FROM THIS DISTANCE LAND

Dear Countrymen ! Pakistani Brothers & Sisters and all

Wherever you are in the world I wish you happiness and prosperity. You should work hard and attain progress and happiness. Your compatriot from Japan is sending greetings to you.

I am in this distant land
And it will be full moon night in my country

The real worth of one?s homeland can only be experienced by those who are sitting far away from their country like me. I am living here for years now. Many years have passed living in Japan and speaking Japanese. Whenever I see moon in the sky I feel as if Pakistan?s flag is hoisted in the vastness of sky and I feel from the core of my heart that this symbol of my homeland should always remain high and the memory of country kindles in whole of my body.
Whenever Japanese TV or newspapers carry any news about Pakistan my Japanese wife and children listen it very carefully and later discuss it with me. They try to understand the problem. It is immaterial whether it is social or political. They want me to explain it to them and also discuss it in details. In other words our small house here becomes Pakistan Parliament and I explain everything to them from my limited knowledge. My wife and children remember each detail of the discussion till next meeting. On October 13 1999 when the news about the change of government in Pakistan became known here my wife and children as usual also listened to the news and they raised this issue in front of their Pakistani ?Papa?. They were curious to know why and how such a thing happened and what would happen in the future. So I had to tell them that why was Pakistan founded in 1947. Who were our leaders and how long Muslims ruled in the sub-continent. What are the religious beliefs of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians. What was the attitude of these religious groups during the Muslim rule in India and then when the Muslim?s grip on power loosened how British entered the country. There is very scant literature about it here in Japan and whatever little literature is available it gives a different version of history. There are some writings on Qaid-e-Azam available here in Japanese language. Similarly there are some brief writings on Allama Iqbal in Japanese language also available here. But I keep on conveying these things to my family members and friends in detail .Many Japanese newspapers publish my articles and my views are aired by Japanese television. The plus point with me is that I can speak and write Japanese language with facility.

I came to Japan in 1985 and since then I am visiting Pakistan almost every year .I came here as a student and after learning Japanese language I had two options whether I should take up an employment or do business. In Japan it is quite easy to start a business. So I have opened a big showroom here where I sell the carpets and other handicrafts from Pakistan and its different regions. How did I get married? It was my great fortune that a very respectable family of Japan took me as their son in law. And my wife became a source of my progress and prosperity here for which I am deeply indebted to her. Last year in April I came to Pakistan with my wife and four children, My parents and other brothers and sisters live in Rawalpindi. After visiting that city I came down to Lahore. My wife and children thoroughly enjoyed their visit. They were impressed with the historic and the cultural heritage of Pakistan. They particularly liked the city of Lahore because there are number of buildings of Mughal period. They were deeply impressed with the architecture of that period. Incidentally I also belong to a Mughal family and we are known as Mughals on that account. My children are addressed in their schools with their family name Mughal .In the courses of Japanese schools Mughal history is also taught and my children and their friends often ask me questions on Mughal history. My visit to Pakistan in fact was in response to the questions my children generally asked me. In Lahore I took their photographs in the Mughal period buildings and made a movie as well which they showed to their friends after returning to Japan.
I had told these children a lot about the old history .of Mughal period but had told them nothing about Pakistani politics. But the incident that took place in Pakistan this time was political. In their schools the children are told about world politics so they are also becoming political-minded.. They discuss different aspects of world politics. Pakistan is a democratic country so is Japan. Then what is the difference in the democracy of both the countries? What is the difference between Pakistani and Japanese politicians? Such questions are asked not only by my wife and children but whosoever comes across me here. To answer those questions I wrote many columns in local Japanese newspapers and also appeared on television to present an analysis of political conditions. I told them about what I saw there and what was happening in today?s Pakistan. When I talked about the present objective conditions of Pakistan to my wife and children then they got worried about the huge debt that Pakistan owes to foreign donors. And asked me what I could do for Pakistan sitting in Japan. I told them that I am a hard-working Pakistani and am not so rich that I could help Pakistan in clearing its debt. But I can do one thing while living in Japan and this work is more important and useful for Pakistan than helping the country monetarily. This aroused their curiosity and they asked me how could I do that. On this I told them that I am a Pakistani and while leading a happy and prosperous life here I am still worried about the difficulties and problems of my country men, I think I can make my contribution towards creating a Pakistani mind by putting my ideas and feelings on a piece of paper. When I told my wife and children about Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his ideas they felt inspired. I compared the conditions of Pakistan and Japan and in very simple words explained to them the ideology of Pakistan which appealed to them very much. This is my endeavour that I should explain to my country men the Japanese experience in very simple language like one teaches the children it will be useful for Pakistan. Once a Japanese newspaper invited me for an interview on Pakistan. When they started questioning me I counter-questioned them saying that you want to talk about the branches and leaves of the tree what about its roots. Upon this they asked me to talk about the roots because everything about the leaves and branches is presently being published by the press we want to go to the roots?the basis of Pakistan.

