Enemy can’t dare harm Pakistan: PM:
LAHORE – Assuring the nation that no one will dare harm the country, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has maintained that Pakistan’s foundation is the Two-Nation Theory, which is running in ‘our veins’, and ‘we will not spare any sacrifice to protect and propagate it to the next generations’.
“My government is working according to the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and we are making efforts to make Pakistan an Islamic, democratic and welfare state. We should not be deterred by the challenges and must stand united to fight these off, as it is a trait of living nations.”
He was addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam on Saturday, which is being constructed by the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust. Upon his arrival, the premier was received by NPT Chairman and TheNation Editor-in-Chief Majid Nizami and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Two children presented him bouquets. Punjab Governor Sardar Lateef Khan Khosa, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, Nawa-i-Waqt Group Deputy Managing Director Rameeza Majid Nizami, NPT Senior Vice-Chairman Begum Majida Wayne NPT Vice-Chairman Prof Dr Rafiq Ahmad, Justice (r) Mian Mehboob Ahmed, Sartaj Aziz, Fasih Iqbal, Begum Afeefa Mamdot, Senator Naeem Hussain Chattha, Begum Bushra Rehman, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, Col (r) Jamshed Tareen, and a large number of gold medallists of the Karkunan-i-Tehreek-i-Pakistan and people from all walks of life attended the function. The proceedings of the ceremony were conducted by NPT Secretary Shahid Rasheed.
Gilani unveiled the plaque of the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam, while architect Kashif Aslam gave a briefing about the salient features of the construction. Also, the premier, Majid Nizami, Shahbaz Sharif, Khosa and Dr Awan dug the ground as a mark of beginning of the construction.
In his address, Gilani said he was honoured to be part of the ceremony, recalling that two years back he had laid the foundation stone of this national project. “I am proud of the fact that I inaugurated the construction of the historical building named after great leader of the 20th century, that is, the Quaid-i-Azam. It makes me more proud since my family’s Syed Zainul Abideen Gilani and my father Syed Alamdar Hussain Gilani were workers of the Quaid, and participated in the historical meeting of the All India Muslim League on March 23, 1940 as soldiers of the Quaid. Later on, they furthered the cause of Pakistan across the Punjab,” he mentioned, adding that the Pakistan Movement was a prime example of a democratic struggle, which foiled the dream of the Hindus and the British to establish their supremacy over the Muslims. “History stands witness that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan demanded a separate representation for the Muslims on the basis that the British parliamentary system was not suitable to the Subcontinent since the Hindu majority would have dominated the Muslim minority permanently. The Quaid also reached the same conclusion, and started his struggle for Pakistan as per the Two Nation Theory to gain independence in 1947,” he observed.
Paying rich tribute to the Quaid-i-Azam, he quoted well-known American historian Stanley Wolpert. “Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”
The premier said the Quaid advocated social justice, and wanted to establish such a society where the rich could not harm the poor, and the big landowners could not exploit the growers. “Pakistan has been created because of the sacrifices of the poor. It is a country of the poor, and they have the right to rule it. The living standard of every person should be raised to such a level where there should be no difference between the poor and the rich,” he quoted the Quaid, while demanding of everyone to take cognizance of the fact that how far we had been successful in materialising Quaid’s vision and thinking.
He mentioned that the Quaid had taught us that great nations resolve their problems courageously. “I believe that instead of worrying about the present crises, we should tackle the situation in accordance with the Quaid’s principles of ‘Faith, Unity and Discipline’. These outline the basic guideline which will lead the nation to progress and prosperity,” he maintained, while assuring the people that no one would dare harm the 7th nuclear power, that is, Pakistan.
While substantiating his reference to crises, he mentioned country’s fight against terrorism. He paid tributes to brave officers, soldiers and people who sacrificed their lives for the country. “A nation cannot be defeated whose people take a pride in sacrificing their lives for their fellow beings. We will bring peace to Pakistan, and make it a hell for terrorists,” he pledged.
Gilani appreciated Majid Nizami and lauded his efforts for initiating the project of the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam. “He (Nizami) is a source of inspiration and strength for the Pakistanis, and he wants to see the country progressing as per the vision of the Quaid and Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He has never let the ideological basis of Pakistan go weak. We are all with you (Nizami) in this mission,” he assured, while felicitating Nizami and his colleagues for their efforts aimed at transmitting the ideology of Pakistan to the next generations.
He was pleased with the decision of converting the Aiwan into an Ideological University, and hoped that this institution would play an important role for training the future generations. “Pakistan is not just a piece of land, rather it is the name of an ideological state, which has its basis grounded in the Two-Nation Theory,” he said, while asking the attendees to show their resolve for turning the country into a modern Islamic, democratic and welfare state.
The PM mentioned that the federal government had already provided Rs200 million, which was not enough for such a project. He announced Rs50 million more for the university, and promised to finance the project further. He also directed Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan to establish a centre for media studies at the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam.
