Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and its first Governor-General, envisioned a modern, democratic, and welfare-oriented state, often described as an Islamic democracy. In his 11 August 1947 speech, he envisioned a nation with equal citizenship, where all faiths could practise freely without discrimination, as outlined by the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Jinnah stated that religion should not affect citizenship, emphasising that, “you may belong to any religion, caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”
He believed in a parliamentary form of government, democracy, and the rule of law. Jinnah envisioned Pakistan as a modern state that could keep pace with global developments. He also believed in the active participation of women in national life.
Immediately after the establishment of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah said:
“We have, undoubtedly, achieved Pakistan and that too without bloody war and practically peacefully by moral and intellectual force and with the power of the pen, which is no less mighty than the sword, and so our righteous cause has triumphed. Are we now going to besmear and tarnish this great achievement for which there is no parallel in the whole history of the world?”
Seventy-nine years later, we are still searching for the nation-state founded by the tireless and unrelenting efforts of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and asking ourselves where Jinnah’s Pakistan is. Today, as we look across the length and breadth of the country, we find a nation still struggling to provide the basic needs of its citizens. Infrastructure is broken and crumbling, the public health system is bleak and inadequate, and the education system is collapsing.
Massive unemployment persists, and the cancer of corruption continues to eat away at the entire national system. The rich are getting richer while the poor continue to stagger under the yoke of crippling poverty. Today, more than half the population lives below the poverty line, while a small elite class lives like royalty. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is increasing day by day.
The present state of affairs is not circumstantial, nor is it some divine plan. It is the result of political shenanigans and a leadership that has consistently placed personal interests above national interests. The Pakistan created by Jinnah was to be a state governed by law, ruled by democratic norms, and inclusive of all citizens.
Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan was clear: a polity grounded in peace and brotherhood, inspired by Islamic values but without a formal religious label or a theocratic state
He was very clear that Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and followers of all faiths were equal citizens of the state, and that freedom and justice were not luxuries or the rights of a few, but the rights of every citizen.
The Pakistan of Jinnah was meant to be led by honest, capable, patriotic, and accountable leaders. His vision was rooted in a pure and unadulterated secular democracy. There is a stark difference between Jinnah’s Pakistan and the Pakistan of today, and the facts and figures are shocking.
According to a World Bank report published recently, 44.7 per cent of Pakistanis live below the international poverty line. Transparency International has ranked Pakistan 135th out of 180 countries for corruption, and on the Human Development Index, Pakistan stands at 161st out of 189 countries, with severe deficiencies in health, education, housing, and living standards. Millions continue to suffer from extreme poverty.
The economy is deteriorating. Growth remains weak, investment levels are poor, and job creation has failed to match the rapidly expanding youth population, which constitutes nearly sixty per cent of the country.
Following Jinnah’s ideals requires democratic and accountable leadership. Leadership must be national in focus, principled in action, and committed to institutional integrity. Institutions must function independently, free from political interference, and governance must be transparent, accountable, and consistent.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah achieved what seemed impossible. In the words of 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.”
Yet today, the historical marvel that Jinnah created is in a sorry state. The Pakistan envisioned by Jinnah is not a pipe dream; it is a tangible reality. Achieving Jinnah’s model state, based on equality, justice, and good governance, is possible. This is not an exercise in nostalgia, but a national duty.
As one sage observed:
“Although without Gandhi, Hindustan would still have gained independence, and without Lenin and Mao, Russia and China would still have endured Communist revolutions, without Jinnah, there would have been no Pakistan in 1947.”
Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan was clear: a polity grounded in peace and brotherhood, inspired by Islamic values but without a formal religious label or a theocratic state.
The polity he envisioned for Pakistan was a liberal democracy blended with Islamic principles, where human rights, the rule of law, and justice would be ensured through a government solely representative of the will of the people. Jinnah was clear that it was for the representatives of the people to decide and determine policy.
The bureaucracy and other arms of the state were to remain bound by, and subordinate to, the authority of the civil government.