The Ideology of Pakistan

The ideology of Pakistan has become a hot topic of discussion in the perspective of the forthcoming general elections and all sorts of speculations are being made in the news media.

Pakistan is an ideological state which obvious from its name: The Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The ideology of Pakistan is obviously Islam and is defined in the 1949 Objectives resolution passed by the Constituent assembly framed to draft the constitution of Pakistan in the following clauses:

“Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam shall be fully observed;
Wherein the Muslims shall be enabled to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah;

Wherein adequate provision shall be made for the minorities to [freely] profess and practice their religions and develop their cultures;”

Pakistan’s Islamic ideology is unique as it differs from those of the other two Islamic Republics of Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian ideology is based entirely on the Shiite teachings as adopted by the iatollahs. The Saudi ideology is entirely based on Sunni beliefs as interpreted by wahabi scholars.  Pakistan’s Islamic ideology is based on the contents of the holy Quran and Sunnah without bias towards any sectarian interpretations and guarantees the rights of nonMuslim residents and travelers.