The current pandemic haunting the world will have consequences of an unimaginable scale. The menace is affecting everyone everywhere. There is no timeline. There is no precedent. Every forecast and prediction seems direr than the last. That begs the question, how will Pakistan survive? The answer is as it always has – with grit, conviction and compassion. Pakistan has not enjoyed the best image of late. That is one side of us. A dark and twisted, bruised and tragic phase of an underdog nation that has fought for its survival since its bloodstained inception. ‘For what’ some dare to ask? For you! For your families’ our forefathers would say. ‘For a home where we, the downtrodden minorities of India could live in dignity and safety.’ Just because that noble cause is not yet achieved does not mean it was not necessary. It was essential. Our Ancestors witnessed a rushed and horrific partition. In the aftermath Pakistan had nothing; No money, no industry, and no infrastructure. Its people were terrified and traumatized, and every other person lost something or someone in the carnage. Yet, in spite of that crippling pain Pakistan stood tall. Within two months the young nation had to face an enemy four times its size over Kashmir. Did Pakistan sulk at the situation or surrender its right? Not for one second. Despite the odds Pakistan lifted itself from its humble bootstraps and marched north. Pakistan is not just loyal. The generosity of the its people could put a king to shame. So long as one house in Pakistan has food, his neighbors will not starve Pakistan’s army was barely consolidated. The numbers weren’t looking good. It was a David-vs-Goliath situation. But then the Gilgit Scouts, a paramilitary force, revolted against the Kashmiri Maharaja in favor of Pakistan. The King of neighboring Chitral dispatched his personal Bodyguards, a sizeable force, to reinforce the rebellion. They sieged Skardu and pushed into Ladakh. Thousands of tribal Pathans unleashed to the Kashmir valley from the south to further wreak havoc on the adversary. Together, Pakistan was able to salvage what is now known as Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. In 1965 Pakistan had to face its colossus neighbor yet again in one of the largest tank battles in history. Outnumbered and outgunned Pakistan still managed to turn the battleground into a graveyard. The heartbreaking stories of what our martyred soldiers did to prevent the nation from being overrun remain one of the finest examples Pakistani resolve and a battle cry for times to come. Despite its constant burden of debilitating challenges Pakistan has remained a steadfast friend. When the Allies dissolved the sacred Caliphate in the aftermath of WWI, no nation protested more than the people that later made Pakistan. When the Arab nations went to war with Israel, Pakistan repeatedly answered the call by sending in columns of volunteer soldiers and pilots which performed extraordinarily. When Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union, Pakistan supported it for nearly a decade in every possible way despite the risks. When the holy Kabaa was annexed by apocalyptic zealots in 1979 many believe it was Pakistani commandos that ultimately liberated the Holy Shrine. Their role was never officially admitted (or denied) by the Pakistan Army. When American forces were pinned down in Mogadishu, as depicted in the Hollywood movie “Black Hawk Down,” it was a contingent of Pakistani soldiers that extracted their besieged counterparts. Pakistan remains the largest contributor of soldiers to the U.N. Peacekeeping forces. When domestic terrorism frightened athletes from competing in Sri Lanka, the Pakistan cricket team valiantly went. Pakistan remains the only state in the world that does not recognize Armenia because of the latter’s dispute with Turkey, a revered ally. Pakistan is not just loyal. The generosity of the its people could put a king to shame. So long as one house in Pakistan has food, his neighbors will not starve. Since the Covid-19 calamity started the grapevines are ripe with stories such as clothing designers stitching masks, CEO’s packing flour in ration bags and everyone from Police officers to politicians operating as NGO’s. The whole nation is evolving to meet this latest challenge. The immediate future is not bright, but there are reasons to be hopeful. IMF’s merciless noose of high interest rates, austerity measures and ruthless taxation which were stagnating the economy are beginning to loosen. As the war on terror led to the creation of NADRA, the current situation is calling for rapid development of efficient social welfare platforms and programs which could drastically improve the state’s ability to alleviate poverty. Stimulus packages, like the one for the construction sector, could give crucial boosts to various industries by allowing financing from the cash-rich but persecuted ‘informal economy.’ The severity of the times is even forcing the government to finally confront the once untouchable fiscal parasites such as the ‘sugar and power mafias.’ Pakistan is far from a superpower. It has been called a failed state more times than it’s been sanctioned. Yet it still stands. It’s been threatened, squeezed or coerced by every international powerhouse throughout its history for one reason or another, yet it stands. It has suffered disasters, invasions, recessions and now pandemics, yet it stands. Quaid-e-Azam was a man of great foresight. He professed “There is no power on earth that can undo Pakistan.” May history continue to prove him right. The writer can be reached at skhanzada@ymail.com