- Posted on: December 27, 2013 | 
Comments
Google Translation: اُردو | 中文
On the evening of 24th just a day before Quaid’s birthday, Kuch Khaas organized a discussion on Jinnah’s vision. Controversy has mired the impeccable persona of our leader. The liberals at one pole and the Islamists on the other both claim him in entirety, not ready to share him with the other. The secular versus the Islamic debate has become more of a cliché now in the Pakistani academic circles.
The guest speaker Yasser Latif Hamdani towed the liberal line, highlighting the speeches other than the 11th August speech, where Jinnah had talked about his secular ideals. It was, however, the presentation of Ilhan Nayaz, a distinct scholar in his own right, which gave a new dimension to the issue.
11th August Speech of Jinnah, as Ilhan Nayaz elaborated showed the democratic beliefs of our great leader. In the speech, Jinnah clearly showed that the constituent assembly as a sovereign body should propose the new constitution; and hence it is meaningless to even discuss what kind of state Jinnah personally would have wanted. As a firm believer not only in the rule of law but also in the process of how the law is made, Jinnah was ready to accept the decisions to be made by the constituent assembly. In the view of Ilhan Niaz, Jinnah would have accepted the constituent assembly’s decision even if it had favored a theocratic state as opposed to a secular one.
The event was conducted by Raza Rumi. It was a shame that such erudite discussion was held in front of mostly empty chairs, showing the apathy of youth towards the leader who has given them this nation.
Location: Kuch Khaas
Speakers: Yasser Latif Hamdani, Ilhan Niaz, Raza Rumi
