Pakistan Zindabad

Pakistan Zindabad (Urdu: پاکستان زِنده باد‎ — Pākistān Zindah bād, Urdu pronunciation: [ˌpaːkɪsˈt̪aːn ˈzɪnˌd̪aːˈbaːd̪]; lit. Long Live Pakistan) is a slogan used by Pakistanis as an expression of victory or patriotism. It is notably used in political or national speeches. Its use started even before the creation of Pakistan, during the later phase of the Pakistan Movement. The slogan became a battle cry and greeting for the Muslim League, which was struggling for an independent country for the Muslims of South Asia, when World War II ended and the independence movement geared up. During independence the slogan was raised when the trains transporting the Muslims entered Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad is also the National slogan of Pakistan.

Etymology

The slogan is the use of typical Urdu and Persian suffix Zindabad (Long Live) that is placed after a person or a country name. It is used to express victory, patriotism or as a prayer. In literal translation, Pakistan Zindabad means "Long Live Pakistan"; it also is rendered as "Victory to Pakistan".

History

The Pakistan Zindabad slogan was first raised during Pakistan Movement. Muslims at that time had written the slogan on their handkerchiefs, pillows. The slogan was equally heard as Jai Hind during a visit by British parliamentary delegation led by Robert Richards to Delhi, after the British government decided to leave India. On 23 December 1940, the Bihar Muslim Student Federation, passed a resolution to adapt Pakistan Zindabad as their national slogan at every meeting, conference and gathering. In 1941 during the days of Pakistan Movement, Muhammad Ali Jinnah on a visit to Ootacamund was received by a crowd of Muslims chanting Pakistan Zindabad, among them was a young boy of about 10 years age, who was scantily clothed. Jinnah called him and asked, "You were shouting Pakistan Zindabad, what do you know about Pakistan?" The boy replied, "I do not know very much about Pakistan. I only know that Pakistan means Muslim rule where many Muslims live, and Hindu rule where Hindus live," to which Jinnah observed that his message had reached to the people and remarked that now the struggle for Pakistan was unstoppable.

During independence of Pakistan and India the cry of Pakistan Zindabad was raised by the locals to welcome the refugees coming to Pakistan. The refugees also raised the cry in jubilation when they crossed the border. The slogans of Pakistan Zindabad and its counterpart, Hindustan Zindabad, notably found negative usage in independence of Pakistan communal riots.

On 14 August 1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah's motorcade was welcomed with the shouts of Pakistan Zindabad, Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad and flower petals all along his way from Governor General's residence to Constituent Assembly building and back, where he attended Proclamation of Independence and Pakistan flag hoisting ceremony.

Battle cry

In 1947, during the First Kashmir War, an outpost of the Jammu and Kashmir State force that were under the operational control of Indian Army, reported cries of Pakistan Zindabad coming from Haji Pir Pass. Assuming that the pass was invaded and occupied by Pakistanis the Jammu and Kashmir State forces withdrew from the area and burnt a strategically important bridge, later coming to know of the false alarm and the men were the friendly forces of the Indian Army occupying the pass, who were cut off from Poonch after the bridge was blown away.

Notable usage

Political

The Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz in a meeting with Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani repeatedly raised the slogan to show his friendship with Pakistan, during his visit to country in 2009.

Use in India

A Brass merchant shop at Moradabad was raided by Indian Police on 6 July 1948, upon getting information that the shop has utensils with "Pakistan Zindabad" markings on them. Two of the instances where it was reported about the raising of slogan; the first instance was in 1956, during the Muharram Processions, due to some communal inconvenience, the Muslim youths raised the slogan Pakistan Zindabad, the second instance was also the same year (1956) when a procession was organized by the students of Aligarh Muslim University in protest against a book Religious Leaders, published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, though raising of any anti-nationalism slogan was denied by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the Indian parliament.

The slogan has also been raised in Jammu and Kashmir (or Indian-administered Kashmir.). In 1985, a Kashmiri was detained by the local police on a number of charges including raising of the slogan "Pakistan Zindabad", which was called an anti-national and provocative slogan. On 13 October 1983, during a limited over cricket match between West Indies and India at Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar, spectators, including a group of spectators consisting of members of the Jamait-Tuleba the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, cheered India's defeat with Pakistan Zindabad cries.

Use in episodes of violence

The slogan Pakistan Zindabad as used during the partition of India in episodes of sexual violence against women: the slogans were often tattooed on the bodies of victims of collective rapes.

National days

• Independence Day slogans – closely related to independence. The slogan is used in speeches, rallies taken out on this day across the world, where Pakistanis celebrate the day.

Sports

• Pakistani cricket matches. The slogan is used during Pakistan's cricket matches to support the team and also in jubilation if the team wins, especially big tournaments, historical examples include 1992 Cricket World Cup, 2009 ICC World Twenty20.

Media

• Pakistan Zindabad (song) – de facto national anthem of East Pakistan.
• TV and radio shows, including a programme on Radio Pakistan.
• A documentary named Pakistan Zindabad was aired on Sveriges Television in 2007, documenting the sixty-year history of Pakistan.

See also

• Pakistani nationalism
• Pakistan khappay, the Sindhi equivalent
• Joy Bangla
• Vive, Viva