Senior actor and singer Khaled Anam has stirred debate by linking corruption in Pakistan to the symbolic use of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s picture, saying the larger the portrait displayed, the more bribes are taken.

In a podcast, Khaled Anam stressed that Pakistan needs a deep moral reset. He compared moral strength to vaccination, suggesting that just as children are immunized against diseases, society must build resilience to resist corruption and moral decay.

He lamented that no strong example has ever been set in Pakistan by severely punishing criminals. “We all believe in Quaid-e-Azam (money) and respect him more than laws,” he remarked.

Reference to Jinnah’s close friend

During the discussion, Anam recalled reading a book by Jinnah’s close friend, Kausji, who once wrote that had Muhammad Ali Jinnah known the character of Pakistanis, “he would never have created Pakistan.”

Khaled Anam clarified that these were not his words but an account shared in the book, highlighting the disconnection between Jinnah’s vision and the reality of today’s Pakistan.

The actor pointed out how Pakistanis even failed to honor Jinnah during his lifetime. He recalled that Quaid-e-Azam’s ambulance was damaged, adding that, decades later, ambulances across the country remain neglected while citizens face daily tragedies.

He emphasized that in today’s Pakistan, money—often symbolized by Jinnah’s picture on currency notes—receives greater respect than justice or law. “Where the bigger Quaid-e-Azam’s picture is displayed, the more bribes are taken,” Anam stated.