“Quaid-i-Azam’s vision was of a Pakistan that would be an Islamic welfare state. While he had fought for a homeland for the Muslims of India, he was acutely conscious of the rights of every citizen irrespective of their caste or creed.

Are we an Islamic welfare state? The answer is clearly in the negative. In the last 65 years the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. This is also reflected in the disparity in access to fundamental social services.

While private schools provide quality education to the children of the elite, the poor have no access to education or struggle through poorly funded government schools. The same story is repeated in health services. The development sector’s priorities are skewed towards the elite through investment in projects that cater to them, such as motorways and ring roads.

We are also far from the Quaid’s vision of a tolerant society where everyone’s beliefs would be respected. The upsurge in sectarian violence and targeting of minority communities is a huge departure from the kind of society Jinnah envisioned.”

- Imran Khan, chairman, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf