Jinnah (Film 1998)

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Part-I



Part-II

Pakistan and USA: Equal partners in Defence of democracy (26th Feb 1948)

Reply to the speech made by the first Ambassador of the United States of America at the time of presenting Credentials to the Quaid-i-Azam, on 26th February, 1948
Your Excellency,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you in our midst as the first Ambassador of the United States of America. Though Pakistan is a new State, for well over a century now there have been many connections of trade and commerce between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States. This relationship was strengthened and made more direct and intimate during two world wars and more particularly and more recently during the second world war when our two people stood shoulder to shoulder in defense of Democracy the historic fight for self-government by your people and its achievement by them, the consistent teaching and practice of democracy in your country had for generations acted as a beacon light and had in no small measure served to give inspiration to nations who like us were striving for independence and freedom from the shackles of foreign rule

I cordially share your pleasure at the evidence of friendship and sympathy shown by your country in opening diplomatic relations with Pakistan from the every first day of its establishment as a new State. I would like to add that this friendship has been diligently and consistently furthered by your very able and esteemed colleague Mr.Charles Lewis, the Charge-d’ Affairs who represented your country here pending Your Excellency’s arrival.

Pakistan was confronted with grave and dangerous issues and problems from its early days. Though as a new State we have to face a serious situation, we have no doubt in our own minds that by our united will and determination to live as a free and peace-loving people, we shall overcome them successfully.

I thank Your Excellency for your friendly assurances of sympathy in dealing with our many problems. I also deeply appreciate your confidence that our traditions and our past will help us to fulfill the hopes and ideals of our people. In return I can assure Your Excellency that after having emerged from an eclipse which lasted over a century and a half, the people of Pakistan desire nothing which is not their own, nothing more than the goodwill and friendship of all the free nations of the world. We in Pakistan are determined that having won our long-lost freedom we will work to the utmost limit of our capacity not only to build up a strong and happy State of our own but to contribute in the fullest possible measure to international peace and prosperity. I am glad to learn that Your Excellency and the great country and people you represent, will give your co-operation to us in order to advance our economic and cultural relations for the mutual benefit of both the countries. I am hopeful that good relations and friendship already existing between the peoples of America and Pakistan will be further strengthened and the bonds of friendship between our two countries will be more firmly riveted. Your Excellency, I assure you that my government and I will do all that lies in our power to give you every assistance in the fulfillment of what is our common desire and objective. I once more extend to Your Excellency a warm welcome to Pakistan as the first Ambassador of the United States of America.

Pakistan Zindabad

Pakistan and her people - II (Feb 1948)

Broadcast talk to the people of the United States of America on Pakistan recorded February, 1948

It is a matter of great pleasure to me to give this broadcast talk to the people of the United States of America on Pakistan, its Government, its people and its resources. This Dominion which represents the fulfillment, in a certain measure, of the cherished goal of 100 million Muslims of this sub-continent Pakistan is premier Islamic State and the fifth largest in the world, came into existence on August 14, 1947. Pakistan is premier Islamic State and the fifth largest in the world. It is divided geographically into two parts, one representing Western Pakistan and other Eastern Pakistan. A distance of more than a thousand miles separates these two main divisions. The area of Western Pakistan, comprising North-West Frontier Province, West Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan is 179,000 square miles while the area of Eastern Pakistan consisting of Eastern Bengal and the district of Sylhet, is 54,000 square miles. Thus the total area of Pakistan is 233,100 square miles and its population is about 70 million.

Pakistan is essentially an agricultural country, its two main food crops being wheat and rice. Rice is the staple food of Eastern and wheat of Western Pakistan. Western Pakistan is well served with a network of canals, both in West Punjab and Sindh. Mention must be made here of the Lloyd Barrage irrigation works which have brought about 6 million acres of wasteland under cultivation by harnessing the waters of the Indus. There is also a scheme of constructing two new barrages, one in Upper and the other in Lower Sindh. When these are completed, it is hoped that the total area under cultivation in Sindh would increase to 12 million acres.

Among the other produce of Pakistan must be mentioned jute and cotton. The areas producing jute, fittingly described as the golden fiber of Bengal, are now largely in Eastern Pakistan though the jute mill industry is mostly located in Calcutta and its suburbs in the Indian Dominion. According to the latest calculation, the area under jute in Pakistan is about 1.50 million acres and the yield of jute is estimated at over 4 million bales. Plans have already been drawn up for developing the jute trade in Pakistan and efforts are being made to import necessary plants for setting up jute mills in Eastern Pakistan.

