THE year 2026 is, by some accounts, to be officially declared the ‘Year of the Quaid-i-Azam’, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mr Mohammad Ali Jinnah. No display of gratitude, no matter how grand, can match what the Quaid bequeathed to this nation; nonetheless, the gesture is a worthy one. According to the federal planning minister, there will be “befitting and dignified commemorations at the national level”. The minister has stressed that the commemorative activities should be “meaningful, impactful and memorable”. One hopes that the Quaid’s teachings and his vision for Pakistan also receive due attention, particularly at a time when the country appears increasingly adrift from them. A passage from his address to the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, stands out in the context of Pakistan’s current socio-political disarray. “Now, if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor,” the Quaid said. “If you will work in co-operation, forgetting the past, burying the hatchet, you are bound to succeed.”

He also set out the principles by which he intended to govern as Pakistan’s first governor-general: “I shall always be guided by the principles of justice and fair play without any […] partiality or favouritism. […] I am sure that with your support and co-operation, I can look forward to Pakistan becoming one of the greatest nations of the world.” As the nation prepares to celebrate its Quaid, the country’s leadership would do well to reflect on the ideals that made him the leader he was. Concern for the well-being of the people, especially the poor, and the insistence on justice, fairness, and cooperation are as much the Quaid’s bequeathments as the country he left behind. They must, therefore, be honoured equally. Alongside commemorations of the Quaid’s life and achievements, the political leadership should renew its commitment to the principles he laid down, and demonstrate them in practice by forgetting the past and burying the hatchet. Mr Jinnah believed Pakistan was bound to succeed if its leadership worked in cooperation. It is time that belief was honoured in practice. Anything less would reduce the ‘Year of the Quaid’ to ceremony without substance, and reverence without responsibility. He is owed more than that.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2025