Mohammad Jamil
Twenty third March has significance in the history of Pakistan. For one, it was on 23rd March 1940 when All India Muslim League in a meeting at Manto Park (now Iqbal Park) Lahore passed a resolution on the basis of which Pakistan was created in 1947. Again it was on 23rd March 1956 that first constitution of Pakistan was adopted, making Pakistan the world’s first Islamic Republic. Pakistan, indeed, has all the ingredients to make it a modern welfare state. It has industrious people, vast areas of land, variegated seasons suitable for various crops and fruits, rivers, large coastline and abundant natural resources. Its mountains and valleys are the most scenic in the world. Its strategic position, which is confluence and meeting point between Sinkiang of China, Iran and Central Asian Republics, is acknowledged by all and sundry – foes and friends alike.
Its principle city-port Karachi is a convenient route for Central Asian States for trade with the western and other countries. And with the completion of Gwadar deep-sea port, it has the potential to become a hub of international trade. Pakistan is rich in culture. People of various provinces with regional languages and traditions make it a beautiful bouquet reflective of unity in diversity. The people of Pakistan are proud inheritors of traditions of great saints and poets who fostered the message of peace and brotherhood over the centuries. Pakistani cuisine is characterized by a blend of various regional cooking traditions of the subcontinent, Central Asia as well as from its Mughal legacy. Various cuisines are derived from Pakistan’s ethnic and cultural diversity, which offer unique culinary art praised by the foreigners. Pakistan’s cultural heritage includes archaeological sites, stupas, forts, shrines, tombs, buildings, monuments, and places of worship.
It possesses remains of several ancient civilizations; the most famous is Indus Valley Civilization dating back to 3,000 BC – its sites are Moenjoaro (Sindh) and Harrappa (Punjab), and Buddhist civilization in the north. The historic monuments represent various periods of our history and demonstrate the rich cultural milieu of the land. We find historic Hindu temples in Tharparkar (Sindh) and Punjab, Sultanante period monuments in Makli Tombs, Thatta, in Multan and Ucch Sharif, and Mughal monuments in Thatta, Multan and Lahore etc. From the mighty stretches of the Karakorams in the North to the vast alluvial delta of the Indus River in the South make Pakistan a land of high adventure for tourists including trekking, mountaineering, water rafting, mountain and desert jeep safaris as well as camel and yak safaris. High Himalayas, Karakoram and the Hindukush ranges with their alpine meadows are tourists’ attractions.
Over and above all, Pakistan is an atomic power, which is a pride of Muslim Ummah. Its people and armed forces have the ability to meet any challenge posed by internal and external enemies of Pakistan. And they have the capability and the will to defend the motherland. Pakistan is proud of its military’s achievement in that Pakistan is at the zenith of defence technology. In September 1991, the Ministry of Defence Production was created to promote and coordinate the military production facilities. The ministry also includes seven other specialized organizations devoted to research and development, production, and administration. By early 2000, a joint project of China and Pakistan developed the JF-17 Thunder fighter. Pakistan also has taken major steps to achieve self-sufficiency in aircraft overhaul and modernization. So far as missile technology is considered, Pakistan is considered one of the leading countries of the world.
Despite Pakistan’s close relations with Saudi Arabia and its commitment to protect the holy places, it is poised to keep neutrality in the row between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Of course, Pakistan has been treading carefully. In March 2015, when Saudi Arabia formed a coalition against Houthis in Yemen, the BBC, quoting the official Saudi press agency, had stated that Pakistan, along with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan, have all expressed a desire to participate in the operation against rebels in Yemen. Pakistan had then made it clear that Pakistan would not be part of any fight in Yemen or elsewhere. Unfortunately, the contradictions or differences between Arab and Ajm date back to 1400 years, and both sides believe in the righteousness of their cause. In 1990, after Saddam Hussian had invaded Kuwait, the US, the western countries and Arab countries were united against him.
Earlier, they had fuelled the sectarian fracas by supporting Iraq in its war against Iran and, in the process, had strengthened Iraq with Arab countries’ funding. The US and the West were looking for an opportunity to weaken Iraq, and they did it by attacking Iraq on the false pretext that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Their next target was Syria where they played the sectarian card and provided arms to Syrian Sunni rebels; and Arab countries actively supported the rebels to overthrow Bashar al-Assad government. They should understand the machinations of those who wish to divide Muslim Ummah and use their contradictions to weaken them. And that one day it could be their turn. Pakistan wishes to maintain relation with Arab countries and Iran, which was reiterated by COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa during his visit to Iran. Pakistan has categorically stated that Pakistani military personnel will remain within geographical boundaries of Saudi Arabia, and under no circumstances be a part of any military campaign against Iran.