While thanking Majid Nizami and the NPT office-bearers for inviting him to the historic function, Shahbaz Sharif observed that the ceremony was important since what the NPT was doing now, no one else carried out such a noble task earlier, and the honour of paying tribute to the Quaid was pre-written for them. “Every single child knows that we achieved the first ideological Islamic state under Quaid’s selfless and exemplary leadership. However, these children have to be told about the ideas of the Quaid, which should be practised for giving shape of an Islamic country to Pakistan,” he said, adding that this Aiwan would achieve this, and strengthen relation of the future generation with the Quaid. “When the Quaid got independent state, he had stressed that this country would be a laboratory for the Islamic principles and teachings. I have firm belief that this Aiwan will fulfil this idea,” he predicted.
While declaring himself a worker of the Pakistan Muslim League, Shahbaz Sharif said it was our duty to promote Quaid’s vision, and with the initiation of the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam, the first step had been taken. “I believe that this Aiwan is not a name, rather it will function as an Ideological University, where the next generations will be imparted ideas, which will make them understand the reasons for gaining independence, and the ups and downs of the Pakistan Movement,” he added.
To him, his address would have been incomplete sans paying tribute to Majid Nizami, and he did not have words to applaud the NPT chairman, who had shouldered the responsibility of preserving everything connected to the Pakistan Movement. “Earlier, he played a key role in the construction of the Aiwan-i-Iqbal. He is included in the list of those personalities without whose mention, social, journalistic and political history will be incomplete. In the face of worst military rules, he kept the freedom of speech intact besides playing important role by training the youth through the media institute, NPT and Aiwan-i-Karkunan-i-Pakistan,” said the Punjab CM, who also added that Majid Nizami and his colleagues had shown light in the darkness of provincialism, terrorism, sectarianism, and backwardness.
Shahbaz Sharif also paid rich tribute to former Punjab CM Ghulam Haider Wayne Shaheed, who got resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly in 1991 for the establishment of the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam. “But fluid political situation and repeated military interventions led to the delay of the project,” he lamented, while talking about his contribution of allotting 44-kanal land and easing out the construction of the Aiwan. He assured the NPT of all-out assistance in the future as well.
While thanking Gilani for giving Rs200 million, he requested the premier to give more financial grants for early completion of the project.
Shahbaz Sharif maintained that Pakistan was passing through its direst crises, and facing internal and external threats to its integrity. “Terrorism has caused huge loss of lives, and if it is not stopped here, Quaid’s Pakistan will face more problems,” he said, while mentioning that every Pakistani was worried about the Karachi situation. “Innocent citizens are being killed in Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Please don’t waste more time in mending the mistakes since they are all our brothers,” he pleaded for ‘saving Quaid’s Pakistan’.
Majid Nizami mentioned that after the Aiwan-i-Iqbal, this Aiwan was also being constructed, and hoped that it would be completed soon. He told the audience that when the Aiwan-i-Iqbal was to be constructed, uniform-clad General Iqbal was the then Punjab governor, who asserted that Pakistan could not afford this luxury. “I told him that if Iqbal would not have urged the Quaid to comeback from London for leading the Muslims and achieving Pakistan, you (General) would have been a Sergeant Major somewhere,” he recalled, while adding that General Zia stopped his fellow from interfering in the matter, and let me (Nizami) talk about it.
Majid Nizami observed that because of the brave leadership of the ailing Quaid, we got Pakistan, but lost half of it because of our weaknesses. “Today’s situation in the Fata and Karachi is bleak. I request the PM to bring peace to the city of the Quaid, which is our economic and trade jugular vein, and don’t leave it at the mercy of Rehman (interior minister). If the Army is required to bring peace, bring it in,” he suggested.
While referring to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani’s statement – ‘Two-Nation Theory is the basis of Pakistan’ – Nizami appreciated the General, and hoped that the Army would secure Kashmir back from the Indian hegemony, which was bent upon turning Pakistan into a desert. “In the Quranic symbolism, our missiles and nuclear bomb are our horses, and the Indian donkeys cannot fight us,” he maintained, adding that he did not want war, but if someone was bent upon killing us, wage water aggression against us the way Sutlej and Ravi were causing devastation after water release by India, then we should be ready for fighting the enemy.
Dr Firdaus Awan said by initiating the great project, the NPT had proven that it was competently guarding the ideological frontiers of Pakistan, and imparting true spirit of the Pakistan Movement to the new generation. “A nation which forgets its history, the history forgets its geography. Our history has traditions, which cannot be forgotten,” she said, while noting that the real objective of securing independence was to establish a society having constitutional supremacy, and giving due rights to all. She was of the view that the Muslims got a leader like the Quaid, who achieved Pakistan by bringing all Muslims on one platform. “After the deaths of the Quaid and Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan was relegated to the abyss of dictatorship, and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto brought democracy back to the country,” she said.
Prof Dr Rafique Ahmed delivered the welcome address, and thanked all the distinguished guests and people in attendance. While enlisting various efforts put forth by all concerned for the construction of the Aiwan-i-Quaid-i-Azam, he highlighted salient features of the project.
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