Our National Heroes

Every nation cherishes the outstanding efforts of its ‘national heroes’­­­­- those who lay down their lives for the noble cause of catering their country in some way or the other.

The history of Pakistan speaks volumes of its national heroes. Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan is thought to be one of those Muslim leaders who took pains to get Muslims their due share in every sphere of life. With courage and vigilance, he succeeded in his mission of bringing Muslims and the British close to one another. Although a devout Muslim, some Muslim scholars greatly criticized him due to his sympathies with the Englishmen; he rejected their criticism and continued working on his formula of improving the tarnished image of the Muslims. For this purpose, he stressed upon the importance of education and its positive effects in the foreseeable future. He urged Muslims to participate in educational activities rather than politics. He wrote several Urdu journals, books and magazines about the prevailing conditions of India and its implications on the Muslims. His ‘Two Nation Theory’ got popularity among Muslims of the subcontinent. Afterwards, it became the basis of ‘Pakistan Movement’.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal is known as ‘The Painter of Pakistan’. He was a philosopher and poet. Through his poetry, he motivated the Muslims to fight for their right. He greatly loved Pakistani youth and considered it the asset of Pakistan. It was this youth who took active part in the Pakistan Movement. He had the instinct of impressing others with his logical arguments. He supported Muslims’ rights to demand separate electorate. Basically, he had the legacy of Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan- the Two Nation Theory. His views reflected the ‘Ideology of Pakistan’. Although he wished to see Pakistan as an independent state, his dream could not be fulfilled and he died before the establishment of Pakistan.

Professor Dr. Abdus Salam is another prominent figure of Pakistan. He was the Nobel prize winner of 1979 in ‘Theoretical Physics’. He held key posts in Pakistan during his life. He was a member of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, a member of the Scientific Commission of Pakistan and was Chief Scientific Adviser to the President from 1961 to 1974. He played a key role in the development of Pakistan’s Nuclear Program. He also established a society- ICTP- in Trieste where young physicists could spend their vacations doing research with their fellow peers and returning back home for the remaining academic year refreshed.

Pakistan drew world focus for the first time when it test-fired its ‘Nuclear Missile’ on 12th May, 1998 in Chaghi, Baluchistan. A group of scientists headed by Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan made this dream come true. He is metallurgical engineer. In fact, he is the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear program. Against India’s constant threats to the region, Dr. Qadir made Pakistan strategically strong. He is also a devout Muslim like many others and uses Quranic translations in his Urdu columns in the daily ‘Jang Newspaper’. Through his columns, he tries to throw some light on various aspects of the Pakistani society. He tries to emancipate the younger generation by outlining the importance of education in its true essence.

No nation could flourish without acknowledging the valuable works of its ancestors, i.e., national heroes. Considering them as a role model, each one of us should follow their footsteps. Only then could we stand among respectable nations of the world. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe says, “The hero draws inspiration from the virtue of his ancestors.” (585 words)