Islamabad: 6th December, 2023: The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) is a bridge between the Parliament and the people as it organizes outreach events for students from schools to universities, women, youth and civil society to ensure their inclusive, effective and holistic participation in parliamentary activities and to inculcate democratic norms amongst present as well as future leaders. In line with this tradition, Mr Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka Institute’s Director General (Research) was invited for a key note address on: “QUAID E AZAM MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH, AS PARLIAMENTARIAN OF INTEGRITY AND DEDICATION PAR EXCELLENCE,” at the Accountabilitylab (AL) Pakistan’s Integrity Icon 2023 themed: Naming and Faming Honest Government Officials, attended by around 300 participants including youth, women, media-men, civil society organization from twin cities as well as representatives of international and local partner organizations.
Mr. Ali Imran, Chairman, BoD, (AL) welcomed Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, founder member and Dir. Gen (Research) Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) as well as the five awardees of Integrity Icons 2023 after competition amongst hundreds of nominations: Dr Shaukat Hayat, an educationist working in public sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Jameel Baloch, an administrative group officer serving in Balochistan, Dr Sania Hameed Pasha, a medical doctor by profession but bureaucrat serving in Islamabad, Mr Muddassir Riaz Malik, a civil servant working in Social welfare deptt. in Punjab and Mr. Javed Sonharo Jiskani, a brave policeman working as DIG Larkana. Mr. Ali Imran informed the gathering that AL continues to engage with youth, Civil Services Academy, Lahore, STI Islamabad, Police Academy and Information Service Academia to inculcate Accountable Leadership and Design Thinking Reform program at government institutions.
Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Director General (Research) PIPS, conducted Key Note session on “QUAID E AZAM MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH, AS PARLIAMENTARIAN OF INTEGRITY AND DEDICATION PAR EXCELLENCE.” He shared numerous anecdotes where the father of the Nation always considered the interest of the people as top priority where he always preferred to take “The Right stance,” rather than what was the Populist point of view. Mr Zaka said that this unique quality of the Quaid to always prefer the RIGHT though difficult path is most uncommon as leaders of super powers of the day today find it convenient to follow the popular line rather than the correct one. PIPS DG (research) narrated how the Quaid e Azam outrightly rejected non-lawful steps like civil disobedience and politics of boycott and agitation in 1920 in front a crowd of 1400 at Nagpur in a meeting led by Mr Gandhi. The Quaid e Azam felt that there was no short-cut to independence and that any extra-constitutional methods could only lead to political violence, lawlessness and chaos, without attaining successfully the threshold of freedom. He was booed by the largely Muslim-majority crowd that endorsed Mr Gandhi’s populist stance yet the Quaid only left the meet after single-handedly sharing his point of view that: “Your way is the wrong way mine is the right way, the constitutional way is the right way.” It was on this occasion that Rt Hon. Wedgewood, a British Member of Parliament, who attended the meeting as an observer remarked: India was on the road of freedom as she was capable of producing at least one man, who had the strength of character enough to stand by his conviction in the face of a huge opposition and no support whatsover.
Mr. Zaka shared that the Quaid e Azam was recognized that he had a unique quality amongst all contemporaries of the times that– He remained incorruptible and unpurchaseable.” The famous historian H.V. Hodson endorses the opinion and says that “not even his political adversaries ever accused Mr. Jinnah of corruption or self-seeking. He could be bought by no one and for no price.” He also shared how the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan democratically acknowledged the father of the nation as the Quaid e Azam. Mr. Zaka said that Integrity, inclusivity, honesty, hard work and above all service to the nation and its people remain the primary ingredients of this Pakistan revolution founded by the Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the statesmen leader and parliamentarian par excellence who in his actions, vision and practice, always preferred to take the RIGHT path rather than the POPULAR path. The Quaid prioritized service to the poor and the downtrodden including minorities, women, youth and refugees as the top priority of any government led by any party. Mr. Zaka concluded the session with the famous quotation of the Quaid for the youth: “I insist you to strive. Work, Work and only work for satisfaction with patience, humbleness and serve thy nation.” Mr. Zaka called upon the youth that whoever amongst us works hard sincerely with devotion in terms of professional output as well as financial honesty, being the proud servant of the State and Parliament of Pakistan and the Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is destined to be successful in every aspect of life here and hereafter. His session concluded with the inspirational slogan PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!
The session was followed by a panel discussion on how the five integrity icons continued their struggle against all odds to work with commitment and unmitigated honesty to deliver imperative public delivery services. The participants appreciated the Short documentaries prepared on services of Dr Shaukat Hayat, an educationist, Mr. Jameel Baloch, an administrative group officer serving in Balochistan, Dr Sania Hameed Pasha, the bureaucrat serving in Islamabad, Mr Muddassir Riaz Malik, a civil servant working in Social welfare deptt. in Punjab and Mr. Javed Sonharo Jiskani, a brave policeman working as DIG Larkana. The panel discussion reiterated how good governance and honest officials work for the people by supporting citizens from all strata of society; and how rule of law widens the anti-corruption space where accountability, efficiency and transparency gets strengthened and people get their deserved rights from the State and its institutions.
Key Takeaways:
The international partners including the Embassy of Denmark in Pakistan and representative of USAID and other supporting partners applauded that the Integrityicon initiative will encourage government officials across the country to work towards greater transparency, honest and accountability in the day-to-day work, making the service to the people as the priority. In this way, government officials will develop a support-system where they will be inspired to leave no stone unturned to promote transparency, efficiency and uprightness in their working to provide optimum services to the people especially the marginalized communities such as poor, daily wagers, women, orphans, minorities and people with special abilities. In the end mementos were presented to the Key Note Speaker, Integrity Icons 2023 and special guests while Director General (Research) PIPS presented a set of publications on Youth and Parliamentary Values to the Icons, Chairman BoD Al Mr Ali Imran and his team. Mr. Qaiser Iqbal, PIPS Librarian also attended the absorbing session where Mr. Farhan Khalid, Program Manager AL thanked PIPS, the youth and members of civil society for their interactive participation to reflect their hope in a merit-based Pakistan with integrity, rule of law and Constitutionalism as guiding principles to deliver rights of all communities and strata of society without any discrimination. The event concluded at 5.30 pm with vote of thanks and group photograph.