Pakistan - No Longer A Living Monument Of The Quaid?

       

Yeh Mera Pakistan Hai, Yeh Tera Pakistan Hai
Yeh Mera Pakistan Hai, Yeh Tera Pakistan Hai
Iss Par Dil Qurbaan Iss par Jaan Bhi Qurbaan Hai

Yeh Meray Quaid Ki Jeeti Jagti Tasweer Hai
Hazrat-e-Iqbal Ki Khwabon Ki Taabeer Hai
Yeh Watan Pyaara Watan Sarmaya-e-Iman Hai
Iss Par Dil Qurbaan Iss par Jaan Bhi Qurbaan Hai

The above is a popular Pakistani patriotic anthem (YouTube recording here) which could be (very poorly) translated as:

This is my Pakistan, this is your Pakistan
This is my Pakistan, this is your Pakistan
On it we are ready to sacrifice our hearts and lives

This Land is the living monument of my Quaid
The realization of the dreams of Iqbal
This Land, our Beloved Land is the investment of Faith
On it we are ready to sacrifice our hearts and lives

The First line of the Second Verse talks about Pakistan being the “Living Monument of my Quaid” (Quaid being an Urdu word for Leader) and refers to “Quaid-e-Azam” (The Great Leader) Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Founder of Pakistan, is the man who was the face of the movement for an independent Pakistan. A statesman who dedicated his life to the cause of obtaining a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indian Sub-continent, he is to Pakistan what George Washington was to United States (and more).

The photo of the Quaid is seen in every Government office as a mark of respect to our Founding Father. This has been the tradition since the independence of Pakistan and one that is deeply ingrained in our society. Unfortunately, it seems that the days of that respect is over. Far from being a “Living Monument of The Quaid” it seems that even a picture of the The Quaid is no longer deemed necessary.

The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, hosted a dinner at the official residence in honor of the Pakistani Cricket Team for winning the Cricket Twenty 20 World Cup recently. The following photo (provided by Associated Press of Pakistan) was taken at the event.

For those who are unable to see it properly in the picture above, the four photos in the background (from left to right) are as follows:

President Asif Ali Zardari (co-Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party)
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party)
Benazir Bhutto (Former Chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party)
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (Founding Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party)

What a deplorable state our nation is: The photo of our beloved Quaid has been replaced by the those of leaders of the ruling political party. I am sure The Quaid is turning over in his grave as I write: to be replaced by a Twenty Year old College Student or a person with the dubious nickname of Mr. 10 Percent. Has our nation fallen to this level? Have we taken the leaders of our political parties to be of importance above and beyond the Father of Our Nation? Why are there photos of PPP’s leaders in President’s house anyway? The right to be up there is not for any political party or dynasty but for the men who struggled to provide us this nation. It should not be Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto up there but Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. It should not be Benazir Bhutto up there but Madr-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari should not be on the walls but rather Choudhary Rahmat Ali. It is indeed a sad day for Pakistan and its legacy.

The Entire Nation should protest against this travesty.

       

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