Soon after the appearance of these lines in this issue of stdent’s Voice, the Constituent Assembly shall start its session and take decisions about matters of abiding effect and [.reaching consequences for Pakistan. At this occasion we feel duty bound to convey the feelings and sentiments of the Islam-loving youth of the contry to the higher-ups and frankly address the Constitution makers.

But at the very outset let us make it clear that our voice cannot be silenced by the hackneyed sermon that “Students mid not dabble with politics.” In fact it is ft matter which directly affects and involves us it affects future—and it is to whom the future belongs. The Islam-loving youth of the country therefore feel constrain- to express in unambiguous ms that they are not, prepared take it lying down if the government dares flout their wishes and tries to thrust a Constitution which is shorn of I Islamic characteristics and threatens evolution of demo- Icy in the country.

Why Islamic Constitution?

Now our demand for Islamic constitution is based on the that the very dream of Pakistan remains unfulfilled if

try to accept slavishly the – rnis of the present godless folgoies in our collective, litical life. What, after all, is the sense of the partition Indian Sub-continent into slim Pakistan and Hindu la, if the Islamic Scheme of was not to bloom and wer ? The great massacre of siims, the unprecedented tastrophes that befell those o said La Jlaha lUallah in e subcontinent, the shame- »3 viulaticfo of the chastity of ir women folk—were ail these 1st because we wished c some trsons bearing Musiim names be seated on governmental

authority or to create conditions which may be conducive for the commercial prosperity for their hoarding and black- marketing and smuggling-prac­tices? Those who sacrificed and suffered for the achievement of a Muslim National homeland shall not tolerate this basic ideal of the nation to he trampled underfoot.

Islam—A Guarantee Against Disintegration.

We also strongly feel that not only the progress and welfare, but the very integrity and existence of the state, consistirg of numerous geo­graphical units and linguistic groups, is gravely threatened if Islam does not become a living sentiment in the hearts of the people of the country and if it is not allowed to weld them into one idealogical whole. The experience of the past few years is sufficient to open the eyes of all. The rising tide of pro­vincialism, the ever-growing bitterness on the language issue, the-widening gulf of differences in the view points of the two wings of the country, all are symptoms of the disintegration that is taking firm roots.in the body-politics of the nation. What else can arrest these disintegrating tendencies except Islam ? The hollowness of mere speeches and statements against provincialism has been well demonstrated. It is by giving new life to our love of the Islamic idealogy that the nation can have a basis of unity. It is Islam alone that will heal the wounds of hatred and broaden the outlook of the people. It successfully met, in Arabia, the ohallenge of dis­integrating forces which led to long internecine feuds to unfold cruelty and barbarism. It came, when in the words of the Holy Quran the people of Arabia were :

“And remember ye, the bles­sings of Aliah or. you. When

ye wereenemiers of one another. He created leve in your heart9 and thus, by the grace of Allah, ye became brothers. And ye were on the verge of Hell when He delivered ye from it “

(A1 Quran 3,11,2)

And Islam is capable of repeating this miracle in every age and on every land.

Islam—The only hope of Humanity.

The failure of the western systems ©f life based on a negation of Divine guidance, is also a warning to us. The disastrous results furnished by these idealogies enough to disillusion the most rabid of its votaries and the blindest of its followers. Their failure also demands that we should experiment our own ideology and demonstrate its blessing before the oppressed man­kind and show to the world the path of its survival, pros­perity, progress and peaoe. Now this holds a great promise for us. It shows how invalu­able, how noble i9 th« service that we Muslims of Pakistan can render to the cause of man­kind. Now if some power- drunk politicians try to extin­guish the only ray of hope for the sake of loaves and Ashen, they ha\e ‘O be resisted tooth and nail.

Islam—the only Truth.

And last but not the least, our demand for Islamic Constitution springs from our deep-rooted convicition that Islam alone is the true code of life, that it i9 the system of life revealed to the mankind by Allah Almighty; that human intellect unaided by Divine Revelation is incap­able of guiding man aright. We also believe that as the creatures of Allah it is our duty to follow the guidance revealed by Him. As His. Vice-gerents on earth, we also feel our responsibility to establish the kingdom of Allah. We also hold that none has the right to rule over U9 exoept in the light of Quran and Sunnah. And thus we reiterate we shall never bow down before an Un-Islamic ‘Con­stitution—come what may

No Back Doors. Please !

We therefore address our­selves earnestly to the members of the Constituent Assembly who have gathered to decide our future and remind them of t.heir responsibility before the nation and before Ailah, Omniscient.

It is now more than six years ago that work of oonsti-. tntion making wa9 started and no less than about a croe of rupees have been hither spent. After this sheer waste of time and national money a new back door is being provided—the to back door of an INTERIM CONSTITUTION—be sabotage the Islamic provisions of the last B.P.C. Report.

The verdict of the nation on the question is quite cl^ar. It stands for an Islamiccl;0«stiu- tion and is bitterly opposed to any Interim Constitution The East Pakistan Muslim League Party has unanimously opposed it, the President of the Con- sembiy has opposed it, the leaders of the pre. partition League have opposed it and meetings are being held throu­ghout the country to oppose it. Now who has the cheek to say that the nation needs an Interim Constitution—when the country is already being gover­ned by an Interim Constitution.

Interim Constltution-pBut Why?

The protagonists of an Interim Constitution are voci­ferous on the point and the difference of opinion regarding’ “certain” constitutional issues, No doubt, differences do e^t. but if these differences c& furnish any justifiable argument for the abrogation of B.P.C.

{continued on page 7)

Report, the almost unanimous opposition to the Interim Constitution should be a much weightier argument against its imposition. But keening this aside, let us examine the genius of this argument.

The B.P.C. Report presented in the Consembly towards the end of 1952. no doubt raised some heated controvery, the main issues being those of parity between the Eastern and Western wings of the country, the formation of the Ulema Board.

Now even in case of an Interim Constitution there can be no escape from the first problem. The proportion of representation has to ne evolved for the solution of the deadlock. Now this very formula can be accepted in case of permanent Constitution as well.

Secondly, the question of the Ulema Board does not arise at all as emphatic and unanimous demand has been made by Ulema of all schools of thought for its eradication.

Thus the last B.P.C. Report can be ammended in a way that it may be brought in confor­mity with the aspirations of the people.

The plea for an Interim Constitution therefore becomes meaningless. Rather it is a fraudulent attempt to hoodwink the people, a subtle attempt to turn the popular victory into defeat.

We warn the members of the Constituent Assembly against being a party to this treacher- rous, move.

You Are on Trial

The Constitution-makers should remember that they are on trial. The millat is rigidly looking towards them whether they prove themselves loyal to the objectives of the Muslim League and Qaid-e-Azam or merely the lackeys of the ruling few. They are facing an aoid test. The youth are eagerly looking towards them whether they allow themselves to be intimidated, coerced or bribed into signing their own death warrant and going down in history as a set of unscruplous weaklings who sang to the tune of the powers-that-be and sold the destiny of Pakistan for the lore of an ambassadorial or ministerial post or for some other gains or just to him our the ruling clique and who tried to hold up the progress of the forces that are destined to give a new order to the world. If they choose to play the treache­rous game of prostituting their conscience and bartering the future of the country by accept­ing the imposition of an interim, Un-Islamic Constitution, then remember that the nation will never play second fiddle to them. It will treat them and their proposals with the contempt they deserve. Remember :

We do not beg an Islamic Constitution, we demand It, and we pledge to have it. We suffered and struggled for Islam And are not prepared to betray our martyrs, by accepting any Un-Islamic Constitution. We are determined to have Islam-come what may ;