LAHORE: (Friday, August 25, 2023): In connection with the Independence Day celebrations, Punjab University Pakistan Study Centre organized a webinar on Quaid’s Vision of Pakistan and Responsibilities of a Common Citizen. History Professor Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Dr Farooq Ahmed Dar, PSC Director Prof Dr Naumana Kiran, Associate Professors Dr Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi, Dr Ahmad Ejaz and others were present on the occasion. In his keynote address, Dr Farooq said that in the present time not only the elite but even the common people of Pakistan have totally forgotten what the father of the nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah wanted the country to be. He said that a good look at the historical sources clearly suggests that Jinnah wanted the process of institutionalization to take place in Pakistan and that the institutions and not the individuals should take the driving seat. According to his vision, Pakistan was to focus on the education, health and social welfare of its citizens and the state was responsible for taking care of the marginalized segments of the society. Religious and ethnic minorities were to be given fundamental rights and treated on an equal basis, he added.

Dr Naumana said that Independence Day is the best time to evaluate ourselves, either we are fulfilling responsibilities or not. She said that Quaid's vision of a common citizen is of actually a responsible person, who should be disciplined, determined, hardworking, faithful and fair towards his objectives and have faith in merit. Quaid-i-Azam believed in communal harmony and wanted Pakistani citizen to be plural and tolerant, she added. Dr Ahmad Ejaz was of the view that Pakistan’s dream was turned in to reality by Quaid-i-Azam. He said that the state of Indian Muslims was founded based on two nation theory. Quaid emphasized on establishing a liberal and tolerant Islamic society, socio-economic justice, a participatory and democratic polity, constitutionalism, equality of opportunities irrespective of caste, creed, religion or sex, and opportunities for education and development of natural and inherent qualities of the people, he added.