EVERY nation has two birthdays. The first marks its independence. The second begins when it fulfills the ideals upon which that independence was won. Pakistan achieved the first on 14 August 1947 through extraordinary political leadership, constitutional struggle and immense sacrifice. The second remains a national mission still unfolding. As Pakistan celebrates its seventy-ninth Independence Day, the time has come not only to honour our past but also to ask whether we have remained faithful to the constitutional vision that inspired the creation of the state.

Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah did not seek merely a new territory. He sought a modern constitutional republic founded upon the rule of law, representative government, equal citizenship and justice. His political career reflected an unwavering commitment to constitutionalism, parliamentary government and democratic accountability. ‘Unity, Faith and Discipline’ was not simply a slogan for achieving independence. It was intended to become the governing philosophy of an independent Pakistan. The tragedy of our national history is not that we have forgotten these principles, but that we have too often remembered them only in speeches while neglecting them in practice.

Pakistan’s achievements since independence deserve recognition. Despite formidable challenges, it has preserved its sovereignty, built a powerful military, become a nuclear state, expanded its economy, developed major infrastructure and shown remarkable resilience through wars, disasters, terrorism and economic crises. Yet independence was never meant to be........

© Pakistan Observer