The event the PTI government in Punjab held at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal in Lahore the other day to unveil its 100-day agenda, more than anything else, was notably for what Prime Minister Imran Khan had to say about the minorities' rights. Two points stand out. First, while asserting that his government would ensure the minorities have equal rights and feel safe and protected in 'Naya Pakistan" he did something no pervious ruler has dared to do before. He referred to the country's founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's August 11, 1947 landmark speech to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in which, while laying out his vision for a new state, the Quaid had declared: "You are free, you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state."

Resurrecting that ideal, though, is easier said than done. Over the last 71 years, successive rulers have deliberately changed the story of Pakistan, using religion to advance transient political interests, seek symmetry with archrival India, and to provide mercenary services to foreign friends. Although during the Quaid's struggle for a Muslim homeland, all major religious parties vehemently opposed him, arguing that Islam being a universal religion could not be confined within the boundaries of a nation-state, their successors now claim to be the guardians of Pakistan's so-called ideological frontiers, threatening anyone calling for a return to the Quaid's vision with dire consequences. It is worth noting also that the phrase 'Islamic ideology' coined more than two decades after Independence by the military regime of Gen Yahya Khan - an infamous drinker and womanizer - has found its way into the national narrative, and is included in the prime minister's oath of office, too. Then there are thousands of madressahs that sprouted all over the country under the Ziaul Haq's rule. They not only poison young minds with sectarian hatreds but also promote prejudice against religious minorities. And the curricula of public sector schools are replete with bigoted texts.

Second, the PM mentioned Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah's remarks about what it means to be a Muslim in India to aver Pakistan will show to Narendra Modi "how we treat minorities in Pakistan and how India treats its minorities." Some in India have taken umbrage at the comment, though he seems to have wanted to instill sense in Pakistani minds rather than take a dig at that country, which his use of future tense suggests. What needs to be done is obvious, but it is a herculean challenge. The place to start is to fully implement the political consensus-based 20-point National Action Plan, revise school syllabi with a view to promoting inter-faith harmony, and ensuring the system upholds minority rights. The ruling party cannot do that on its own. It needs to seek cooperation from the other mainstream political parties, especially the PML-N and PPP. All must join hands to make Pakistan what it originally set out to be: a Muslim homeland in which all citizens would have equal rights, irrespective of their caste or creed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018