My appeal to my countrymen on this Independence Day is that we must spend some quiet time in deep introspection.
KARACHI: Opinions differ regarding how the country’s 68th birthday today should be observed. One side advocates celebration with a patriotic, ‘no-questions asked’ fervour. The other side holds that the nation is in a deep morass and there is really nothing to celebrate. While one does wish to rejoice in the memory of Pakistan’s creation, reality indicates that too much blood and tears have flown — and continue to flow in this country on a daily basis — to allow the soul to revel in celebrations. This unfortunately, is a reality.
So when did the rot start? By one reckoning, it began on the eve of Independence. Consider this: a few minutes past midnight on the night of August 14 and 15 (technically August 15 already), there is an announcement on the radio that informs its listeners that they are listening to the first broadcast of Radio Pakistan — the radio station of an independent Pakistan. Then comes the morning of August 15, 1947 and the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, delivered a message to the nation commemorating the inauguration of the Pakistan Broadcasting Service. His speech starts with the sentence: “It is with feelings of greatest happiness and emotion that I send you my greetings. August 15 is the birthday of the independent and sovereign State of Pakistan”.
When, why and under whose authority was the date of Pakistan’s independence date changed to August 14? Can one dare say this was the very first lie the nation had to accept? Was the change only because India decided on August 15 as its date of independence?
Then, of course, there is the question of the date of birth of Mr Jinnah himself. Of course, we all know it is December 25. It’s been so forever; signed, sealed and accepted by all. But what about his old school records which record his date of birth as October 20, 1875?
Space limits discourse on several other debatable (euphemistically speaking) matters of considerable importance that have come down to us over the years and decades. But the net result is before us. There are reasons for celebration. Nevertheless, only the foolhardy will disagree with the claim that there are several more reasons not to celebrate.
These reasons, real as they are, should not be a justification for mourning. My appeal to my countrymen on this Independence Day is that we must pledge to spend some quiet time in deep introspection. A SWOT analysis of Pakistan still has the ‘strengths and opportunities’ outweighing the ‘weaknesses and threats’. Our mission should be straightforward: we must do what we can, each one of us as an individual, and given our individual limitations, to make a real difference.
Zohare Ali Shariff
Published in The Express Tribune, August 14th, 2014.
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