ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah raised his voice for the oppressed Muslims throughout the world even before the creation of Pakistan.

This was stated by PML-N Chairman Raja Muhammed Zafarul Haq while addressing a meeting held here on Thursday to celebrate Quaid-i-Azam’s birth anniversary. He said the day should be marked with tributes to the person who gained recognition for Muslims of the subcontinent as a dignified and independent separate nation.

He said Quaid-i-Azam earned his title because even before creation of Pakistan he raised his voice for Muslims wherever they were oppressed, opposed creation of Israel and spoke in support of the Muslims in Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan and Algeria.

Mr Haq said the “Pakistan first” slogan of the present rulers meant that we had nothing to do with other Islamic countries. He recalled that when President Khatami of Iran visited Islamabad he asked Prime Minister Jamali whether there was possibility of improving relations with Iran after restoration of democracy. He said Jamali only responded with the Pakistan first slogan, although he could come up with a better answer.

Raja Zafarul Haq reaffirmed the party’s resolve not to compromise on Pakistan’s ideology, Kashmir and nuclear capability. Refuting the charge of being stubborn, he said the PML-N firmly followed the principles of Quaid-e-Azam and would never compromise on these principles because “these alone identified us as a country and a nation”.

He said the opportunists who had abandoned their principles today to side with Pervez Musharraf would not be able to face the nation tomorrow. “The difficult course that our party and Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chose in October 1999 was the only right course and soon we will overcome all obstacles and Nawaz Sharif will be triumphantly back to lead the nation,” he added.