23rd March — Pakistan Day: A Promise for The Ages

Millions were displaced, thousands lost their lives, and hundreds were molested to get to this great nation, Pakistan. It was not a mistake or just a line on the world map, but a reality and is a reality forever. This is the lesson for this generation to be learned at the earliest.

The Cruel 30’s

Let us jump back in time, go to 1930, and imagine what it is like to live in a world with a foreign government on your head. You cannot go to Mosque to pray, cannot go for a walk as a Policeman can throw you in jail anytime for doing nothing. You will not get your rights from the government for being Muslim and anyone can hurt your family if you decide to eat Cow meat that is legal in every perspective.

Your sisters are not safe when they go out of the house and they will not get admitted to a college for being Muslims. To get things worse, Sikhs and Hindus can raid your house any time, molest your sisters in front of you and no one will be there to help you. You are home after a long day at work and your whole family is not alive anymore. There were sudden riots among Muslims and Hindus and your family was one of many victims.

This is not a horror story. It is part of the recorded history that our parents went through for many years. We were just lucky enough that we came into this world some decades later or our fate would have been the same.

Promises with Motherland.

Every promise has a story. We are now ours! Years of sacrifices, troubles, and hard work gave us a chance to start thinking about making a promise. Whether you spoke a different language or had another cast, we all were thinking about making a promise in the 40s when we got tired of losing everything for many years.

We know, when you exert extreme pressure on a lump of coal, they become diamonds. The same phenomenon happened with Muslims of the sub-continent. Years of mugging, killings, molestation, and many more cruel acts lead to making a promise.

23rd March 1940, eight decades ago from this very moment, our leaders under the Fatherhood of M.A Jinnah gathered to make a promise for the motherland to the motherland. Back then, Greater Iqbal Park was known as Manto Park. The “Sher of Bengal” Maulvi Fazlul Haqq presented a resolution.

The 1940 resolution declared what was known for many years. Muslims and Hindus are two separate and different nations. They cannot co-exist under the same country and system. Thus, the two nations must be divided under sovereign states independent of making their decisions.

The Reaction of 1940 Resolution

Whenever you raise your voice against injustice, there is a reaction from the Elites who control your daily operations. There was a severe backlash from British Government and Congress for the resolution. The British government never wanted to leave the Sub-continent if it was not for WWII which made their Kingdom crumble. Congress and the Hindus wanted to rule the Sub-continent after removing the British government from the area. So, they can avenge all the ‘injustice’ that Muslims did to Hindus during Muslim Rule in the area.

This reaction was more than just a few statements from political leaders. Riots spread in every street of the sub-continent. Muslims were slaughtered like sheep by Hindus, and Sikhs. Millions lost their homes. Thousands of mothers did not see their children ever again, countless girls were safe at their houses, and infants would have wished they were not even born.

Renewal of the promise

Whenever a person is hired, selected, or appointed at an important position, he/she must take an oath so he/she will have the fear of fulfilling the promise. When our parents decided to migrate to Pakistan, they had the honor of becoming Pakistani. Our parents also promised with his motherland, took an oath as well.

Our parents took an oath to serve this motherland till their last breath. We are bound to fulfill those promises as well. Nothing comes first before this nation and what benefits the country. Instead of bickering all the time with each other and your leaders, try to investigate yourself. Have we fulfilled all the promises that we made on 23rd March 1940? A day shall come when Mr. Jinnah will look into all our eyes and question, “was all my hard work worth it?” Let us try to prepare for that question.