LAHORE, Dec 19: PPP leader Shaikh Rafiq Ahmad said on Thursday that democracy had not been allowed to function in Pakistan.

He was speaking at a meeting jointly organized by the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Foundation and the Pakistan Movement Workers Trust in connection with the Quaid-i-Azam week here on Thursday.

The subject of the discussion was ‘the Quaid-i-Azam and the students.’

Shaikh Rafiq regretted that the nation failed to fulfil the dreams of the Quaid. The military had been repeatedly interfering and imposing the martial law, abrogating or suspending the constitutions. Elections were invariably rigged.

He advised the politicians of the country to inculcate a spirit of tolerance emulating the example of the Quaid-i-Azam.

Shaikh Rafiq said that the politicians and the political workers should not go to the extent of developing enmity with their political rivals which was neither in the national nor in the political interests.

He said that the Quaid had great love for the students and encouraged them to take part in the national politics but not at the cost of their studies.

He said that the students had played a very important role in the general elections in 1946 when the Muslims of the subcontinent given their verdict in favour of Pakistan.

He said that the students had spread in every nook and corner of the subcontinent to campaign for the Muslim League and its demand for Pakistan despite the odd circumstances and travel difficulties. But they had a burning desire in their hearts to work round the clock for the Muslim cause of achieving the goal of Pakistan under the leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam.

He said that Hindus had instigated the Sikh community to rise against Muslims to sabotage the Pakistan Movement.

Had the Sikhs not fought against the Muslims the East Punjab would have become a part of Pakistan; the Gurdaspur district would have not been divided and Kashmir would have acceded to Pakistan.

He said that Hindus had never reconciled with Pakistan and had always conspired to undo it.

A former secretary-general of the All India Muslim Students Federation, Ali Mohtasim, said that the Quaid had great love for the students who had heralded the Pakistan Movement.

He said that the Quaid had not considered the MSF a subsidiary to the Muslim League and given it full freedom to work on its own whether or not they agreed to it.

Other speakers included MPA Abid Husain Chatha, advocate Asif Bhalli and Dr Rafiq Ahmad.