the view that there is only one nation living in the subcontinent and they are Hindus, Quaid-e-Azam said that Muslims are a separate nation by every definition of the word nation and in this sense they should have their own separate homeland, their own region and their own state where they can live as they wish. Hazrat Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said on this occasion that we want to live in peace and harmony with our neighbors as a free and independent nation. Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations that have their own unique religion, civilization, philosophy, social and political system. Therefore, we want to be completely independent in religious, spiritual, cultural and political, economic and social terms. And Hindus and Muslims live like two peaceful neighbors. We cannot tolerate a constitution that makes the permanent majority the ruler. Therefore, there is no other option but for the two great nations of India to divide themselves into two sovereign states. The Quaid-e-Azam, taking the Pakistan Resolution as a basis, demanded the division of the country according to the two-nation theory. On the other hand, the entire central leadership of the Congress, including Gandhi and Nehru, was of the opinion that only one nation had settled in the subcontinent and that was the Indian nation. However, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah made it clear with arguments that there was not one nation but two nations in the subcontinent and the second nation was the Muslims of India. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah replied to the opponents of Pakistan that the foundation of Pakistan was laid on the very day when Muslims set foot in the subcontinent and the first person became a Muslim. My ancestors had achieved this country with great difficulties and sacrifices. Since the Pakistan Resolution is also called Pakistan Day and this is the day on which the formal process of achieving Pakistan began, and then the world saw that in a short period of just seven years, All India Muslims under the leadership of Hazrat Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah not only made it possible to achieve Pakistan but also laid a path for it. What law will be enforced on the country? What is the constitution of this country? And this day reminds us that our elders made it possible to achieve a separate country in a short period of seven years, keeping in mind the principles of faith, unity and organization. It is our duty to pledge on this day that we will do whatever is possible for the stability of Pakistan and will definitely play our role in putting this country on the path of development. And this is the lesson of Pakistan Day that if our elders had achieved this country from the clutches of the British and Hindus in a short period of time, then surely if we too are determined, then it will not be difficult for us to get out of the difficult situations that the country is currently facing. On the occasion of this day, every year on March 23, on the occasion of Pakistan Day, the three armed forces of Pakistan, besides the land, navy and air force, strategic forces, demonstrate their military might in front of the public in an extraordinary manner. The main purpose of organizing a parade on the occasion of Pakistan Day is to send a message to the people of Pakistan, including the world, that now we are fighting terrorists and They have had their bad days fighting militants. On March 23, 1940, the annual session of the Muslim League passed a resolution for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, which was later named the Pakistan Resolution. The proceedings of the annual session of the All India Muslim League began on March 22, 1940. Nawab Mamdot delivered the inaugural address as the head of the reception committee. The Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, delivered a long speech on the occasion. With this, the proceedings of the day came to an end. The proceedings of the session on March 23, 1940 began at 3 pm. Maulvi Fazl Haq of Bengal presented the Lahore Resolution and spoke in support of it. The Pakistan Resolution was a historic expression of the belief in the two-nation theory of the Muslims of Pakistan and India. According to the resolution, the federal scheme under the laws framed under the Government of India Act, 1935 was declared to be impracticable and unsuitable for the Muslims of the subcontinent. The Muslims of the Indian subcontinent would not be satisfied until the complete constitutional scheme was revised afresh and that any revised scheme would be acceptable to the Muslims only if it was formulated with the full approval and consensus of the Muslims. The resolution also decided that it was the accepted view of the All India Muslim League that no constitutional scheme would be acceptable in this country until the territorial delimitation of geographically contiguous units was done and their constitutional formation was done in such a way that the areas in which the Muslims were numerically in the majority were grouped into independent states, and these units thus formed would be completely independent and autonomous. An important demand of the Pakistan Resolution was that in areas where Muslims are in the minority, they should be given full rights and powers under the Constitution, because the current constitution of the subcontinent does not fulfill the rights of Muslims nor does it provide them with protection, so the Muslims of the subcontinent will not accept it. This resolution was strongly supported by Muslims all over India. The Urdu translation of this resolution was done by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan. In April 1941, the Lahore Resolution was included in the constitution of the Muslim League in Madras and the Pakistan movement was started on its basis. On the occasion of Pakistan Day, the Department of Islamic Thought and Culture, Department of Arabic and Department of Pakistan Studies of the National University of Modern Languages jointly organized a thought-provoking conference “Renewal of the Pledge of Pakistan”. The aim of this conference was to renew national unity and resolve in accordance with the vision of the founders of Pakistan. Renowned academic and intellectual figures Professor Khurshid Nadeem, Chairman Rehmatul-ul-Alameen Authority, Dr. Khalid Rehman, Chairman Institute of Policy Studies, and Professor Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Director General, Islamic Research Center, International Islamic University) attended as special guests, while the event was presided over by the Rector of NUML, Major General (Retd) Shahid Mahmood Kiani. Professor Khurshid Nadeem, while addressing, highlighted the importance of Pakistan’s presence in the holy month of Ramadan and called it an opportunity for self-accountability and renewal of the pledge. He urged the youth to think and pray for the development of Pakistan, just as our forefathers struggled for freedom. He stressed the need for unity, saying that although there are differences and challenges among us, we must maintain Pakistan as a united country. He also stressed on the promotion of true democracy and the end of hereditary politics. In his address on the occasion, Dr. Khalid Rehman highlighted the dangers of fake news and digital extremism and urged the public to focus on the country’s strengths and avoid negative propaganda. He stressed the need to highlight the positive image of Pakistan and strengthen the national narrative. Addressing the conference, Prof. Dr. Zia-ul-Haq highlighted the journey of Pakistan’s development and decline and stressed the need to reflect on why we have lagged behind despite having abundant natural resources and a large number of dynamic youth. He said that there was a time when Bangladesh, Malaysia and India used to learn from Pakistan’s development model, but today the situation is different. He stressed on restoring the national narrative and using the 64 percent youth population for constructive purposes so that hostile forces cannot push them into negative activities. In his address, Rector NUML Major General (Retd) Shahid Mahmood Kayani declared March 23 as a day of renewal of commitment and national commitment. Describing Pakistan as a divine blessing, he said that freedom is a great blessing, which is not available to 200 million Muslims living in India. Stressing on the need to highlight the positive aspects of the country, he said that we are certainly facing challenges, but through national unity and perseverance, we can overcome them. At the end of the ceremony, Rector NUML presented honorary shields and gifts to the distinguished guests in recognition of their valuable services. Since the establishment of Pakistan, the parade of the armed forces of Pakistan has been organized with great determination and independence to highlight the importance of Pakistan Day. The original venue of this parade was previously the Race Course Ground in Rawalpindi, which was later changed and shifted to the Constitution Highway in front of the Parliament House. But between March 2008 and March 2015, this parade was not held on March 23 for seven years. The main reason for this was the daily terrorist incidents in different cities across the country and the security concerns arising from them. During this period, due to the ongoing military operation in the tribal areas, terrorist groups were continuously carrying out terrorist attacks in different cities and areas of Pakistan, but then on Pakistan Day, this parade of the armed forces was held again on March 23, 2015, maintaining its national traditions. For the past six years, this Pakistan Day parade has been held at the Shakarparian Ground located on the highway known as the Islamabad Expressway. The holding of this military parade not only boosts the morale of our soldiers, but also highlights the historical significance of March 23 among the new generation. Along with the great spirit of love and brotherhood for our brave and hardworking soldiers, prayers spontaneously arise for their success, may Allah Almighty grant them success and victory on every war front, Amen.
