President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the nation to follow Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s principles of “unity, faith and discipline” emphasising their significance as a beacon for the country’s development. “I am sure that by acting upon his (Quaid-e-Azam) teachings and advice, we can make Pakistan strong and prosperous,” the president said in his message to the nation on the occasion of the 76th death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah annually observed on September 11. Paying tribute to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the president said that the Pakistani nation was indebted to him for his efforts and contribution to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent where they could live with dignity and exercise their political, cultural, and religious rights. Calling him a visionary leader, who united the Muslims of India under one banner, the president said the whole nation was proud of Quaid-e-Azam’s untiring struggle and unwavering commitment to the right to self-determination that shaped the destiny of millions of Muslims. “Quaid-e-Azam’s vision for Pakistan was fundamentally democratic as he firmly believed in a state where all citizens, irrespective of religion, would be equal before the law. Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s struggle not only laid the foundation of Pakistan’s democratic system but continues to influence our aspirations for parliamentary democracy and communal harmony,” he remarked. President Zardari said that Quaid-e-Azam successfully steered Indian Muslims through the complex political landscape of India while maintaining an unyielding stance on the rights of Muslims. He said that Jinnah had envisioned a Pakistan based on Islamic principles of democracy and socio-economic justice. “It was due to his sheer will, hard work and successful advocacy of the cause of Muslims that the partition of India became a reality. On this day, we not only honour his efforts but also recommit ourselves to the values and ideals that he championed,” the president added.
