National Unity: Real Significance of Pakistan Day

By Sajjad Shaukat

Every year, people of Pakistan celebrate the 23rd of March as the Pakistan Day, with great enthusiasm and zeal. But, this time, this very day has come at a time when Pakistan is facing multi-faceted internal and external challenges, which are worrying all the citizens.

Analysts agree that in the post-election scenario, Pakistan’s multiple crises and challenges would increase and the stakes for the new coalition government would be enormously high. The most immediate task for the government would be to negotiate a new bailout agreement with the IMF, which has started, as the country has to seek a new loan of at least of $6 billion to repay billions in debt due this year to avoid a default and to stabilise the economy.

In the recent election, Nawaz Sharif’s party PML-N has gained a simple majority, while the leadership of PTI party of jailed former PM Imran Khan claims that the election results had been changed to divest the party of its two-thirds majority in the parliament—the independent winners linked to Khan have emerged as the largest group in the lower house.

With the support of other parties, especially Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Shehbaz Sharif leader of the PML-N secured a comfortable win over the PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council backed by the PTI—also choosing PTI leader Omar Ayub as the opposition leader.

The newly elected National Assembly met for the first time with lawmakers taking oaths amid protests on the floor of the house by supporters of the Sunni Ittehad Council and PTI. Similar practice continued in the provincial assemblies on various occasions.

In his maiden speech in the National Assembly, Premier Sharif listed frail economy and precarious security situation as challenges, and invited all the political entities to pull the country out of the crises.

PML-N, PPP and some other political parties also asked the PTI for cooperation so as to achieve political stability. But, the PTI leaders refused any such collaboration—alleged rigging in the elections.

Following PTI blame game, the chief of JUI-F (party) Maulana Fazlur Rehman who had confirmed the contacts with the PTI announced on March 3, this year that it will sit on opposition benches and organize a nationwide movement against the alleged vote rigging, accusing the establishment of it.

But, PML-N and some other parties opine that if elections were rigged  or establishment interfered against the PTI as to how independent candidates, most loyal to Imran Khan, swept the polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province by winning 91 out of 113 provincial seats, and PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur was elected as the chief minister.

Notably, military’s media wing ISPR said in a statement that the Corps Commanders’ Conference held on March 5, 2024, chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, clarified that army provided a security environment for the conduct of the general election 2024 as per the given mandate, and had nothing to do with the electoral process.

Top military commanders reiterated their commitment that planners and instigators—attackers of military installations on May 9, 2023 would certainly be brought to justice under the relevant provisions of the law—the forum expressed dismay that some vested segments of polity and media, especially social media, had been maligning the armed forces with unsubstantiated allegations of interference—rather than focusing on real issues such as good governance, economic recovery, political stability—vested elements are creating political instability and uncertainty.

Next day, in an informal conversation with media representatives during the hearing of a case inside Adiala Jail, the founder of the PTI Khan who was openly criticising army in the past, took a U-turn, and stated that the PTI was not against the army and emphasised that the criticism over election rigging was not the criticism of the army—Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and chief election commission were responsible for it. He stressed that without political stability, the country could not function.

Besides, in a surprise development, Chief Minister of KP Ali Amin Gandapur on March 14, this year met Prime Minister Sharif and was satisfied with his first engagement with him, terming it as positive. Gandapur stated that during the meeting, he stressed on the need to hold political dialogue with PTI founder Imran Khan, which will lead to a political solution. Nevertheless, these are indications show that PTI founder has changed his stance.

On the one side, PTI workers continue protest-rallies against the rigging in elections, while on the other, PTI has also filed cases in the courts in this respect—also about forms 45 and 47. However, it shows their ambivalent approach.

At this critical hour, Pakistan’s armed forces have been coping with internal and external challenges of grave nature in order to maintain the security of the country. In one way or the other, Indian fanatic rulers are also escalating tensions with Pakistan. In this context, the country is facing the challenge of hybrid war.

Some internal entities have been distorting Army’s image in such a way that general masses should forget the sacrifices and services of the armed forces. 

Recall armed forces’ innumerable services and sacrifices particularly of Army such as the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons during the Swat and Malakand military operations, counter-insurgency operations and restoration of law and order on many occasions—during catastrophic periods—floods, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic, locusts’ attacks etc.—also giving matching response to Indian shelling at the Line of Control and to stop infiltration of terrorists inside Pakistan from Afghanistan.

However, it was due to the selfless practical unity among the Muslims under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Quaid-i-Azam that Pakistan became a tangible reality on August 14, 1947. But, that unity started declining after passing through various crises, and the result was separation of East Pakistan in 1971, as India manipulated differences between East Pakistan and West Pakistan.

Now, more than three and half months have passed. But, Indian fanatic government led by the extremist Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued military lockdown in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Modi-led regime unilaterally abrogated the special status of the IIOJK on August 5, 2019 when Indian Parliament revoked articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution. The act split the IIOJK into two territories to be ruled directly by New Delhi. The purpose was to turn Muslim majority into minority.

Indian PM Modi-the leader of the extremist ruling party BJP had got a land sliding victory in the Indian general elections 2014 and 2019. During the election-campaign, Hindu majority was mobilized on ‘hate Muslim’ slogans and ‘anti-Pakistan’ jargons. Hence, Modi continues anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan policies.

Former Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir have frequently said that Pakistan’s armed forces are fully ready to meet any Indian prospective aggression.

Internally, Pakistan’s armed forces and country’s primarily intelligence agency ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists. Peace has been restored in the Balochistan province and Karachi, including other vulnerable regions. 

Despite it, in the recent past, terrorist attacks particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan which is central point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) show that the CIA-led Indian RAW want to damage the CPEC project which is part of China’s One Road (OBOR) or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as the US and India have already opposed this project.

Nevertheless, the 23rd of March 1940 was a watershed in the history of the Sub-continent, when All India Muslim League passed the Resolution in Lahore for the creation of an independent state. Now, it is popularly called as Pakistan Resolution.

Earlier, in his address to the Muslim League at Allahabad in 1930, the idea of a homeland for Muslims in their majority areas had been envisioned by the poet Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, and had become the aspiration of Indian Muslims.

In fact, the British colonialists in connivance with majority Hindu population had manipulated and targeted Muslims through every possible way. In that background, Muslims started struggle for a separate state.

Prior to the Lahore session of Muslim League, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had specified to this historical congregation of the Muslims, the watch-words of ‘Faith, Unity and Discipline’ which were not only necessary for waging the battle for an independent homeland, but also for present Pakistan.

Nonetheless, the government, the opposition leaders, including all other segments of society must act upon the essence of the Pakistan Day by showing selfless national unity which is very necessary to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com