That’s what the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan governor — officially, a US “ally” — says. In an effort to remind the jihadists around the Afghan border that, really, they’re all in the same boat, the governor, in no uncertain terms, makes clear that the “interests” of nuclear-armed Pakistan are one with the “interests” of Islam — which may pose some problems if, as some Muslims claim, jihad is the “pinnacle” of Islam, as depicted in the following hadith: “Islam is the head of the order; prayer, its back; jihad in the way of Allah, its summit” (The Al Qaeda Reader, 81). “Governor says weak Pakistan amounts to damaging cause of Islam,” from the Associated Press of Pakistan, August 14:
PESHAWAR, August 14 (APP): The NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said that to weaken Pakistan and damage it would tantamount to weakening and damaging the cause of Islam. Therefore, he added, the actions, which undermine the strength of the state of Pakistan served no other purpose but to strengthen its enemies. This, he stated in a message of felicitation on the eve of Independence Day. The complete text of the message of the Governor is given below:
“Today we are celebrating the 61st anniversary of the creation of Pakistan. While the day is an occasion of celebration, it is also a time when the nation must soberly contemplate the challenges that it is facing.
While other countries are founded on racial, geographical or historical nationalisms, Pakistan is the only Muslim country whose nationalism is based on Islamic ideology. Whatever the shortcomings in its governmental systems; individual practices fully follow the same spirit.
Islam is still its raison detre, its unifying force and above all the ideology to live and die for. Secondly, Pakistan is the only Muslim nuclear power, with a vibrant civil society and a disciplined army.[…]
This year’s Independence Day demands the highest degree of consciousness from us. We must rise above our personal interests and internal dissensions to make this country an impregnable fortress of Islam where we can fulfill the dream of our predecessors who had so selflessly striven to gain independence from an alien ideology and culture.
My message to all Muslims is that to weaken Pakistan and damage it is tantamount to weakening and damaging the cause of Islam.