THERE were celebrations on March 23, as usual, but not for what the day really signifies since independence. The Muslim League Working Committee decided on Feb 22, 1941, that March 23 would be celebrated every year to publicise the Pakistan Resolution which was moved at the Muslim League convention in Lahore, but passed the next day, on March 24.

That was before independence. After our country came into being in 1947, we would celebrate Aug 14 every year as Pakistan Day. It was our national day. Despite having won independence, we still had the status of a ‘dominion’, one of the self-governing territories of the British Commonwealth. For example, our cabinet would nominate the governor-general or the prime minister but the formal approval would come from the Queen of the UK.

When our constitution was promulgated on March 23, 1956, we became a republic, severing the formal link with Britain. The date became the Republic Day. We celebrated it up to 1958, until President Iskandar Mirza abrogated the constitution on Oct 7 and appointed Gen Ayub Khan as the chief martial law administrator.

In the absence of the constitution, the celebration of the Republic Day would have been incongruous. So, the day was changed to Pakistan Day.

Martial law authorities had no choice.

However, what prevented the elected governments from restoring the Republic Day? The politicians of all hues shout hoarse against military dictators but do not have the sense to restore the status of Republic Day. The media also did not start calling March 23 the Republic Day as soon as martial law was lifted. So much for the credibility of self-styled democrats and the independent media.

MUHAMMAD ABD AL-HAMEED Lahore