The position of cotton in Pakistan has recently much improved. The area of cotton under cultivation in 1944-45 in Western Pakistan was nearly 3 million acres, while the yield was about 1 million bales. The estimated value of cotton produced in Pakistan during 1946-47 comes to 450 million rupees. In the not very distant future Pakistan’s produce of cotton is expected to reach a much higher level.

Tea and tobacco are also produced in Pakistan. In 1944, the area now under Pakistan in Eastern Bengal under tea cultivation was 80.000 acres.

Minerals

Nature has endowed Pakistan with tremendous mineral wealth, which awaits exploitation and development. Coal, iron, petroleum, chromate, gypsum, salt, building materials, steatite and gold are found in Pakistan.

Industries

As I have said before, Pakistan is essentially an agricultural country with no large-scale industries. But the blue prints of a scheme for the rapid industrialization of both Western and Eastern Pakistan have already been drawn up by my Government. The Sindh Government alone has formulated a scheme of industrialization which will cost about 13 million rupees and will take about four years to materialize. An initial sum of 25 million rupees for the development of special industrial areas in the Province, has already been sanctioned. Other province in Pakistan is also engaged at present in preparing vast and comprehensive schemes of industrialization.

There are two principal ports in Pakistan, namely, Karachi and Chittagong. Besides its importance as the present capital of the Dominion of Pakistan, Karachi boasts of being one of the busiest airports in Asia.

Chittagong is the main outlet for the trade and commerce of Eastern Pakistan and my Government is taking requisite steps for its further improvement and development.

Constitution

The constitution of Pakistan has yet to be framed by the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. I do not know what the ultimate shape of this constitution is going to be, but I am sure that it will be of a democratic type, embodying the essential principle of Islam. Today, they are as applicable in actual life as they were 1,300 years ago. Islam and its idealism have taught us democracy. It has taught equality of man, justice and fairplay to everybody. We are the inheritors of these glorious traditions and are fully alive to our responsibilities and obligations as framers of the future constitution of Pakistan. In any case Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic State to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims –Hindus, Christians, and Parsis –but they are all Pakistanis. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan.

Foreign Policy

Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and goodwill towards all the nations of the world. We do not cherish aggressive design against any country or nation. We believe in the principle of honesty and fairplay in national and international dealings and are prepared to make our utmost contribution to the promotion of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world. Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending its material and moral support to the opposed and suppressed peoples of the world and in upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter.

During the last five months of its existence, Pakistan has had to face terrible trials and tribulations and to suffer tragedies, which are almost without parallel in the history of mankind. We have, however, withstood these calamities with courage and fortitude. Through our perseverance, labor and sacrifice we will make Pakistan into a great and powerful nation. Pakistan has come to stay and no power on earth can destroy it.

Pakistan Zindabad

Pakistan and her people - I (19th Feb 1948)

Broadcast talk to the people of Australia recorded on 19th February, 1948

It is common talk these days that the world grows smaller: its peoples know more about each other, and their interests are becoming increasingly interlocked. Yet, I wonder what the people of Australia know of Pakistan. Is it, I have been asking myself, more than a name to them? Is it merely an old and not quite comprehensible experiment by those unpredictable persons, the Asiatic? Well, today I am very glad to have the opportunity of telling you something about Pakistan and what it means to sixty-five million people.

Pakistan is made up of two blocks of territory. One in the NorthEast, and one in NorthWest of the sub-continent of India. In the East, it is a land washed by great slow-moving rivers, and it is dependent for its prosperity largely on the monsoon rains. The west is a land of greater variety of desert of fertile irrigated plains, of mountains and valleys. The people are mostly simple folk, poor, not very well educated and with few interest beyond the cultivation of their fields. As I say, they are poor; but they come of hardy, vigorous stock, and I think without boasting I can claim that they are brave. They made good soldiers, and have won renown in many battles. They have fought side by your side in two world wars.

For the present, agriculture is our mainstay. With a population of about 22 per cent of what was formerly British India, Pakistan produces about 33 per cent of the total tonnage of rice about 40 per cent of the total tonnage of wheat. In essential foods we are, therefore, comparatively fortunate. We also have some important commercial crops, such as jute, cotton and tobacco. The greater part of the world’s jute is grown in East Bengal and it gives us the great benefit of earning large sums of foreign exchange. Foreign exchange will be very valuable to us in setting up and expanding our industries.

