Are we really an independent nation ?

Muhammad Usama Mughal
As Pakistan is celebrating 78th year of its independence day today with fanfare, high spirits and much enthusiasim. Many people, including children take out processions in large amount and decorate their homes with flags. They tend to play national anthem on loud speakers, and dance, making themselves feel proud and hopeful. As a child, i was also filled with much pride, excitement and spirit on this day. I, immediately arouse with merry to the sound of national anthem being played by the family or the processions outside our home. We used to decorate our entire home with flags the day before 14th august. However, as i grew older, this spirit and excitement evaporated like a puff of smoke. I’m not being a sarcastic here, nor am i discouraging to celebrate it. I found myself asking multiple questions, like are we really independent nation ? Have we reaped the liberty to be ourselves without questions and judgement or shameness about choices as an individuals ? Do we really have freedom of speech and expression ? Do women have exclusive rights ? Do they roam freely in the streets of Pakistan? I wondered, yet we are inclined merely to fluttering flags, playing national songs, dancing, taking out processions. This day being around the corner, i find myself dumbfound witnessing the young generation celeberating it without taking multiple issues engulfing pakistan into consideration. As Pakistan turns 78th year of its independence. Women in our nation continue to feel frightened both inside and outside of their homes; our fundamental human rights are still unprotected and infringed on conspicuously. So-called patriots browbeats and mutilate the members of our minority groups and the marginalized in our polarised society. Sectarian violence is very much rife. National fundamentalism is at its peak, causing much woes for the country. Our economy, educational system, and political instability all keep getting worse and out of control. Apart from the deteriorating legal system, other significant contributory factors, leading the country to the abyss of chaos include poverty, rising crime rates, corruption, growing cases of rapes, internet outage, suppression of expression etc. Over the past 70 years, Pakistan, proportionally appears to have combined elements of fascism, classism, misogyny, feudalism, and nepotism with radical religious mindset, which has contributed to our current wretched and depressing state. We are gullibly led by our elected political leaders and religious fanatics, which is another important reason why we have failed as a nation. Our society’s morality and wickedness have become too great for us to understand, evaluate, and confront as a group. We have as a country grown frighteningly numb and indifferent to the many catastrophes that have struck us over the years. When something unfortunate happens, we don’t always react or think it through. Furtheremore, large-scale migration is the outcome of the unending and frequent issues facing the country. A number of Pakistanis are leaving their homeland to flying off to other countries of the world so as to live a standard life there. Approximately, 60% percent of the population is young, and they waste their best years in this aimless and baseless country because they are uninspired, pessimistic, and incredibly lost. For a better future, they have given up all hope. Sixty-six years later, we still haven’t achieved the nation of freedom that Jinnah envisioned, one in which individuals might freely practice their faith, and creeds. We witness each passing day without any religious and sectarian strife over triffle issues and misunderstandings between various communities culminates in cold blooded murders. Our intolerance for others has become uncomfortable. A major factor in the culpable’s facilitation has been lawlessness. Quoted by Jinnah: “You are free to go to your temples; you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed, that has nothing to do with the business of State.” We failed Jinnah, ourselves, and all the other freedom fighters who have spent eons fighting for the rights and liberties of Pakistanis throughout the course of these seventy years. Aside from numerous restrictions, the normalization of abuse and violence on a larger scale, billions of dollars in debt from various nations, and a host of other issues Pakistan is struggling with, what have we got in recent years? The fact that we are so stagnant and immobile as a people is incredibly dishonorable and disgusting. Let’s try to find some silver lining in our shortcomings and look on the brighter side. A few steps must be taken in order to lift our depressing condition. Being tolerant of other members of our society and accepting of people for who they are, in all of their diversity, is the first and most vital step. To get rid of becoming a group of sheep that heedlessly obey the shepherd, we must, second, develop our political and social consciousness while simultaneously working to improve our educational institutions. Education has the power to alter and bring about unexpected changes in the youth population. It can raise awareness of our deficiencies and highlight the things our country lacks. Finding the underlying cause is crucial to quickly and effectively addressing the cause itself. Instead of playing horns on this day, we must go through Pakistan study to comprehend the underlying problems Pakistan is facing. To conclude, i, from the core of my heart sincerly pray to Almighty for happy, prosperous and thriving country. May we get what our founding Father, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah dreamt of. May Pakistan get rid of black sheep polluting the country !