Pakistan is my only homeland and beloved. I was born in an officially free land that was not under colonial rule. I grew up listening to the stories of our war heroes. I also had the honour of knowing some a bit closely. As a development practitioner and humanitarian, I have had the privilege of witnessing remarkable works of many outstanding Pakistanis within and outside the country in civil and military domains. Pakistan has always remained a source of pure joy for me.
Life acquainted me with many human tragedies and being an ordinary person, I cried a lot, mourned a lot, felt disheartened and at times angry with destiny as well. However, I can confidently vouch that nothing makes me more despondent than any preventable crises, unacceptable act of stupidity and violation of human rights including trans people’s, women’s and child’s rights. Therefore, despite odds and earning hardest and harshest experiences I could not (as of today) silenced my mind, shut my eyes and stopped myself from visualizing a peaceful and pretense free Pakistan.
On this 72nd birthday anniversary of my dearest country I am not only offering my best wishes to our dearest country but praying before Allah (and sharing those prayers here so that they may reach the decision makers).
I pray for a Pakistan where laws and rule of law and justice are visible and are applicable to all. I pray for a number of effective legislations for making lives easier, equitable and elegant for the disabled, the disadvantaged and marginalized communities. I pray for a society that does not spend thoughtlessly on weddings and funerals, that believes in austerity and renounce ignorant demonstration of madness and muscle. I pray that son preference and toxic masculinity do not obsess many of our fellow Pakistanis.
I pray that women and girls never have to be seen as revolts, imprudent and sinful just because they believe that they are entitled to their fundamental rights like access to education, health care, choice of careers ,life partner, etc.
I pray that no individual lives in bonded labour. I pray that no child should be seen as a beggar or a worker on the roads. I pray that common people start questioning why children are working in hotels, car repair workshops, coal mines etc.?
I pray that affluent women/begmaat start rejecting the very idea of hiring young children as domestic help , their handbag carriers or infant handlers. I pray that men and boys who rape, assault or harass women, who throw acid on women including transwomen are publicly condemned and preferably by their own families first.
I pray for more inclusive Pakistan meaning that more poor people can represent poor in the parliament. I pray for honest practices in all domains of national development . I pray for the death of nepotism, discrimination and biases of all origins in Pakistan. I pray for a Pakistan that should be ranked at a dignified position on human development and gender inequality rankings. I pray for a Pakistan that remains sovereign and have no signs and symptoms of neo imperialism.
Dedicated to all valiant Pakistanis and especially those young soldiers who embraced shahadat while protecting Pakistan
Finally, I pray for a Pakistan where history is not selectively omitted. In this very context I pray (rather supplicate to Allah Al Mighty to melt the hearts of those who can make a difference) to never to disown many unsung heroes (and the list is quite long). This inventory would also definitely include those Pakistanis who are dismissed as Biharis. This unfortunate ethnic community faced one of the worst massacres in undivided India that started on 16 August 1946 and eventually catalyzed the creation of Pakistan. Thousands of Biharis who were forced to migrate to Bengal in 1947, stood with Pakistan Army in former East Pakistan and faced the wrath of their one time Bengali friends and neighbors who were then fighting their war of liberation in 1971. With lost identities some 300,000+ are stranded and surviving in inhumane conditions in ghettos in Bangladesh.
Patriotism appears to many as an outdated or out of fashion theme. Such people need to look around, understand the predicament of Palestinians, Muslim Kashmiris in IOK, Muslims in India or Syrian refugees and internalize the value and worth of Pakistan. Dissention from a school of thought that may be held by any powerful is mistakenly equated as loss of nationalism or deceitfulness. This too, needs to be reassessed. Perhaps a deeper understanding rather than a stormy judgment is required. Pakistan is now mellow enough to handle difficult dialogues on issues of peace and security and embrace diversity.
Happy Birthday Pakistan
Long live Pakistan
The writer is the author of Pakistan: I still love you