I would like to take you back to the 1940s, before we achieved independence. An era of violence, hatred and inhumanity.
Pre-Partition
You’ve had enough of being slaves to the British; living in poverty, fighting various diseases, and your loved ones dragged into wars that they never signed up for. Your family and loved one’s constant struggles against the British Empire for decades. And just as you begin to breathe the air of Independence, you witness dark clouds still looming on top.
Now as the British decide to leave, the scar they left on India begin to grow and the pain starts to fester in the form of violence between minority Muslims and the majority Hindus. Morever, their strategy of divide and conquer has to take full effect now more than ever, filling hatred in the hearts of Indians belonging to different communities.
After living under the tyrannical British Empire, you then begin to witness your mosques destroyed, your homes and villages burned and pillaged up. You and your loved ones separated, some temporarily and some forever. Your lands being snatched away and your fellow Muslim brothers being prosecuted.
You wait for your voices to be heard, you scream but no one listens. You shed tears but no one sees, you try to defend yourself but you fail.
But gradually things start to change. Your voice and efforts are now being recognized as they are echoed all around India. Millions of People start voicing their concerns Together! They start acting in opposition Together! They start building a wall Together!
They start dreaming of a day where their voices will be heard together,
dreaming of an independent state together, and of a day where no one would persecute them for their religion Together! And they start climbing the ladder to independence Together!
Post-Partition
And finally on 14th August 1947, a new country is born. A country born out of ashes, blood and, sacrifices. A nation that finally achieved its independence after millions of women, children, elderly, and men were martyred for the sake of their future generation’s harmony and peace.
Apart from the mastermind of our hardworking leaders, demonstration of unity amongst the Indian Muslims made this possible. They rose as one united nation, overlooking the differences that they may have had. They were ever-ready to go through thick and thin to achieve their end goal; independence.
Punjabis, Pashtun, Mahajirs Sindhi, Biharis, Balochis, Sasaki, Kashmiri, Barhuis, Chitralis, Shina, Baltis, Kohistanis, Torwalis, Hazaras, Burusho, Wakhis, Kalash, Siddis. All were a united nation, dwelling under the banner of crescent and the star.
If Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah were to be alive this day, they would’ve wanted to see a united Pakistan. A nation where unity, faith, and discipline was given priority amongst all.
But sadly, this notion of a “single nation” is now only seen at cricket grounds. It’s about time that we extend this feeling to all grounds, it’s time we start living as one entity and it’s time we start looking at this country through the lenses of our founding fathers. It’s time we all come around as Pakistanis.
With Unity comes prosperity! As is always the case, ‘The United we Stand, Divided we Fall.’