As yet we have very few big Industries. I believe that at least one of the distinguished sons of Australia. I mean Mr. R.G.Casey could tell you that our country offers immense opportunities for development and enrichment, and that we ourselves, the people, are restless to take advantage of them. For the present, however, we are short of capital and technical knowledge; but given a little time, and here and there a friendly hand, these deficiencies should be made good. In this matter of industrialization capital development, we have no prejudices or false pride. We know our present weaknesses in these directions and we should certainly welcome any investment, which would be likely to strengthen our economy. I do not believe that anyone from abroad who gives a helping hand would have reason to regret it.

West Pakistan is separated from East Pakistan by about a thousand miles of the territory of India. The first question a student from abroad should ask himself is how can this be? How can there be unity of government between areas so widely separated? I can answer this question in one word. It is “faith”: faith in Almighty God, in ourselves and in our destiny. But I can see that people who do not know us well might have difficulty in grasping the implications of so short an answer. Let me, for a moment, build up the background for you.

The great majority of us are Muslims. We follow the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (may peace be upon him). We are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which all are equal in rights, dignity and self-respect. Consequently, we have a special and a very deep sense of unity. But make no mistake: Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it.

Islam demands from us the tolerance of other creeds and we are themselves willing and ready to play their part and loyal citizens of Pakistan.

Not only are most of us Muslims but we have our own history, customs and traditions and those ways of thought, outlook and instinct which go to make up a sense of nationality. We have had a place in India for many centuries. At one time it was supreme place. This was when the edict of the Moghuls ran from shore to shore. We look back on that period merely from historical point of view. Now we have got a comparatively small place comparatively although four times the size of England. It is ours and we are content with it. We have no aggressive designs upon our neighbors. We wish to live in peace and friendship, and to work out our destiny quietly in our own way and make our rightful contribution in the affairs of the world.

Our people have not achieved their ambition to have a place of their own without great suffering. You will have read in the newspapers of the appalling events that have taken place in Northern India. To us, it is not a newspaper event: it is the suffering and life-blood of our kith and kin. None of us, whether we be of Pakistan or India, can speak of it without the deepest grief. Men, women and children have been massacred in their thousands millions are homeless. The trouble once having started, the people of both sides have hit back at each other, and I would hope that they are ashamed of it.

I speak for my Government when I say that we have done everything in our power to hold in check the lawless spirit of revenge. It has not been easy, but I am thankful that we have succeeded in so large measure. Above everything else, we need peace and good fellowship. Also, I would believe that I speak for everymen of us in Pakistan when I say that our suffering, terrible as they have been, have only strengthened us in our resolve to preserve our State and to count it as our greatest blessing. In my speeches and in every sphere of the Government in which I have influence, I have emphasized and enjoined that Pakistan must not sit back and brood over its injuries. Our people must work and work hard to repair and enrich their country. We are determined to go ahead, and God willing, we shall succeed.

In the setting up of our new State, I would expect a special understanding of our problems by the people of Australia. After all, it is not so long ago that your forebears were breaking new ground, organizing the administration, scheming to develop the riches of the earth, safeguarding the future of you, their children, and, most important, achieving their sense of identity as Australians, which you have inherited. We are in much the same stage. Doubtless, we shal1 make mistakes just, perhaps, as you have made mistakes. But just as you have succeeded, so too, we shall succeed.

There is another reason why I think you should not regard Pakistan merely as another name on an already overcrowded map. Pakistan is, in fact, a very important addition to the long line of Muslim countries through which your communications pass to the Mediterranean and to Europe. We are naturally in very close association with these countries.

There is, I would believe, a good measure of fellow feeling between Muslims and the British people. It comes, perhaps from a practical way to thinking and an aversion from mere theorizing and sentiment. There are of course, rubs and difficulties and misunderstanding now and then; but these are not so important as the friendships. Certainly we in Pakistan who know the British people well have nothing but good feeling in our hearts. In the somewhat electric atmosphere of the last decade we have said bitter things of them about British domination and their system of rule. That is now past and forgotten in the achievement of our freedom and establishment of Pakistan and in the friendly handshake and association of equal peoples.

In this short talk I hope that I have given you some impression of Pakistan, of our people, and what Pakistan means to all of us. It has been suggested to me that in conclusion I should send a greeting to the people of Australia. I do so gladly; and I can think of no better greeting than one which is traditional amongst us; “Assalam-o-Alaikum” which is, “may peace be on you”.

Pakistan Zindabad

Quaid-e-Azam