The world we live in is riddled with challenges, yet the subcontinent, home to half the global population, remains mired in ideological conflicts and centuries-old divisions. Despite abundant natural and cultural blessings, religion, politics and traditions have failed to unite us. Instead, they have sown seeds of hatred and division, leaving our leadership lacking foresight and solutions. Our internal discord and external threats have jeopardized state survival, while decades of extremism and terrorism have bled the region dry.
The subcontinent’s partition birthed states without cohesive nations. Unlike other regions, where nations fostered states, we inherited countries fractured by racism, religious superstition, and linguistic divides. This failure to establish unity has led to internal conflicts, regional disputes, and separatist movements. Religion, once a unifying force, has devolved into a source of hatred, with sectarian divisions and extremist agendas undermining state stability. Our history is marked by wars and insecurities—from Assam to Balochistan and from Sri Lanka to Afghanistan. Weak leadership and corrupt politics have allowed regionalism and linguistic barriers to erode unity, creating a patchwork of disjointed states. The lack of evolution within religious thought has further alienated us from the modern world, leaving us centuries behind. The solution lies in unity and diversity.
Europe’s model of regional cooperation offers a blueprint. By respecting borders and strengthening national roots, we can build the cohesive nations this region desperately needs. Our rich cultural heritage, spanning thousands of years, can serve as a bridge to overcome divisions.
Rehana Saeed
Lahore
