State of Medina

Quite a many media men and most politicians in the opposite camp chide IK, whenever they find an occasion to do, for not establishing his promised State of Medina in Pakistan. During a tv talk show today with MNA Dr. Ramesh, who was not allowed to table a motion in the House banning alcohol for the non-Muslims, anchor Saleem Saafi was  time and again bringing up the question if alcohol was allowed to be consumed by the non-Muslims in the then State of Medina? Thereby implying that it should be banned in Pakistan as well. He had garnered the support of Allama Ashrafi, who could naturally had to side with the anchor. However, the Min of Info Ch. Fawad was of the view that it was a non issue and should be left to the discretion of the non-Muslims whether to consume it or not.  If such a bill were allowed, it could lead to many other bills like gender segregation at work places, co-education, banning male doctors from treating female patients, not allowing women folk ! go anywhere  without Mahram etc. etc.  The Minister also clarified that by making Pakistan a State like that of Medina doesn’t mean to introduce theocracy in Pakistan.

I am of the view that what IK meant by making Pakistan like the State of Medina was that there shall be a rule of law equally applicable to all citizens of the state ensuring justice and fair play for all.  This concept was given in the Meesaq e Medina that all citizens irrespective of their faith, cast and creed were ONE Ummah and to be treated alike. All the tribes of the Muslims (Mohajir & Ansars), 9 tribes of the Jews, Christians and others except the Non Believers (Mushrakeen) were termed as “Ummat e Wahida” – one ummah in the Meesaq.  And this concept of Ummat e Wahida – One Nation - comprising of Muslims and Non-Muslims (believers) was given by no one else other than the Holy Prophet (SAW) himself.  By the same token all people of Pakistan Muslims and Non-Muslims constitute ONE Ummah. This is exactly what the Quaid said in his August 11, 1947 speech to the First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. Excerpts reproduced below:

QUOTE:

You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of the State. ….. Now, I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the state.

UNQUOTE

And probably this is what PM Imran Khan is striving at, or he must.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)