A Magna Carta of Pakistan and the Muslim World
Objective resolution of 1949 was presented to negate the national and international conspiracies upraised right after the formation of Pakistan to make the nation secular, but unfortunately this resolution was not that much discussed. Liaquat Ali khan made it clear that this resolution is no less than a Magna Carte for the future constitutional build-up of Pakistan. Having a close and intellect eye on this resolution shows that it was justified not only in the contest of the then situation of the world but also in contest of the bitter references and happenings of history related to theocracy and secularism. He filtered out the confusion of theocracy by giving reference that, it is and has been a problem of Christian's majority areas especially that of Europe (Christian Club) who suffered the cruelties of theocracy in the middle Ages.
He said:
If anyone talks of Theocracy in the context of government of Pakistan, he has either some misgiving or intends mischievously to discredit us
Adequate provision shall be made for the minorities to profess and practise freely their religions and develop their cultures.
Fundamental rights including equality of status, of opportunity, social, economic and political justice, freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship and association, subject to law and public morality.
It is God-consciousness alone which can save humanity, which means that all power that humanity possesses must be used in accordance with ethical standards which have been laid down by inspired teachers known to us as the great Prophets of different religions
Formidable features, no less than a paradigm, will be based on equality, democracy, freedom, tolerance and social justice.
Pakistan will not only take care of minorities but also those of backward and oppressed people (in the current constitution of Pakistan quota system is in operation which is the manifestation of this particular point).
In Pakistan, there will be no margin of Machiavellism (Machiavelli was an western political theorist believing in absolute and cruel use of power. 'Prince' is the name of his book)
Here his views ,according to the objective resolution, closely indicate that objective resolution is not all about good citizens but good human beings, unlike western democracy, which, after minimizing religion from their everyday life and politics, confronted and absorbed so many economic and social evils as well.
We have a great record in tolerance, for under no system of Government, even in the Middle Ages, have the minorities received the same consideration and freedom as they did in Muslim countries. When Christian dissentients and Muslims were being tortured and driven out of their homes, when they were being hunted as animals and burnt as criminals - even criminals have never been burnt in Islamic society
Islam has shown accommodation, in the history, for the minorities by accommodating Jews Diaspora from Europe to Ottoman Empire. Similarly Muslims supported the translation of Hindu religious doctrine or writings into Bengali language.
INTERNATIONAL REACTION
After passing of this resolution, perplexity was shown by the two superpowers as Pakistan was one of the largest Muslim populous countries and could have risen as the role model of a true not only Muslim but Islamic state on the map of the world
Communist-minded leaders in Pakistan showed a reservation that it might cause upraise in the Muslim majority, Central Asian States. On the other hand, Americans felt Islam, being substitution of capitalism and communism, as a threat and they tried to get some changes in this resolution by using their influence that was strongly criticized by Muslim intelligentsia.
Do You Know?
Minister of law and founder of Indian constitution, Dr B. R. Ambedkar, got converted into Buddhism due to the sham secularism of India, and later on, in early 1980s, a Sikh nationalist, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, demanded to abolish the Indian constitution clause calling, Sikhs are from Hindus/Hinduism .This demand ran into a conflict and Indian prime minister ordered to attack the golden temple to kill all the Sikhs having shelter there. Later on, in revenge, Indira Gandhi was killed by her two bodyguards in 1984.
Real astonishing point over here was that, Americans did not raised their fingers towards most of the Arab countries where kingdom rule was a way of life up to the extreme of monarchy and in many of the countries it still is the case.
It is pertinent to mention that some people threatened the government of Liaquat Ali Khan that if Pakistan becomes declared religious/Islamic state, then India might also become Hindu state whereas India was a country with the population of all the religions not only of the region but those of the world. So India had to become secular by chance not by choice, as 20 % population of India was non-Hindu, whereas in West Pakistan only 2% were non Muslim. So, joint percentage of East and West-Pakistan of non Muslim people was no way more than 6%. So excuses and reservations on the issue of minorities was not a big deal in Pakistan.
No doubt many of the points of objective resolution were preamble in the first constituent and then second and third constitution of Pakistan but it were more in the written form then in the practical shape. No sooner, the first dictator of Pakistan Ayub khan took over the rule in 1958 most of the religious parties became obvious and psyche fiends of the military dictator as they were quite aware that they cannot win public support to have access to the corridors of the power. This military mullah alliance continued during the regimes of two dictators of zia ul haq and musharaf. Ayub khan presented the constitution of 1962 and eliminated the word of Islamic from the constituent which was opposed widely. So he had to rename it Islamic republic of Pakistan. The neutral analysis clearly indicate that Liaquat ali khan was closest personality of Quaid e Azam would not have gone against the perception of Quaid e azam ,but Pakistan as an independent state was not a domestic or regional happening but was a point of international concern due to its location and ideology. So foreign intervention started immediately especially by USA to change and manoeuvre the ideological outlook of Pakistan and make it as a subservient state to materialize its future plans in this regions especially against the former USSR. Now, as a secret document has surfaced about the US involvement in the murder of Liaqat Ali khan who was the last charismatic personality after Quaid e Azam. It becomes widely proven fact that US got rid of him to materialize all the wish list by using this piece of land, Pakistan.
Dr. Munawar Sabir