Pakistanis around the world recently celebrated the 78th anniversary of the adoption of the Pakistan Resolution or the Lahore Resolution as the National Day of the country. Leaders of the All India Muslim League adopted the resolution at the annual conference of the party held in Lahore on March 23, 1940. It was emphasized in the resolution that they would not compromise on their demand for the establishment of a separate nation for Muslims, to be called Pakistan, in the Indian subcontinent. The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) organized a symposium in Jeddah to mark the great occasion. Several prominent figures from the Pakistani community attended the function where several speeches were delivered. Poems glorifying the creation of Pakistan and seeking forgiveness for those who sacrificed their lives for the state were recited on the occasion. Speakers highlighted the historic significance of the Lahore Resolution. They paid tribute to Muslims and their leaders from all over the subcontinent, who made great sacrifices in fulfilling the great dream of a separate nation for Muslims under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The speakers recalled that these Muslims confronted British colonial rulers on one side and Hindu leaders on the other in securing their demand for a separate state. Subsequently, the partition of the subcontinent was made on the basis of the two-nation theory. All the stakeholders ultimately agreed to this theory, which underlined the focal point emphasized by Jinnah that Muslims are a nation with their own distinctive traditions and culture. In my speech, I thanked the PRC for holding the symposium to commemorate the adoption of the historic Pakistan Resolution moved by A.K. Fazlul Huq, a prominent Muslim League leader and prime minister of Bengal. The resolution, adopted by the conference unanimously, was the outcome of the relentless effort and heroic struggle that lasted for several decades. Muslims from all parts of the subcontinent made great sacrifices in order to create a separate nation. They saw in the creation of the new state the end of the communal violence that had existed between Hindus and Muslims for a long time. Jinnah greatly valued the sacrifices of Biharis for the cause of Pakistan, saying that there would not have been the new nation of Pakistan without their sacrifice. The idea of Pakistan was not born in a single day with the adoption of the Lahore Resolution. The idea evolved through several phases that began as early as the 11th century CE when the famous Muslim traveler and philosopher Abu Al-Rayhan Al-Biruni first mooted the two-nation theory. This theory elaborated in a number of his books including "The history of India" and "The critical study of what India says, whether accepted by reason or refused." Al-Biruni described in these books the major ideologies, customs and traditions in Indian society. He pointed out that Muslims and Hindus differed each other in their customs and everything else, and hence it would be very difficult to achieve peaceful coexistence between the two communities. In my speech, I also drew attention to the insurgency waged by Hindus and Muslims under the leadership of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Sha Zafar against British rule. British colonial rulers suppressed this rebellion and blamed Muslims for starting the mutiny. Subsequently, the British took retaliatory measures against Muslims and started sidelining them. This total neglect resulted in the backwardness of Muslims in all walks of life. It was Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a great reformer, who came forward to lift them out of this desperate state by enabling them to achieve modern education. He established the Aligarh Movement to spread education among Muslims. This movement is considered to be the first step along the road leading to the adoption of the Pakistan Resolution. After this, came the Pakistan Movement, of which the most prominent advocate was Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He was a proponent of dividing the subcontinent in order to establish a separate nation for Muslims so that they could safeguard their distinctive features as part of the Muslim nation. Unfortunately, Allama Iqbal died before seeing his dream come true. Later, Jinnah fought a long battle to safeguard the unity of India and secure the rights of minorities. However, with the passage of time, he was fully convinced that the rights of Muslims could be realized only through establishing a separate nation for them. Thus, Pakistan became reality and now ranks as the 6th most populous nation in the world and the 16th largest nation in geographical area. It is also a member of the nuclear club. Pakistan also wields influence in all international forums. Even though Pakistan has achieved progress and prosperity, its failure to resolve the long-standing problem of the stranded Pakistanis remains a shortcoming in its achievements. For 46 years, these people have been languishing in squalid camps, struggling against poverty, illiteracy and disease. They made great sacrifices for Pakistan and stood by its army to defend the unity of the nation. They still hope that the government of Pakistan will one day fulfill its responsibility for their repatriation and rehabilitation in Pakistan, the country of their choice. In the concluding speech, Syed Ehsanul Haque, organizer of the symposium and convener of the PRC, thanked all speakers, poets and members of the audience for taking part in the event. He demanded that the government of Pakistan revive the Muslim World League (Rabita) Endowment for the repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis. Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at [email protected]
