Time to Recall the Quaid

By Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah - the undisputed leader of the Muslims of the subcontinent who single-handedly created Pakistan, could have, if he had so wished, given to the people of this country a constitution. But the Quaid was, above all, a democrat, a committed constitutionalist and for him the rule of law was an article of faith.

When asked what would be the constitution of Pakistan, his answer was that he had neither the power nor the intention of determining or dictating a constitution. He insisted that it was for the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to deliberate the consti-tutional issues and finally adopt the constitution of Pakistan. He went on to state that the government in Pakistan would be representative and democratic. He called it a people's government and declared that the constitution and the government would be what the people have decided.

The Quaid was equally clear about the role of the bureaucracy in the governance of the country. While addressing the Civil Officers of Balochistan at Sibbi on February 14, 1948, the Quaid stated: "Pakistan is now a sovereign state, absolute and un-fettered, and the government of Pakistan is in the hands of the people. Until we finally frame our constitution which, of course, can only be done by the Constituent Assembly, our present provisional constitution based on the fundamental principles of democracy, not bureaucracy or autocracy or dictatorship, must be worked. You officers should realize that these are the principles which should be borne in mind."