Japan like Pakistan completed fifty two years of its existence but there is lot of difference between the conditions of the both these countries. Pakistan is in a better position than Japan as far as its geographical location and other conditions are concerned. If we make a comparative study of the natural resources and geographical position of the two countries we find a vast difference between them. Pakistan has vast tract of fertile land where corn is grown for centuries and there are orchards of sweet and delicious fruit. You can roam about freely in every part of the country. Besides these smooth lands there are high mountains filled with rich natural resources. Here are ever-flowing rivers that look like rivers of silver and gold. They not only irrigate the land but also make the weather pleasant. There are forests on the mountains that add to the country?s wealth. There are handsome, tall and healthy human beings who where ever they go can excel due to their intelligence, understanding and sobriety. The Nature has blessed very few countries of the world with such human potential and landscape. In Pakistan we have the biggest canal irrigation system that has no parallel. The people are healthy, the land is fertile and endowed with riches of natural resources , past is so great that even the history is proud of it. Then why are we in such a bad shape?

On the other hand when we look at Japan we see some uneven-shaped islands in a deep and vast sea. Where the weathers have a negative effect on the mood of the people. The atmospheric condition of the sea controls the conditions of this country. The land is hard and stony where fertile and green tracts are scarcely found. This land is hanging like a roof on volcanoes. Natural resources are few. Most of the eatables are imported. Canals are found no where but a couple of rivers are there which are not usefully exploited as in Pakistan or other countries. And the biggest thing is that in spite of being independent Japan is not independent at all. It has to face the numerous restrictions imposed by world powers. Pakistan on the other hand is a free country.

If we exemplify Pakistan as a fruit tree then one has to say with regret that its fruit is not sweet and delicious. The body, the branches and the leaves are not those of a healthy tree. It seems that something has been lacking in its nourishment and upbringing or there is something wrong with its roots. There exists some disease in its foundation because its shade is not so dense and pleasant and its fruit is not tasty and full of flavour. But on the tree called Japan grows a tasty and sweet fruit. People love to buy any thing stamped with ?Made in Japan? sign without any hesitation.

So before discussing its roots let us first discuss its seed. Pakistan has emerged from a seed which is called Islam?din(religion) of nature. So there can be no fault in that. Because the basis of Islam is Quran the last book revealed by God Almighty. We find all sorts of lessons in it which in essence mean ? The Muslims live in a society where justice is meted out to every individual including the speechless animals? . It shows that the seed of ideas and thoughts was right because it is outcome of a universal truth. Then where lies the problem? If we thoroughly analyse the situation it will be easier to understand. I told my children many times that we belong to Mughal family which in olden days consisted of many tribes. We belong to one of the many branches of Mughal dynasty. Since we are talking about India and Pakistan , so this story is much older than the Mughal dynasty. Mughals came to India about five hundred years ago and established their kingdom. There was a time that the Mughal empire extended from Karachi to Ras Kumari in the South and it included today?s Afghanistan, Bengal and Baluchistan.. The Mughal rule lasted for more than four hundred years. It is a part of history to which one can easily refer and read the details. What I have concluded from a study of the history is that during that period there were no religious or ethnic prejudices. Mughals who spoke Persian and Turkish languages established a government in India where majority of Hundus and followers of other religions lived. This government was not based on any one religion but on the principle of justice. In whole of India whosoever did not get justice could come and pull the chain of justice hanging outside the Mughal palace. Whether it was day or night the King would leave every thing and come out to listen to the grievance of the aggrieved person. He used to order immediate enquiry into the matter. The Muslim king used to provide justice to every citizen irrespective of his colour or creed. He would administer punishment even when his own wife was involved. There was no politics those days, no sectarianism. I remember having listened from grand parents that Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians all used to share their joys and miseries together. This judicious participation in the rituals of each other had tied all the religious groups together in a nationalistic relationship.

My grand father was an indigenous medical practitioner. It is said about him that when he would examine a patient he would never differentiate between a Hindu or a Muslim or Sikh or some one belonging to any other religion. He used to examine each patient with care and affection. He would provide him medicine as well as pray to Almighty God to bless him with a quick recovery. If he would find out that the patient was very poor he would not only provide him food but would also give him some cash . I had seen in my childhood that when he became very old my grand father would still regularly visit his clinic and treat the patients without any fee. I was quite young at that time and he would accommodate me in his lap and some time would give me money to buy a toffee or ice-candy. My grand father?s attitude was that of a sober and old person of that period.

