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    The Vision of the Founding Father: What the Quaid foresaw in 1948

    Vision of the Founding Father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

    Written by: Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed
    Posted on: August 13, 2023 | | 中文

    Quaid-i-Azam on the covers of Time (22nd April, 1946) and Life Magazine (5th January, 1948)

    The birthday of the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, coincides with the advent of the New Year; this year it comes at a time when Pakistan is poised to play a pivotal role in the region. Pakistan has been in the 'eye of the storm' since 1979: it fought the last big battle of the 20th century as a 'frontline state' that ended with the demolition of the Berlin War, demise of communism in Europe, and the breakup of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the 21st century, Pakistan was again propelled to a 'frontline position' in the battle against terrorism and extremism, with a focus on Afghanistan.

    Vision of the Founding Father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

    Quaid-i-Azam with daughter Dina

    Pakistan has managed to leverage its strategic location with a larger than life role since its inception, which the Quaid-i-Azam had envisaged with amazing prescience! Soon after the birth of Pakistan, the Quaid gave his first interview to an American journalist, Margaret Bourke-White, who published it as the cover story of LIFE magazine in January 1948. She asked the Quaid about the future of Pakistan and its place in the world, when it was still in a precarious condition: it was at war with India over Kashmir; was faced with bankruptcy as India was refusing to give Pakistan its share of assets; there was an influx of millions of refugees to Pakistan, and a similar exodus of population following communal riots. 

    Vision of the Founding Father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

    A rare photograph of the Quaid reposing

    Quaid-i-Azam responded to the American journalist's question with characteristic clarity and conviction: 'Pakistan is the pivot of the world, placed on the frontier on which the future position of the world revolves'! His words sound prophetic today.
    With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the centerpiece of regional connectivity, an emerging Greater South Asia, China, South and Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan are being woven together by pipelines and ports, roads and railways, energy and economy. Pakistan's role is pivotal.
     

    Vision of the Founding Father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

    (L-R) Quaid-i-Azam, Dina, Liaquat Ali Khan and Begum Ra'ana Liaquat

    Even in the past, Pakistan has been taking moral positions at the global level, and going beyond the politics of realpolitik. Some examples:

    • Pakistan was an early supporter of freedom struggles in Eritrea, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco in the 1950s. Farhat Abbas, Premier of the Algerian government in exile, and Habib Bourguiba, the father of modern Tunisia, traveled on Pakistani passports at the time;
    • Pakistan was the first country to help China break out of its international isolation in the 1960s, imposed on it by the US. It allowed PIA to fly to China, and then established physical connectivity with China by starting construction of the Karakorum Friendship Highway in 1966.
    • In the 1970s, Pakistan was the first and only non-Arab country to participate in the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War (with PAF pilots taking part in combat on behalf of the Syrian Air Force); and it was during the Islamic Summit in Lahore in 1974 that the PLO was formally recognized as the 'sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people'.
    • Since the 1980s, Pakistan has hosted the largest refugee population for the longest period (3 million Afghan refugees);
    • In the 1990s, Pakistan became the first country to break the one-sided UN arms embargo by sending arms and ammunition to the besieged Bosnian Muslims. It even hosted Bosnian refugees, although Pakistan had no strategic or economic stake in it, thereby helping in the formation of the first Muslim majority country in Europe;
    • After a covert quest of 24 years, and despite pressures, threats and intimidation, Pakistan became the Muslim world's first nuclear power in 1998;
    • In the May 2009 issue of The Atlantic magazine, Robert Kaplan described Gwadar as the 'hub of a new Silk Road, the Rotterdam of the Arabian Sea' with a potential outreach to historic but landlocked places like Samarkand.

    Today Gwadar Port, the centerpiece of CPEC, is a living reality.
    As this shining track record testifies, Pakistan has lived up to the Quaid-i-Azam’s prophecy of becoming the 'pivot' in geopolitics, and has taken moral and courageous positions on a whole range of issues. That role is likely to continue in an enhanced manner now that CPEC, the single biggest project between any two countries in the history of international relations, is moving forward. It promises to turn Pakistan into a hub of regional connectivity, and transform the lives of its people.

    Vision of the Founding Father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

    Quaid-i-Azam and Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah

    A video about the Quaid-i-Azam and Ruttie Jinnah (courtesy of MJ Abbasi)


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021