Prof Dr Muhammad Afzaal - What is Freedom? And what is Pakistan? The two questions are to be solved before talking on the freedom in the context of Pakistan.
Freedom doesn’t mean any lawlessness, going off track or un-boundedness. In fact, freedom is a spirit to live in peace and let others also live in peace. Liberty doesn’t allow to devalue the others liberties.
Pakistan, as you know, was  created (On August 14, 1947, AD/ Ramazan-ul-Mubarak 27, 13 Hjri) in the name of Allah and Islam – “Pakistan Ka Matlib Kia: La Ila Ha Illallah!” –                                            . Pakistan is the first state in the world to be created on the basis of religion. No doubt, it is an exemplary creation. Today’s history cannot give such dynamic example. Israel, which is still not a state in fact, too, was created later in November 1948, after Pakistan in the name of religion.
It is a tragedy that after gaining 67 years experience we have not learnt to move in the right direction and our future looks bleakl. This is a curseful fact that, still, we are not actually free nation. In each area like culture, religion, education, laws, economics and socio-civilizing, we badly depend upon the west and the western systems. This is also painful that our constitution (even all sub-continental – commonwealth countries) is not totally free from the British, those laws which made us unfree even like slaves.
Despite all our efforts we couldn’t be a nation who can enjoy the spirit of freedom. Even both democratic and non-democratic administrations couldn’t change the fate of Pakistan and the destiny of the people of Pakistan. Besides the other causes, there is one major reason that we have become habitual to follow, blindly, the polices of the west. Western culture is not best for us nor are its policies and practices. We should avoid blind faith on western world. We must be the good Muslims.
Freedom and independence in its true sense requires from us as following:-
– Avoid laziness and be active in both individual and collective capacity
– Be united and integrated
– Be honest and true
– Be loyal to Islam and Muslims
– Be loyal to nation and country
– Implement Islam in all aspects of life, death and society
– Do not make and shape Pakistan as a police state
– Do not hand over Pakistan in the hands of the feudal lords.
Western democracy has totally failed. In fact this not the real democracy. We should strive for real democracy as has been envisioned in Islam. n