The British came to India during Mughal period as traders. Some how they managed to get permission from the Mughal government to establish a trade centre in India. Gradually the Mughal government and other local Indian rulers started getting weaker and weaker and the British became stronger and stronger. Slowly and steadily they established their government in the whole of India. But it did not happen suddenly. On rest of India the British rule lasted for more than two hundred years but in the Punjab they ruled for only ninety years. During their period they created an atmosphere of hostility and prejudice between Hindus and Muslims. Rather they showed extreme prejudice in distributing powers and justice between these two religious groups and succeeded in creating a sense of hatred and enmity between them. The combined prejudice of the British and the Hindu majority compelled Muslims to demand a separate Muslim state in all those areas where Muslims were in majority. So they started their political struggle under the banner of a political party known as All India Muslim League. A very renowned lawyer Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was affectionately called Qaid-e-Azam(The Great Leader) was the president of the Muslim League. The whole of India believed in his honesty and integrity. Without mincing any words he would speak the truth and would stick to his principled stand. He always spent his own hard-earned money through out his struggle for a separate independent homeland for the Muslims of India. He never spent a penny of the Muslim League Fund or subscription collected from Muslims on himself.

Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal was a great thinker, philosopher and intellectual mystic. He created a spirit for attaining freedom among Muslim nation through his heart-touching poetry and philosophic prose. His dream of freedom for Muslims and an independent country for them was turned into reality by the great political leader of the time Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 14th August 1947. Although Qaid-e-Azam was an exemplary leader of Muslim nation but he believed in democratic traditions and culture. Whatever steps he took were with the approval of the Executive Committee or General Council of the Muslim League. He always remained active for promoting democratic values. After the inception of Pakistan while addressing the Constituent Assembly he said,? From now onwards every citizen irrespective of his religion or creed is free. Every Pakistani is an equal citizen of Pakistan and will find no difficulty in practising his religion.

The basic purpose of Pakistan?s formation was that Muslims could fulfil their social obligations freely in the light of their beliefs. They should be free in commerce and trade. They should be able to follow the basic principles of Islam that is justice for every one and for all .Thus this new country would be an example for Muslims and Non-Muslims alike. .In the proposed country the state would take care of every individual. Every citizen of this country would selflessly care for the rights and interest of others. When the people of Pakistan would think in these terms then it would create in them a sense of unity and consensus which ultimately would help in forging unity and brotherhood among Muslims of the world.

Those who dreamt of Pakistan and established this country had big plans and had great expectations that this country and its government would lead the whole world. Allama Iqbal had rightly said:

Learn again the lesson of chivalry and truth
Because you will be called upon to lead the whole world (Iqbal)

Pakistan could only provide the leadership to the world if it had the constitution based on Islam?s golden principles of action, faith, unity and discipline. With Pakistan as the citadel of Islam the whole Muslim world would have become a great and strong block. We Muslims have full faith in that true leader whom all the non believers unanimously called Amin (honest) and Siddiq (True). ?You are honesty and truth personified,? they would say. When standing on a mountain near Mecca he asked the non believers of Mecca that ?If I tell you that on the other side of the mountain there is an army of enemy ready to destroy you, will you believe me?? On this all the elders of Quresh and others said in a single voice,? Yes, we shall believe it because you always speak the truth and shun falsehood. We have full faith in you.? The biggest trait of the Prophet (PBUH)?s personality was that the crowd of non-believers who were used to lying and usurping the rights of others ,perpetuating tyranny on the slaves of the town and embezzling the deposits of tribal people, had full faith in his integrity and virtue. As Muslims we should embody the virtues of the holy prophet but what happened to us? Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah got admission in Lincoln?s Inn London only because on its entrance the name of holy prophet had been inscribed on top of the list of the law-givers of the history. Qaid-e-Azam had assessed the greatness of seed and soil from this and raised the slogan of Pakistan and every one supported him. ?Come on we shall achieve Pakistan together?. Pakistan the land of the pure, clean, good and well-mannered people. In it there will be majority of those who believe and follow the holy prophet. This pure land will be inhabited by pure people. The first line of the Pakistan? national anthem also reads as
Pure land-be blessed with happiness

I thought that I should consult Allama Iqbal and try to understand his dream and find out what was in his heart? His Allahabad address and letters addressed to the Qaid-e-Azam all point to the fact that this land had been smeared by the injustices, selfishness, greed and dishonesty of British and Hindus. The only way to cleanse it is that Muslims should live here, practise their culture and civilisation with independence, attend to prayers and with blessing of God make this land clean.