Secular! There I said it. From what I have observed, this word carries a very offensive connotation within Pakistan and among Pakistanis elsewhere. Putting Pakistan next to this word brings out strong emotions in people, even on this forum. Jinnah’s Pakistan, that is Pakistan in the first few decades of its creation was more or less a secular state. This is the Pakistan that our elders grew up in and from what I hear, this was the best time in Pakistan’s short history. I think it is fair to say that the first generation of Pakistanis were secure in their identity as Muslims and citizens of a country that was not an Islamic republic. So I ask why is it that Pakistanis now are so averse to the idea of a government that focuses on what’s best for its citizens as humans first instead of Muslims? What are your fears of a secular Pakistan?
Re: The S word.
i think its a useless debate…on one hand you have molvi types who want ‘‘shariah’’ (they don’t know or want to know what it constitutes exactly or what it is)… on the other hand you have the liberal types…who attribute every single problem of pakistan with the words ‘‘islamic republic’’ in pakistans name… they bend over backwards to portray it as a very big issue (same thing as the extremist molvies)
most pakistanies don’t even care about it…and it means nothing on ground in the greater context of things…
Re: The S word.
I am talking about separation of church and state and not about the title of our country.
Re: The S word.
A country created on religion and secular? Huh?
Re: The S word.
This S word is actually M word.. magic wand 
Re: The S word.
i said that as an example 
Re: The S word.
Pakistan was created as a Muslim majority state not as a theocracy.
Re: The S word.
^ Muslim majority>Religion majority.
How is that even an attempt to defeat the point you’re arguing against?
Re: The S word.
A population, most of whom follow one religion who want self-determination does not equate to a theocratic state. Anyways, I’m not arguing the reason for the creation of Pakistan. I would like to know why so many Pakistanis are reluctant to the idea of a country where citizenship and religious identity are not synonymous.
Re: The S word.
Jinnah, minus the one speech that is often interpreted in a distorted manner, did win all battles against him in the name of religion.
Besides, how is being not synonymous better than being one?
Re: The S word.
I wish people could start valuing their threads, or posts, more than what one gets to witness in this one, particularly.
But just for next times sake. Consider not shortening the word Secular to a mere S just because you thought a certain group of people may feel threatened by it. 
Re: The S word.
It also had republic in there. Btw, islamic in republic of pakistan came later and objective resolution also came after Jinnah.
Re: The S word.
^ So isn’t Jinnah known by every Pakistani as somebody who struggled his life for an independent nation, a nation that consisted of a Muslim population?
Again, emphasis on valuing your posts.