On this Pakistan Day, we commemorate the heritage of those who formed our nation—from humanitarian pioneers to scientists, artists, and soldiers—whose sacrifices and accomplishments remind us of the privileges of a country.  Given that the future of our nation depends on its youth, let us transcend obstacles, motivated by these extraordinary individuals, and work towards a more promising future, united in our identity and mission.

“And do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah, for no one loses hope in Allah’s mercy except those with no faith.”

 —(Quran 12:87)

The Lahore Resolution 1940, later known as the Pakistan Resolution, was the culmination of struggles and sacrifices of the Muslims of the subcontinent. It stood as a united demand for a separate homeland for the Muslims residing in the North Western and Eastern Zones of British India. This idea would later culminate in the creation of West Pakistan and East Pakistan (later Bangladesh). Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in his Presidential address on the eve of the Lahore Resolution, emphasized the separate identity of the Muslims of India as a nation distinct from the Hindus. He urged the Muslim populace to “Come forward as servants of Islam, organize the people economically, socially, educationally, and politically."   

More than a geographical entity, Pakistan grants its people a recognized identity in the global order—something stateless communities, from the Palestinians and Kashmiris to the Rohingya and Oromo, continue to fight for. It is a foundation upon which generations have built better lives.

Emphasizing the reason for the need for a separate homeland, our Quaid at the Frontier Muslim League Conference, Peshawar, November 20, 1945, proclaimed that “We have to fight a double-edged battle, one against the Hindu Congress and the other against the British Imperialist, both of whom are capitalist. The Muslims demand Pakistan, where they could live according to their own code of life, their own cultural growth, traditions, and Islamic laws.”¹

Ask yourself: Are you more prosperous and better educated than your ancestors? More often than not, the answer is a resounding yes—a testament to Pakistan’s collective progress.

Here, it is important to emphasize that if we as citizens of this nation genuinely wish to see it, the rationale for the creation of Pakistan provides us with the answer to the ever so often asked question: “What has Pakistan ever given us?” The answer can be witnessed in Quaid-i-Azam’s interview with BBC, London, December 13, 1946, where he eloquently summed up that:
“Hindu and Muslim India must be separated because the two nations are entirely distinct and different and, in some matters, antagonistic to each other… we differ in our history, culture, language, architecture, music, laws, jurisprudence, calendar and our entire social fabric and code of life. One India is impossible to realize which will inevitably mean that the Muslims would be transferred from the domination of the British to the caste Hindu rule, a position that Muslims will never accept.”²
Pakistan stands as more than just a homeland—it is a sanctuary where history is preserved, traditions thrive, and languages endure. It is where architectural heritage is safeguarded, poetry and music find expression, and, above all, where life is lived in accordance with Islamic principles. These are privileges many can only dream of in nations ravaged by war, internal strife, famine, and disease—places like Ukraine, Myanmar, Mexico, Ethiopia, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Niger, and Yemen.
More than a geographical entity, Pakistan grants its people a recognized identity in the global order—something stateless communities, from the Palestinians and Kashmiris to the Rohingya and