By Bismah Mirza
23rd March, Pakistan Day, is a day which is memorable for many reasons not only that it is Pakistan Day, but because this day is a reminder that dreams do come true. In 1940, when Lahore resolution was passed, it laid the foundation for Pakistan Day. On 1940, the seeds of Muslim Renaissance was sowed and seven years later it, that seed become a bud in the form of Pakistan and is in the process of becoming a blooming flower. Pakistan day is no ordinary day and this our younger generation needs to understand. It is not a holiday! This day our forefathers laid the foundation for a separate homeland for our generations to flourish and further the mission of Muslim Renaissance. It is a day to understand what strong, dignified people should do when they are suppressed, their heritage snatched, their glory tarnished. Our elders exactly did what any honorable elders should do. The story of our lost glory began when in 1857, Indians lost the War of Independence and Ottoman Empire in 1922 lost to the colonial powers. During the time of Emperor Shahjehan, Britishers came as doctors and invaded India. Since Mughals at that did not have a mechanism to monitor the seas, it provided an opportunity for Britishers to penetrate a divided India. This was the caging of India, the golden sparrow. To regain its glory there were many skirmishes like of Tipu Sultan but they were not successful and India fully came in the claws of British Raj. After the War of Independence, Muslims were severely punished, their lands grabbed, their assets confiscated, their honor crushed, their language changed, their affairs were of destitute while Hindus joined the British Raj. To bring Muslims out of their terrible conditions, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan played a key role as he established Mohammadan College in 1875 to educate Muslims to compete with the rest of the world. Muslims, whose official language during Mughals were Persian, was abolished in British Raj, hated the invaders and their language,. It was at that time said, Read Persian and sell oil as persian then was only good for that purpose only and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan emphasied that we should not hate the ‘English’. During this time, congress was formed in1885 and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan warned Muslims of joining this party. This made Muslims realised the need for their own party and in 1906, Muslim League was formed in Dhakka. Muslim League delegation under the leadership of Sir Aga Khan (III) met the then Viceroy and assured their loyalty to British Raj with the condition that Muslims should have separate electorates along with agreeing of partion of Bengal. In 1976, 45 Muslims graduated from the college along with 1300 Hindu students and the struggle continues. Sir Syed showed Muslims a way to end their misery. The other came in 1905 through partition of Bengal which bifuricated East & West Bengal. East Bengal was Muslim majority area and this partioned helped Muslims to strenghten themselves. Hindus were not happy of the partition. Though the partion was annulled in in 1911. This was the world war I broke out. During this time many new faces actors entered the politics and one among them was Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The anullment was not well received by the Muslims and in 1913, Jinnah worked towards Hindu Muslim Unity and in 1916 Lucknow Pact was signed and Jinnah was titled as ‘Ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity’. Some salient features Lucknow Pact were self governance for India, separate electorates for Muslims and any other community and one third Muslim majority in central. This was accepted by the britishers and there was peace for seven years. In 1919 Khilafat Movement was launched, though Muslims were not successful in saving the Khilafat in Turkey but the struggle laid the foundation for Pakistan Movement. During this time many events took place such as Delhi Proposals in which Quaid-e-Azam to maintain Hindu Muslim unity agreed to give up separate electorates if certain safe guards were given to Muslims. It was accepted but unceremonious quashed in 1927 when Nehru Report was presented in response to Sir Simon’s challenge of producing a plan acceptable to all parties in India. Nehru report was the turing point as Muslims demands were not fulfilled. Two demands which were addressed were in complete and this made Muhammad Ali Jinnah say ‘It is parting of the ways’. Congress threatened with Civil Disobedience Movement. Quaid-e-Azam presented his own 14 points and Muslim League accepted it stating no reforms will be accepted if the 14 points are accepted. In 1930, Simon Commission report was rejecting by both Muslims and Hindus and this led to the Round table conferences. In 1932 the three round table conferences ended with the release of White Paper and it was during the second round table, in which Quaid-e-Azam adopted the policy of isolation from Indian politics. In 1935, Indian Act came which was opposed by both the parties but both of them participated for elections. Indian Act was implemented in 1937 and both the parties participated in it. Their manifestos were more or less same with the exception of joint and separate elecotrated. In the result congress was victorious in 9 out 11 and formed the government. It was Muslim Leagues first experience participating in elections. They learned precious lessons and congress two year rule from 1937-1939 left no one in doubt that Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations. The attrocities of congress did not go unnoticed as some prominent British personalities remarked The Marquees of Lothian in April 1938 termed the Congress rule as a “rising tide of Hindu rule”. Sir William Barton writing in the “National Review” in June 1939 also termed the Congress rule as “the rising tide of political Hinduism”. During this time World War II broke out and Congress demanded transfer of power which was turned down by British Raj and Congress elected members resigned. On December 22, 1939, on the call of Jinnah, Muslim League celeberated this day as Day of Deliverance it was accepted by Muslims of India, he was titled as Quaid-e- Azam. Quaid-e-Azam due to various letters of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal was convinced that Muslims have their own social economic system and they could not be able to practise it while living as a majority. Muhammad Ali Jinnah called for a 27th Annual Muslim League Session from March 22-24, 1940 in Minto Park, Lahore, which was jam packed with a audience of 10,000. On March 23, A.K. Fazul Haq, the Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the historical Lahore Resolution. The Resolution consisted of five paragraphs and each paragraph was only one sentence long. All-India Muslim League that no constitutional plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principle, namely, that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority, as in the North-Western and Eastern Zones of India, should be grouped to constitute ‘Independent States’ in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign. This day is a reminder of the struggle and toil of our leaders who from being advocates of Hindu Muslim unity parted their ways after seeing the non accommodating behaviours of both Hindus and Britishers. From the simpel demand of separate electorates – asked for separate homeland. Though both Britishers and Hindus opposed it but it became a reality seven years later. The seed of Muslim Renissance which was sowed has to started to germinate but it has to bloom and its up to the future generation of Pakistan to do so. And while you prepare for it remember
طارق چو بر کنارۂ اندلس سفینہ سوخت
گُفتند کارِ تُو بہ نگاہِ خرد خطاست
دُوریم از سوادِ وطن باز چوں رسیم ؟
ترکِ سبب ز روحِ شریعت کُجا رواست
خندید و دستِ خویش بہ شمشیر بُرد و گُفت
ہر مُلک مُلکِ ماست کہ مُلکِ خُدائے ماست
When Tariq ordered to burn all the ships on the shores of Andalusia
His people said, this against the wisdom
We are far away from our homes, if we burn the ships how will we reach our homes
In Shariah, destroying the means is not allowed
Tariq Smiled, put his hand on his sword and said, ‘every country is our country because it all land belongs to Allah.