Long Contact with France | Jinnah's Pakistan

Long Contact with France

Jinnah's Ideals

“As your Excellency has yourself observed, the traditions and culture of Pakistan, as the youngest of the free Muslim countries of the world, has been inherited from a long past -- a past which, in view of the manifold contacts is well-known and familiar to the Government and people of France. Indeed, in view of this long contact of France with the Muslim world, the people of France and Pakistan are not strangers to one another. I hope and trust with this background of intimate contact between our two peoples and in particular with your Excellency's knowledge of our brother Muslim countries your appointment will inaugurate a new era which, I hope, will lead to a closer friendship between France and Pakistan.”

- Mr. Jinnah / Quaid-e-Azam

- Speech: Common ideals of Pakistan and France

- Context: Reply to the Speech made by the First Ambassador of the Republic of France to Pakistan at the time of Presenting credentials to the Quaid-e-Azam on 21st January, 1948.

Deeper reflections

The people of France and Pakistan are not strangers to one another.

Pakistanis hold the French in high-regard and acknowledge that France was the first non-Muslim state to recognize Pakistan and its long-fought struggle for freedom.

Unfortunately, the recent and absurd rise of brutality and terror in the Islamic world has tarnished Pakistan’s image and deviated its perception from its original intended historic destiny of establishing social justice and upholding human rights in the sub-continent.

Pakistan will build a closer friendship with France by adopting the following relationship-building strategy:

Focus on shared ideals:

Pakistan will construct an immersive and experiential museum that showcases principles of equality, liberty, and fraternity found in each other's histories. Upon success - this museum will also be constructed in France.

Arts and culture:

Pakistan will give upcoming and emerging French artists a platform in Pakistan to scale their reach and gain international significance.
Pakistan is a powerhouse for producing world-class music and Pakistani musicians will be encouraged to tour in France.

Diplomacy with France will also center around the industry of cinema. Pakistan will create a win-win relationship for both French and Pakistani directors to produce a cross-cultural, multi-dimensional and one-of-a-kind cinematic experience that transcends nationalistic borders and furthers the cause of international prosperity.

Digital Connectivity:

Pakistan will leverage digital platforms such as slack to foster enhanced connectivity between the academics and forward-thinking intelligentsia of the two nations.
These digital groups will be breeding ground of conversations, bottoms-up foreign policy construction and cross-national melding of the minds to shape cross-cultural narratives around each other identity.

Startup Ecosystem:

Pakistani startup ecosystem is taking off. It’s an untapped emerging market with superb returns. This is an opportunity to combine forces in advancing the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomous transportation among other technologies that are rapidly advancing. French investors will be given a privileged status to invest in Pakistan owing to our shared convictions and beliefs in democracy.