On December 25, Pakistanis observed the 148th anniversary of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, with great national zeal and devotion. Political and military leaders paid tribute to the Quaid. In their separate messages, the Prime Minister and the President emphasized the need to follow the Quaid’s path and teachings.

In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described Jinnah as “a leader of rare calibre who deeply believed in the principles of unity, justice, and equality.” President Asif Ali Zardari also paid tribute to Quaid-e-Azam, stressing the need to uphold social justice, economic fairness, and the rule of law to achieve Jinnah’s vision.

The chequered history of Pakistan reflects that the ruling elite, including politicians, religious leaders, and the bureaucracy, has betrayed the soul of the Quaid. It is tragic that after 77 years, the people of Pakistan remain largely unaware of Quaid-e-Azam’s real teachings. Pakistan’s venal ruling class has deliberately distorted and concealed the teachings of the Quaid. Even the Quaid’s speech on August 11, 1947, is missing from the record of Radio Pakistan. In that speech, Jinnah declared, “You are free to go to your temples, mosques, or any place of worship in Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or creed – that has nothing to do with the state.” His speech was opposed by religious leaders and largely suppressed, as it conflicted with the state’s doctrine of Jihad and Islamisation under Zia ul Haq’s military rule.

Jaswant Singh, former Indian foreign minister, aptly writes in Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence: Jinnah remains a tragic figure, misunderstood by both sides. He was neither a saint nor a villain. His legacy as the founding father of Pakistan is one of a leader who sought the best for his people in a very complex and divided subcontinent.” Singh also states, “Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan was one of a secular state where all citizens, irrespective of their religion, could live with equality. He was not a theocrat, and his Pakistan was not meant to be a religious state.”

Ayesha Jalal, in The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League, and the Demand for Pakistan, writes: “Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan was not based on a theocratic state, but on a secular framework where Muslims could live alongside other religious communities in harmony.” She asserts, “Jinnah believed in a modern, progressive state, where religion would not define governance. His vision for Pakistan was one where religion and the state were separate.”

KK Aziz, in The Making of Pakistan, discusses the development of the ‘Two-Nation Theory’ and highlights how leaders like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan nurtured the idea of a separate Muslim identity. Jinnah expanded this theory into a political framework, asserting that Muslims were not just a religious group but a distinct nation with the right to self-determination. This view contrasted with the Indian National Congress’s vision of a unified India.

Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, in Jinnah: His Successes, Failures, and Role in History, states, “Jinnah’s political genius lay in his ability to navigate the intricate web of political demands, and he was able to create Pakistan at a time when both the British and Congress seemed disinterested in the Muslim community’s political aspirations.”

On Jinnah’s successes and failures, Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed notes, “Jinnah’s greatest success was his leadership in securing the creation of Pakistan, but his failure to build the necessary political structures and institutions led to long-term challenges in Pakistan’s democratic governance.”

Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed also writes on Quaid’s role as the first Governor-General of Pakistan: “Jinnah’s decision to become the Governor-General was a pragmatic move, but it inadvertently reinforced the viceregal system. His decision to hold executive power led to a weakening of the parliamentary system, as it perpetuated centralised control rather than fostering a robust democratic system.”

For achieving the cherished goal of making Pakistan a great and strong nation, the Quaid gave guidelines on every aspect of national life, including to legislators, the armed forces, civil servants, professionals, and the general public.

Some of the teachings and sayings of the Quaid are as follows:

On August 11, 1947, the Quaid said, “We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle: that we are all citizens, and equal citizens, of one state.”

In 1948, talking to Australian radio, the Quaid said: “The great majority of us are Muslims. We follow the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). We are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which all are equal in rights, dignity and self-respect. Consequently, we have a special and a very deep sense of unity. But make no mistake: Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it.”

About the role and importance of women, the Quaid said: “No nation can ever be worthy of its existence that cannot take its women along with the men. No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women.”

The Quaid gave the principles of foreign policy in these words: “I sincerely hope that they (relations between India and Pakistan) will be friendly and cordial. We have a great deal to do…and think that we can be of use to each other (and to) the world.”

To achieve success, the Quaid enunciates three principles: “With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.”

Just before his death, the Quaid addressed the nation on August 14, 1948: “The foundations of your state have been laid and it is now for you to build, and build as quickly and as well as you can.”

The real cause of Pakistan’s prevailing problems is that the corrupt ruling elite has not only forgotten, but also distorted the teachings of the great Quaid. A nation that does not know its true history is destined to fail. Samuel Butler writes, ‘God cannot alter the past, but historians can.’ In Pakistan, the venal ruling class, along with some corrupt historians, has altered the past. It is time for the ruling elite and pseudo-historians to rewrite the true history and follow the Quaid’s teachings in both letter and spirit if they truly wish to save Pakistan.