A COUNTRY AS BEAUTIFUL AS ITS NAME

Rainbow, as it appeared; the little-colored flags dangling from one rooftop to the other. And among all those colors, the magnificent green flags with the crescent and the star stood out.

This all started decades ago. Almost seven decades ago. Nothing was normal. Crises had taken over and one thing led to the other. Among those streets, lived a proficient poet, a remarkable philosopher. He had this crazy idea, an idea which seemed like a day-dream, a myth. And among those streets lived another man, a legend with a power to bring the myth to life. Long story short, they did it. That idea gave birth to a very beautiful place; a place as beautiful as its name. And this is how, my friends, Pakistan came into being.

You take a piece of land from someone; you don’t exactly make it to their good books. India wasn’t the only one who lost something that day. That land was once ours until the circumstances forced us. And I might have made it sound easy, but it took more than just a great poet and a remarkable leader. We paid with the blood of our loved ones, to get this country. Those stories are heart-wrenching.

Every year, this day is a reminder of what we have been through, why we have suffered, and how much we are blessed. I remember it used to rain, every 14^th of August and they used to say it’s because of the sacrifices we have made. I remember how it made the decorated flags fall to the ground. Till one year, it stopped. It didn’t rain. Had the sacrifices lost their worth? I wondered. And I reflected that we had made them seem worthless.

Why did we need Pakistan? I tell you what, not for this. We wanted a free country because we wanted to practise. We wanted to live as Muslims. Look at us, what we have become, what we have done to ourselves and the precious land. What we have done to the blood that made this soil fertile for us. Oh Lord! What have we done?

Those mothers that sacrificed their sons, that youth that chose to die so that we can live in peace. How can we do this to them? How can you say that it’s worthless? That this country is hopeless. How? How can you say Pakistan hasn’t given you anything? How can you be so thankless?

When they paid with their lives and blood, they didn’t pay it so we can be liberals and fight each other and run after western culture and forget why we needed the country in first place. It wasn’t for us to divide and fight, we were supposed to be united, and we were supposed to pay back. When they died before they could even smell freedom, they hoped that we will make it count. But what did we do? We scattered and hated. We forgot and criticized.

Pakistan didn’t fail us. We failed Pakistan. We failed our ancestors.

So will you just put a green flag on and think you’ve done your service. Or will you stand up and actually do something that counts. Will you make their sacrifices worth something? Will you show the world why we created it?

Pakistan awaits you, to stop ruining it and start making it better. It’s your home. Make it your pride.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAKISTAN!

So the month has arrived and so has the day, time to show what a patriot you are and soon as it’s over, go back to ranting about what a mess this country is and how there is no hope because “IT’S PAKISTAN DUDE.”

We; the social media addicts. Everything has become some typed words or posted pictures for us. So just like on every birthday around, we post a few pictures and write a long ass wish for our friends. We are gonna do the same. How much we love our country, we are gonna crack jokes on how our leader tricked our neighbor’s into delaying their independence. Well, that was pretty cool. Anyway, what I am saying is that it’s okay to butter your friend and say lame stuff to please them. But like everything else, your words might not mean anything unless your actions back them up.

You know what my least favorite subject in school was or in college? Pak studies. And yet I claim to be a patriot. I am not lying I love my country. But I do lose hope. I know nothing about this country and I play absolutely no role in making it a better place. So my claim might not be a lie, but it is a hollow claim. I love you Pakistan but I am not gonna do anything for you. What can I possibly do? I am not sure.

I have seen people, mocking this country. Abusing and accusing it. It’s not Pakistan. Pakistan isn’t the problem. You are. You freakin’ useless critic, you’re the problem. When I said it’s us who are the problem someone said Pakistan is nothing without us. Wrong, we were nothing without it. Pakistan gave us a name, a relation, a relation that runs deep within our veins, just as the blood runs through them. Leave the country, go where ever, your home stays within you. Even if you have yourself convinced you hate it, there is no place like home out there.

When I was little, I remember how the streets were decorated.  The excitement I used to have, it’s no more. And even as I am writing this right now, there isn’t a flag waving on our roof top.

So ask yourself today, who is to blame? Does your home run itself or do you have to run it? What makes you think Pakistan is the problem when you’re not even trying to make it any better? It’s like staring at a glass from a distance and blaming it for not coming to you. Wake up! They thought this country wouldn’t last longer and yet these 69 years have been a slap in the face for them. I know Pakistan has been falling ever since Quaid-e-Azam passed away. But can’t you see it’s meant to be? It’s still here. It’s still out home. So for the love of God, wake up. Do something. Be someone for the country. Pakistan has given you a lot, give it something in return.

Pakistan, we’re sorry. You haven’t failed us. We have failed you.