“Small nations have always struggled against more powerful ones for their freedom. The whole history of humankind is a struggle of the oppressed against exploitation and domination. The contemporary history of Pakistan is nothing but an example of such a struggle. The struggle before Independence was against an alien racial domination; today it is for preserving independence. The wheel of change has come full circle, bringing us face to face with the same ancient menace. We are no more a subject people; we have the attributes of an independent nation and the will to remain free; though peace is our ideal, the defence of our rights continues to be the supreme objective of the people of Pakistan” Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in The Myth of Independence

 On August 14, 2026, the nation celebrates 79th Independence Day with the hope that the present hybrid-plus government might bring the much-needed reforms in all spheres of governance and fix chronic maladies; political, economic and social, so that Pakistan can be transformed into a true democratic polity, an egalitarian state, independent and sovereign in real sense of the word.

 It is an undeniable fact that after 79 years of independence, the ruling elites of Pakistan; militro-judicial-civil complex, businessmen-turned politicians and absentee landowners have pushed the country into a perpetual turmoil. Despite becoming a nuclear state, we are ensnared in a deadly debt trap where majority of the population lacks even basic amenities of life. Wealth and power are concentrated in a few hands and overwhelming burden of taxes, shifted on the less-privileged. The elitist economy favours the rich and mighty with every passing day the rich-poor divide is widening. This paradox depicts what Zulfikar Ali Bhutto highlighted in his masterpiece, Myth of Independence.

 The existing oppressive economic system of Pakistan protects and promotes interests of the exploitative classes in utter violation of Article 3 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan [“the Constitution”]. Since its inception, Pakistan nurtured an exploitative system, which has been gaining strength with each passing day. Presently, all forms of exploitation and repression are so deeply rooted that they are even taking away the guaranteed “right to life” from the citizens, what to talk of fulfilling the promise mentioned in Article 3 of the Constitution which says: 

 “The State shall ensure the elimination of all forms of exploitation and the gradual fulfilment of the fundamental principle, from each according to his ability, to each according to his work”.

 It was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who for the first time, thought of including the above in Constitution, to fulfill the promise of what he called “Islamic socialism” principle. In reality, he, at the behest of progressive elements in his then Pakistan Peoples Party [Maleeha Lodhi 1980],........

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