IT is a fact that nations are judged on the basis of their societal values. If a nation wants to make progress and aims at becoming progressive and a successful one, it has to focus on the qualities its society possesses, and how the unity within its society guarantees its bright future.

Pakistan is blessed with diverse cultures, languages and ethnicities. This is a plus point of our society that we form a nation with enriching diversity, but it is really heart-breaking to admit that instead of working to make a strong nation by benefitting from this enriched diversity, our society is stuck in individuality, paving the way towards divergence from national unity.

One of the major reasons behind the wave of violent extremism, terrorism and targeted killings is the societal disunity over sects, caste or some other factor. The fault is visible everywhere as in some cases the individuals live with historical grievances, while in other cases, inequality and discrimination ignited by state itself result in restlessness and chaos among the people.

It is assumed that ignorance and illite-racy are factors behind societal unrest, but the fact is that even the well-educated individuals prioritise these discriminations over national unity, and seem to take pride in their self-perceived superiority instead of taking responsibility for unifying our society. They prioritise their narrow interests.

A great deal of effort is required to raise social awareness regarding the need to respect views and values. We should not forget that the sacrifices our founding fathers had rendered were not meant to be wasted.

All of us must work together as a united nation, and should curb all other factors that endanger our national unity.

Tania Hussain
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2025