When August rolls around each year, we decorate our places with lights, set up our community in flags of green and white, and we bust out our old, forgotten radios with nostalgic rhymes. The sense of patriotism binds us all together, into one united sanctuary. But then, inevitably, 14th August passes us by. And we’re left with the same question – what becomes of us now?
Our nation faces so many issues – some getting precedence over others – that it’s become normal to grow indifferent. 364 days a year, we’re at odds with one another. Ideologically, and otherwise, we’ve been divided to the extent of outright hatred. And that is the harsh reality for the 212 million people living in this country, each day.
Pakistan Internationally
Extremism has taken the rise in the last 20 years or so. At the forefront of this fundamentalist approach lie us – the Pakistani citizens, who fear losing their tradition and way of life. We have to go back 50 years and look at explanations provided by Karen Armstrong to get an idea of the troubling viewpoints many of our neighbors have.
Change is a gradual phenomenon. Revolutionary change is even slower. Think about the array of scholars produced during the enlightenment – those who came, were falsified, and replaced by someone better. The entire process revolved around evolution, which culminated in the spectacle that was both the world wars. That’s roughly 500 years worth of sacrifice on the part of the many, many revolutionaries who are credited with aspiring the world we live in today.
On the Muslim forefront, however, it was a different story altogether. What the west achieved in 500 years, we wanted to achieve in 50. Tradition is a hard thing to let go of; people tend to feel backed up in a corner whenever questions arise about their beliefs. And so, the Shah of Iran was toppled, Saddam Hussein came to power, and Al-Qaeda was born. These are just a few examples of the many, many atrocities committed by those with a fundamentalist outlook on life – and how it set the Muslim world back about 100 years.
Pakistan and the Domestic
Domestically, Pakistan doesn’t fare well either. You have rampant corruption, in almost all administrative levels within the country. Religious minorities are always looking over their shoulders, barely going about their day without some ridiculous accusation takes away their life. Pakistani women don’t feel safe, even within the boundaries of their own home.
Pakistan has a literacy rate of about 65%, one of the lowest in the world. The quality of education is such that the figure could easily be lower. Not only does a low literacy rate hinder career and life opportunities, but it also gives rise to problematic beliefs. Belief in superstition in uncontrollable, with many looking at alternatives to science and technology within the bounds of ‘black magic’. Such strongly-held ideas have not allowed Pakistanis to move beyond their base instincts.
Are we powerless?
That is the 36 trillion rupees question. With the recent tribulations of religious persecution and an increase in sexual assault cases, we’ve seen an increasing effort on the part of the youth to unite against these oppressions. Does Pakistan have a long way to go in terms of solving many of its problems? Yes. But, it’s not completely out of the fight yet. The next 10 to 15 years will be crucial for the entire state of this country. What side of history will you be on?
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