Dear friends,
We wish to share with you the following article from Jinnah Institute, written by Shehrbano Taseer.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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An article from Jinnah Institute, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Shehrbano Taseer
Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s notable speech made on August 11th highlights the fundamental values that were to become a part of Pakistan. Today, the Jinnah Institute is running a two-part series on Reclaiming Jinnah’s Pakistan. This is the first part of the series.
I watched my father Salmaan Taseer, the former governor of Punjab, who was assassinated by fundamentalist, break into a smile as Aasia Noreen, a Christian lady sentenced for life imprisoned on charges of Blasphy, placed her ink-stained thumb on a mercy petition marked for President Zardari. Pakistan’s founder, secularist Mohammed Ali Jinnah stared down silently from his portrait on the wall.
Six weeks later, as my father was lowered into an early grave – as frothing, bearded religious fanatics took to the streets celebrating his brutal murder and Pakistan’s unforgiving blasphemy laws – I wondered what else had been buried with him.
There are those who say my father’s death was the final nail in the coffin for Jinnah’s Pakistan. But as long as we live by Jinnah’s words, the Pakistan he envisioned will live on. Our enemies will never win.
According to CIA’s World Factbook, we are poised to be the fifth most populous country in the world in a few years. With 60 percent of Pakistan’s 187 million strong population below the age of 24, the youth of Pakistan form a potentially powerful force for change.
We must be nation builders. It is our greatest responsibility and burden. When Jinnah addressed students in Dhaka in 1948, he emphasized education as a priority for young people and said “let me give you this word of warning: you will be making the greatest mistake if you allow yourself to be exploited by one political party or another. ” Jinnah envisioned a modern nation at peace with itself and the world. We must understand that vision instead of siding with obscurantist’s and hyper-national isolationists.
We need to be a nation of modern economists, entrepreneurs, scientists, writers, social workers, doctors, journalists, teachers and film-makers’ not a nation of angry complainers and Muslim bigots. Jinnah remarked, “No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up as prisoners.” Ultimately, the success of our nation will not depend on what we didn’t do, what we denied ourselves, what we resisted, and who we excluded. It will depend on what we embraced, what we created, and who we included.
Addressing the Punjabi Muslim Students Federation at Lahore on October 31, 1947, Jinnah said “Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students who have always been in the forefront in the hour of trial and need. You are the nation’s leaders of tomorrow… You should realize the magnitude of your responsibility and be ready to bear it.” The future of every country is it’s next generation. For a progressive, pluralistic and economically sound Pakistan to succeed, there is an urgent need to harness the potential of the youth. This requires the state to invest in education, vocational training and skills development, technology, entrepreneurship opportunities, and job creation for both young men and women.
With a crippled economy and a hemorrhaging war on terror, our education system is in shambles. Our budget reveals that only 1.5% is dedicated to education. The failure to educate the country’s children costs the equivalent of one flood a year, according to a report produced by the Pakistan Education Task Force.
The 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, states, “The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to 16 years in such a manner as may be determined by law.”Although this year was declared Education Year in Pakistan, over 25 in million children are being denied their constitutional right to an education. Pakistan has the largest number of children out of school in the world after Afghanistan.Only 23 per cent of our children under the age of 16 attend secondary school and almost one-third of Pakistanis have received less than two years of education. 54% of Pakistan is literate (a generous estimate) and even so, being literate means the ability to sign your name.
Pakistan’s young are dynamic and thirsty to learn and be involved. But the inadequacy of quality education – critical thinking in particular – renders our country incapable of dealing with the challenges of the 21st century. It means an overwhelming majority of our population is ignorant, angry, and extreme. Tens of thousands of children are growing up to be merchants of hatred — with a very narrow world-view and bitterly antagonistic against concepts of tolerance, individual freedoms and democracy. I lost my father, my friend and my hero because of this mindset. I do not wish for any other family to have to suffer through what mine has had to. No other nation should lose its brave heart.
The road ahead is difficult and the results will not be immediate. But as patriotic citizens with a heavy stake in our nation’s stability, we must not abdicate our responsibilities. It is in our hands what direction our nation takes. Let’s reclaim Jinnah’s Pakistan.
Shehrbano Taseer is a write and can be reached at: comm@jinnah-institute.org
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