Pakistan, Sept. 12 -- The nation marked Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's 78th death anniversary on Friday with commemorative programmes and heartfelt homage. Yet this year's official messages invited something more. President Asif Ali Zardari recalled a Pakistan in which Muslims could live free of majoritarian domination while people of other faiths lived peacefully according to their beliefs. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the finest tribute would be to leave future generations a country that truly reflected Jinnah's vision.

Jinnah's August 11 address clearly enunciated that Pakistanis were to be free to go to their temples, mosques and other places of worship, while the new state was to regard them as equal citizens. Just as impo...