AT each Independence Day, the patriot in all of us rises and sways much like the Pakistani flag on most cars, building, poles and pillars. Each year the celebrations get bigger and better, thanks to businesses who know how to cater to the demands of people addicted to consumerism.

After August 14 passes, we are all exhausted but very pleased with ourselves because we had a lot of fun flaunting our patriotism by displaying the largest of flags from rooftops, on vehicles and roadsides, lighting up streets and building, playing national songs on full volume, dressing up in green and sporting flag-based accessories. Picnics and outings were the order of the day.

But is this all there is to patriotism? Can waving flags make us loyal Pakistanis? Will it make us citizens any nation will be proud to have? Many promise to die for their country, but have they really tried living for it — dedicating even a small part of their lives to make their homeland a better place?

Loving one’s homeland not only means loving it and taking care of it, it also means taking responsibility, owning it and working for its betterment before our own.

The feelings of devotion and support that patriotism should create in us make us work to strengthen it and the strength of a country is the strength of its people. The love for a country should mean the love for its people. Thus we should love all Pakistanis if we love Pakistan, and we should love everything Pakistani if we truly love Pakistan.

Some of us may claim to love everything Pakistani, but not everything happening in Pakistan. They are right in doing so because not everything right or good in happening in the country. Anyone with a conscience feels this way.

But who is responsible for this? The government? The system? Or we, the people?

We are as responsible as anyone else because together we make up the nation, the system. If the nation has faults, the fault is in us because we constitute the nation. If the system is not working right, we are not doing things right because we are part of the system. If our institutions are not as efficient as they should be, we are not efficient as we work in those institutions. We all are not playing our part right in making Pakistan what we wish it to be. All of us on a very small, individual scale are doing all those things that we find wrong.

We don’t like so much dirt and trash on the street and wish it was as clean as places are abroad, but can any of us claim that we have never ever thrown trash anywhere else but in dustbins? Aren’t we all guilty of throwing candy wrapper or the juice can out of the windows of our homes and cars, feeling justified in doing so as there already is so much trash outside, one little piece of plastic will not really matter to the environment?

Can we all stand patiently in queues and wait for our turn without jumping the line and pushing and shoving? No, we can’t, but we do lament the fact that everyone else is so unsystematic and disorderly.

Haven’t we all been in a vehicle that has broken the traffic signal? Have you ever tried to tell dad or an adult to not break traffic rules or not drive on the wrong side of a one-way street? Doesn’t everyone cheat a little in exams and tests, and considers it harmless as long as they don’t get caught and it is just a ten marks paper? Well, adults too practice that, though sometimes on a larger scale and this time they are cheating the country, and us.

If we don’t like all the ills that we see around us, let us first stop doing it or being a part of it. If each of us pledges to do their best to live as civilised and honest citizens should live, things will slowly, though surely, improve. Pakistanis make up Pakistan, and good Pakistanis will make Pakistan good.

Selfishly we want to progress and prosper without wishing or working for the progress and prosperity of our country. Instead of demanding what the country can do and give to us, we should give to our country and do our best to make it the best. When Pakistan will prosper, Pakistanis too shall prosper.

We say in many fields, especially science and technology, Pakistan is way behind other nations who became independent much after us. We lay the blame on the generation before ours for not doing enough, but are we doing enough? Research, development and progress in any field, especially science and technology will only come when we do that in and for our country. But many of us have our eyes set on greener pastures, preferring to work hard there and the rewards of our labour stays in those places, while sadly Pakistan languishes behind. Development will only come if we try to develop Pakistan.

It is so sad that when we go to any other country, we generally follow the rules there, even though many of us may not have followed those universal rules back home — like waiting for our turn in a queue, crossing the street only on zebra crossings and parking in only parking zones. Why do we become different then? Why can’t we turn a new leaf in our own country to change it for the better?

And all this is very easy to accomplish if we just turn the pages of our history books and see what the Father of the Nation Mohammad Ali Jinnah, told us:

“With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.”

Long live Pakistan!

By Aeman Anees

PAKISTAN, my dear homeland, has it all — beautiful snowy peaks, deserts, forests and flowing rivers, attractive and rich culture, a powerful army, talented people, great leaders like Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, famous poets like Allama Iqbal and many other notable figures. It has lots of natural resources and agriculture is the backbone of our country.

I cannot explain the beauty, power and strength of our country in just a few words or sentences. Sadly, many people still fail to see the beauty and blessings we have. Sometimes we can’t really blame them because the current political and societal situation is such that things can seem very bleak.

I believe that if you have a positive attitude, you will attract and see only positivity, and when you start to view Pakistan from positive lenses, you will find many reasons to love it and live here.

Pakistan has given us identity, freedom and respect, and we are enjoying all this today because of our forefathers’ sacrifices. So this freedom and identity has come at a high cost, let us love and cherish it, and pledge to end all the wrongs that are taking place around us so that we can truly feel proud to call ourselves Pakistanis.

When Pakistan was established it was said that it will survive no longer than six months, but by the Grace of Allah Almighty and the great founding leaders who were hardworking, honest and honourable, it was soon proved wrong. Pakistan struggled but stood firm and survived. Even with few opportunities, the founding leaders found ways to control the situation of the country. Now 68 years have passed, the situation is totally different. Those who came to power later failed to act sincerely and now nothing is as it should be.

My message to my beautiful nation in this important month of our independence is a quote, “Remember behind every inspirational picture there is always a story of constant pain, persistent efforts and determination. Don’t objectify your weakness as an emblem, grief, misery, mercy, nothingness, it destroy your abilities.”

There is need to change our perception, our thinking. The best way to go about it is to improve ourselves. We need to face our faults and problems, we don’t need others to come and help us out. We are enough for Pakistan if we are sincere in our efforts. It is wrong to simply blame the system, the economy, the government and others for not allowing us to perform well or achieve something. We are free, our mind is free to think big, to make big plans, so “try to change adversities into opportunities”. Be grateful for what you have and proud to be a Pakistani.

Many people leave Pakistan thinking that there is no future. This attitude towards our own nation is akin to dishonesty. It’s good to go abroad and study, develop our skills and learn new things, but why can’t we think of investing our skills and education in our own country? If we work here and invest here, we will one day become a developed nation, not a developing one!