KARACHI: This is
with reference to the article “Jinnah’s Pakistan” by Yaqoob Khan Bangash (March
18). As the writer has stated, Mr Jinnah indeed wanted a country based on
Islamic principles, but his interpretation of Islam did not entail extremists
being allowed to run the country. In one of his speeches, he clearly stated, “
… Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a
divine mission …” He would certainly have disagreed with the Taliban’s version
of Islam or even its interpretation by our religious leaders.
Mr Jinnah created Pakistan solely
because he feared that in an undivided India, Muslims would always be dominated
by the majority (Hindus) and could eventually lose their identity. In fact, in
the view of religious scholars like Maulana Abul Ala Maududi, Mr Jinnah was so
liberal and secular that the name Kafir-e-Azam was coined for him. In his first
cabinet, there was a Hindu minister. The first foreign minister, Sir Zafrullah
Khan, was an Ahmadi (something which religious leaders even in those days could
never have tolerated had they been in power). As far as the dismissal of Dr
Khan’s government is concerned, the decision was taken by the cabinet headed by
the prime minister. Mr Jinnah was too sick at the time to even be consulted
over such a move.
Shakir Lakhani
Published in The Express Tribune,
March 21st, 2013.
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