By Dr. Zawwar Hussain
O! Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, our gratitude to you can never be fully expressed in words. You did more than secure a piece of territory. You opened the way for the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent to build a homeland in which they could preserve their identity, practise their faith freely and determine their political future with dignity. The creation of Pakistan was not simply a change on the map. It was the culmination of a long political and intellectual struggle, sustained by sacrifice, discipline and an unwavering belief in self-determination.
On 14 August 1947, Pakistan emerged as a new state at one of the most turbulent moments in modern history. The achievement belonged not to one man alone, however extraordinary his leadership, but to generations of political workers, thinkers and ordinary people who carried the movement forward. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s emphasis on modern education helped create a new Muslim political consciousness. Allama Muhammad Iqbal gave that awakening a deeper intellectual and philosophical direction, while Jinnah transformed political aspiration into a disciplined constitutional struggle. Around them stood people such as Liaquat Ali Khan, Fatima Jinnah, Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan and countless unnamed men and women whose contributions history may never fully record.
The price of independence was immense. Partition uprooted millions from their homes and separated families, communities and generations. An estimated 14 to 18 million people crossed the newly drawn borders, making it one of the largest migrations in human history. Many did not reach their destination. Others arrived having lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones. The story of Pakistan’s independence must therefore be remembered not only through celebrations and patriotic ceremonies but also through an awareness of the suffering that accompanied its birth.
Jinnah’s political method remains as important as his political achievement. He relied on constitutionalism, negotiation, reason and political organization rather than emotion alone. His example suggests that nations are built through institutions and discipline as much as through dreams. Unity without institutions is fragile; patriotism without responsibility is little more than sentiment.
Nearly eight decades later, that distinction matters greatly. Pakistan has changed beyond recognition since 1947. Its population has grown from roughly 75 million at independence to more than 250 million today. It has a huge and predominantly young population, a strategic geographical position, significant natural resources and a growing technological sector. Yet population alone is not strength. A young population becomes an asset only when it has access to good education, employable skills, meaningful work, research opportunities and the freedom to innovate.
This is perhaps the central question of independence: what are we doing with the country that was entrusted to us? Jinnah helped establish the state. Building a strong, just and prosperous nation is the responsibility of those who came after him. Pakistan is defended not only by soldiers guarding its frontiers but also by teachers educating children, doctors serving patients, farmers producing food, engineers building infrastructure, scientists conducting research, workers sustaining industry, entrepreneurs creating employment and citizens respecting the law.
The principles associated with Jinnah’s vision are therefore not abstract ideals. They are practical requirements of a functioning state. Honesty, merit, discipline, equality before the law and respect for institutions cannot be celebrated in speeches while being ignored in daily life. A society that tolerates corruption, rewards connections over competence, evades taxes, damages public property or assumes that the law applies only to the weak is steadily weakening the foundations of the country it claims to love.
Pakistan’s challenges are also changing. Water could become one of the defining national issues of the coming decades. Pressure on rivers, groundwater, glaciers and rainfall patterns is increasing, while waste and inefficient use remain serious problems. Water conservation, modern irrigation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, better urban drainage and the reduction of losses must be treated as matters of national security and economic survival. Patriotism in the 21st century must include the responsible management of the country’s natural resources.
The same principle applies to the economy, education and technology. Pakistan cannot afford to remain satisfied with its size or strategic importance. A large population without adequate education is a burden rather than an advantage. Natural resources without scientific capacity produce dependence rather than prosperity. A nuclear capability provides security, but national strength in the modern world also depends on universities, laboratories, industries, digital infrastructure and institutions capable of competing globally.
Pakistan’s importance extends beyond its borders. As one of the world’s largest Muslim-majority countries and a nuclear-armed state, its stability and progress have implications for the wider Muslim world. A prosperous, educated and technologically advanced Pakistan could offer confidence and inspiration far beyond its own frontiers. That responsibility makes the quality of governance and citizenship even more important.
We may disagree, but disagreement must not destroy our unity. We may criticize, but criticism should not become an excuse for despair. We may face crises, but difficulty must not extinguish courage. Most importantly, we must stop teaching the next generation only how Pakistan was created and start preparing it to decide what Pakistan can become. The truest expression of gratitude to Quaid-e-Azam is therefore action. Independence gave us a homeland; responsibility will determine its future. Pakistan was not merely inherited by us. It was entrusted to us.
Let us remember Jinnah not only as the founder of Pakistan but as a reminder of what disciplined leadership, constitutional politics and national purpose can achieve. And let us honor the martyrs and builders of Pakistan by strengthening the institutions, economy, education system and civic culture that generations before us sacrificed to establish. The finest tribute we can offer the Quaid is simple: we will not merely remember his Pakistan. We will build it. Pakistan Zindabad.
(The writer is a PhD scholar with a strong research and analytical background and can be reached at news@metro-Morning.com)
