Share this story!            

2007 elections significant for democracy in Pakistan: Wolpert

ISLAMABAD: Enlightened moderation was in line with Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan, said Professor Stanley Wolpert, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) academic and Jinnah’s biographer.

“President Musharraf is trying to put Pakistan on a path to democracy and prosperity,” he told a news agency in an exclusive interview. Prof Wolpert said that the 2007 elections were significant for the future of democracy and freedom of expression in Pakistan. The academic is an authority on Indo-Pak history with several books to his credit, including Jinnah of Pakistan, Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan, Gandhi’s Passion, Tryst with Destiny and A New History of India.

The professor said that Jinnah envisaged Pakistan as a democratic, progressive and modern welfare state where women and minorities had equal rights. He said the purpose of his visit was to attend a student convention and he was surprised to learn that Pakistani students were well aware of the regional and global situation.

He stressed the need for taking special measures in the development of social sector, including health, education and poverty alleviation to fulfill Jinnah’s dream. Prof Wolpert termed Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service a big breakthrough towards peace and lauded President Musharraf’s efforts towards the normalisation of relations between Pakistan and India.

Stanley Wolpert also called on President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday. The president welcomed the professor and thanked him for sharing his understanding of Jinnah’s vision with the Pakistani students. app

Home | National

Share this story!