Slaves of Enemies and Enemies of the Nation

While describing Muʾmin, Iqbal had said:

ہو حلقۂ یاراں تو بریشم کی طرح نرم
رزمِ حق و باطل ہو تو فولاد ہے مومن

(If he is in the circle of friends, he is as soft as wax,

In the battlefield of truth and falsehood, Mu’min is like steel.)

But Pakistan’s military and political rulers have turned Iqbal’s couplet upside down, and it has now become like this:

ہو حلقۂ یاراں تو وہ لوہے کی طرح سخت
رزمِ حق و باطل ہو تو بس موم ہے مومن

(If he is in the circle of friends, he is as hard as iron,

In the battlefield of truth and falsehood, Mu’min is merely wax.)

Before the actual conversation begins, take note of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s recent statement to give it context.

On the occasion of his visit to Switzerland, Shahbaz Sharif addressed a gathering and said we do not want to waste our resources in wars. Pakistan does not desire tensions in the region; rather, we seek peace and prosperity in the world. He emphasized that Pakistan cannot afford to be engaged in conflicts and wars in the region. Instead, we want to use our resources for development. He urged his counterparts to adopt the same mindset.

The history of the world tells that whoever raises the flag of truth and justice becomes the world’s enemy, and oppression, tyranny, and war are imposed upon them in every form. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) made a declaration of God’s greatness because of which the king of his time, Nimrod, became thirsty for his blood. He conspired to burn Prophet Ibrahim (AS) alive in the fire. If Allah had not miraculously turned the fire into a garden, Nimrod would have left no trace of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) alive. Similarly, Prophet Musa (AS) and Prophet Haroon (AS) also made the declaration of the oneness and greatness of the one true God because of which Pharaoh, the king of their time, became the enemy of them and their people. If Allah, the Lord of the worlds, had not saved Prophet Musa (AS) and his people through a miracle, Pharaoh would not have left any of them alive.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) had a more gentle and compassionate disposition than anyone in the world, but when he raised the flag of “La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah,” all the disbelievers and idolaters became his enemies. And finally, the time came when the disbelievers waged war against the Prophet (SAW) and his companions in the Battle of Badr. This tradition of the Prophets and Messengers has been continued by our Revivalists (Mujadids). Mujadid Alf Sani (Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi), challenged the tyrant ruler of his time, Jahangir, and left him with no choice but to abandon his anti-Islamic inclinations.

This means that Muslims should neither desire war nor run away from it if it becomes inevitable. Mian Shahbaz Sharif’s statements show that he is trembling with fear at the thought of war with India. He is saying that no matter how much oppression India inflicts on its Muslim population and the Kashmiris, and no matter how much India conspires against Pakistan, we will still not engage in war with India. We are peace-loving; we seek reconciliation and will use our resources for development and happiness.

We remind Mian Shahbaz Sharif that we fought our last war against India in 1971, and it has been 52 years since that war. For the past 52 years, we have had a state of peace in the country. Therefore, can Shahbaz Sharif tell the nation how much progress and prosperity his government has brought to the country by spending resources on the country? Currently, our population is 230 million, and out of these, 100 million people are below the poverty line. These are the people whose daily income is between 2 to 3 dollars or 300 to 600 rupees, they are living in misery and struggling to survive. Another 500 million people have a monthly income ranging from 1,000 to 1,200 rupees. They are alive, but barely making ends meet. Mian Shahbaz Sharif’s government has burdened the nation with inflation to the extent that even those with a monthly income of one lakh (100,000) rupees are struggling. The flat I live in has only three rooms, and the rent for it is 25,000 rupees. The monthly electricity bill ranges from 18,000 to 20,000 rupees. Additionally, there are expenses for gas, water, and other necessities.

The question is, how can a family of five to six people survive in 50,000 rupees? How can they afford to feed, educate, and marry their children? These are our conditions, despite the fact we have not fought a single war with India in the past 52 years.

When studying history, it becomes evident that our military and civil rulers have always remained slaves to the enemies and have shown horrifying enmity towards the nation. For the past thousand years, the West has been an enemy of Islam, and since the beginning of the 20th century, America has been leading the West. The extent of America’s bloodshed can be understood by the fact that white settlers in America killed 8 to 10 crore Red Indians to occupy the land. During the Vietnam War, America waged war and killed over 10 million Vietnamese. In the Korean War, they butchered 30 million people. In World War II, without any justification, they dropped atomic bombs on two cities in Japan, killing 1.5 to 2 million people and leaving more wounded. Our generals have been enslaved to America from day one. General Ayub initiated this slavery. He imposed martial law on the country and the nation with America’s blessings. He turned and made Pakistan’s defense America-centric. He made the country addicted to foreign loans. He put the noose of American slavery around Pakistan’s neck by signing treaties with SEATO and CENTO. General Ayub went so far in America’s slavery that he himself started feeling that we are America’s slaves. Consequently, with the help of Altaf Gohar he wrote an autobiography. In this Autobiography, he tried to create an impression that we are America’s friends, not its slaves. But, Zafer Iqbal has noted:

کہیں چھپائے سے چھپتی ہے بے حسی دل کی
ہزار کہتا پھرے مست ہے قلندر ہے

(It hides, not even if tried, the heart’s apathy

Matters not that he says a thousand times he’s only lost in ecstasy)

General Ayub created America’s slavery, which was not limited to just him. After General Ayub, General Yahya also rose as a slave of America. General Zia-ul-Haq too remained in America’s lap for a long time. General Pervez Musharraf went so far in his love for American President George Bush that Western media outlets started calling him “Busharraf” instead of just Musharraf.

Mian Nawaz Sharif was a civil ruler, but his American-leaning stance was such that when General Pervez freed him from imprisonment and sent him to Saudi Arabia, former ISI chief General Hamid Gul said in a statement that America took its man back. America was responsible for removing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from power and taking him to the gallows, but Benazir Bhutto, sitting in America’s lap, signed an NRO with General Pervez.

Pakistan’s rulers have been slaves to not only America but also India. Quaid-e-Azam once said that if India oppresses its Muslim minority, Pakistan will intervene militarily, but when India made the lives of 25 crore Indian Muslims hell, Pakistan’s rulers remained silent. General Zia-ul-Haq had told the Kashmiris that if they turned their struggle into an armed and popular one, Pakistan would intervene militarily in Kashmir. However, when it happened, and the Kashmiris asked for Pakistan’s help, Pakistan’s rulers said they could not wage a war for Kashmir that might jeopardize Pakistan.

In the 1990s, the Khalistan movement was on the rise in Indian Punjab, but Pakistan’s rulers handed over lists of Khalistan movement activists to India. When Modi came into power, Nawaz Sharif participated in his swearing-in ceremony as if he were a courtier in a royal court.

Pakistan was founded in the name of Islam, but in the 75 years since its creation, Pakistan’s military and civil rulers have not given the people a God-centered life or elevated Islam in the national life. The extent is such that Pakistan’s rulers have not even allowed the nation to be truly free. As a result, the nation is enslaved to the generals, the Sharifs, and the Bhuttos. We have been independent for 75 years, but the literacy rate in the country is only 56 percent. The vast population of the country cannot even afford clean drinking water. Most people who fall ill, do not have access to proper medical treatment. Despite this, Shahbaz Sharif criticizes wars as if we have been fighting wars for 75 years.