"NEVER was there a nature whose outer qualities provided so complete an antithesis of its inner worth. Tall and stately, but thin to the point of emaciation, languid and luxurious of habit, Mohammed Ali Jinnah's attenuated form is the deceptive sheath of a spirit of exceptional vitality and endurance.

"Somewhat formal and fastidious, and a little aloof and imperious of manner, the calm hauteur of his accustomed reserve but masks for those who know him a naive and eager humanity, an intuition quick and tender as a woman's, a humour gay and winning as a child's. Pre-eminently rational and practical, discreet and dispassionate in his estimate and acceptance of life, the obvious sanity and serenity of his worldly wisdom effectually disguise a shy and splendid idealism which is of the very essence of the man."

So wrote the Indian Congresswoman and poet, Mrs Sarojini Naidu, after meeting Jinnah for the first time at the 1906 annual session of Congress held at Calcutta.

Now to what Mohammed Ali Jinnah had to say on the future constitution of Pakistan in his broadcast to the American people in February 1948: "The constitution of Pakistan has yet to be framed by the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. I do not know what the ultimate shape of this constitution is going to be, but I am sure that it will be of a democratic type, embodying the essential principles of Islam.

"Today, they are as applicable in actual life as they were 1,300 years ago. Islam and its idealism have taught us democracy. Islam has taught the equality of men, justice and fairplay to everybody. We are the inheritors of these glorious traditions and are fully alive to our responsibilities and obligations as framers of the future constitution of Pakistan. In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims - Hindus, Christians and Parsis - but they are all Pakistanis. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan. "

There is more than enough on record to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jinnah intended Pakistan to be a democratic, forward-looking, modern, secular state. The bigots and the uneducated will always preach otherwise - and it will remain their privilege to so do.

On July 25, 1977, I was asked by the general who had just removed Bhutto and taken over the country, "Mr Kawaasjy, what can you do in 70 days to improve the ports and shipping of Pakistan? When I enquired why he had specified '70 days' I was told, "I promised the people when I took over that I would go back to the barracks in 90 days time. Twenty of those days' have passed."

He was reminded that history records that it was in the fifth century BC that the last dictator-general voluntarily went home. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus returned happily to his farm having successfully led the Roman armies and saved the republic from the barbarians. I suggested that he read Basil Henry Liddell Hart on the subject of 'Dictators' and later sent him a copy of the following extract from Liddell Hart's book 'Why Don't We learn From History', published posthumously in 1971:

"On gaining power: they soon begin to rid themselves of their chief helpers, 'discovering' that those who brought about the new order have suddenly become traitors to it." [ General Pervez Musharraf has, so far, not done so.]

"They suppress criticism on one pretext or another and punish anyone who mentions facts which, however true, are unfavorable to their policy." [Musharraf may not have to follow Liddell Hart's pattern if he treads well and wisely. He has so far very correctly allowed the press full freedom to publish whatever criticism it may wish to print. In fact, when his flip-flop spin doctor, Javed Jabbar, addressed a gathering of columnists in Karachi on July 6, some complained that whereas the press publishes all they write the government does not respond to their criticism. But why should the government respond? And whatever it does, it must not even consider banning in any form any information or facilities available on the Internet.]

"They enlist religion on their side, if possible, or, if its leaders are not compliant, foster a new kind of religion subservient to their ends. [Zia did it, but Musharraf does not have to do so. In fact, he should get rid of some of the reputed fundos who are close to him.]

"They spend public money lavishly on material works of a striking kind, in compensation for the freedom of spirit and thought of which they have robbed the public. [There is nothing to spend. On this score we are safe.]

"They manipulate the currency to make the economic position of the state appear better than it is in reality." [ So far the currency has not been manipulated. ]

"They ultimately make war on some other state as a means of diverting attention from internal conditions and allowing discontent to explode outward. [The Kashmir 'sizzle' takes care of this one.]

"They use the rallying cry of patriotism as a means of riveting the chains of their personal authority more firmly on the people. [After Benazir and Nawaz, both twice removed, anyone is acceptable to the people barring the politicians whose 'hookah-pani band hogaya hai'. And besides, was Washington not a general of the army, as was Eisenhower? Was Carter not a peanut farmer, and Reagan a film actor?]

"They expand the superstructure of the state while undermining its foundations - by breeding sycophants at the expense of self-respecting collaborators, by appealing to the popular taste for the grandiose and sensational instead of true values, and by fostering a romantic instead of a realistic view, thus ensuring the ultimate collapse, under their successors, if not themselves, of what they have created. [Unfortunately this country breeds sycophants with the greatest of ease. We have 139 million of them. If the general surrounds himself with too many they may well be his undoing.]

"This political confidence trick, itself a familiar string of tricks, has been repeated all down the ages. Yet it rarely fails to take in a fresh generation." [ When each new government takes over many of us fervently hope that it will prove Jinnah's old prediction to be wrong: 'Each succeeding government of Pakistan will be worse that its predecessor.']

Zia not only read the extract carefully, but managed to get hold of a copy of the book and ordered that it be reprinted by the Services Book Club of Pakistan. The printing took nine years and naturally infringed on the copyright laws. The book is a 'must' read for Musharraf.