More often than not, each day we are stilted with a celebrated one-liner to basic problems: ‘You should move out of this disastrous country’. This practically makes all the sense in the world since Pakistan has slowly become a safe haven for the extremist mullahs rather than the doting working classes. Despite all that and more, I refuse to concede defeat and even with my shaking faith I choose never to give up hope in this nation.
Undoubtedly, it has taken away too much from those who have given streams of blood and sweat, but there’s still something about this country which keeps you roped to some sort of hope. The political instabilities come and go, hardships will persist, every age and era has seen its good times and worse and maybe we are hanging on the edge right now, but there’s something which always pulls you back.
I am not aspiring to be a hardcore nationalist. My mantra simply revolves around safeguarding the interests of those around me, without selfish means and trying not to shove certain ideologies down anyone’s throat.
Pakistan is known as a ‘faith-based’ country. It is imperative to shift the faith into an unerring direction by ensuring the masses are largely of a tolerant disposition. The incessant need of reviving this nation into a modern, secular and open-minded state can only come into practice with gallons of faith coupled with sane, progressive minds.
Amidst the chaos and deafening roars of nearing devastation, there are individuals who are struggling to change the status quo because they believe. Each cell of their body raves that this nation will shine in all its glory and a day shall come when art, music, love and humanity will trump all the dirt accumulated over the past decades of distastefulness.
I choose to stay, irrespective of the raised eyebrows and alarming threats. This has been my cocoon since I have opened my eyes and my loyalties lie right here within the soil.
They say you can take a man out of Pakistan but not Pakistan out of him, I say let the man stay in Pakistan and set the fire of hope ablaze, now and every day.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2016.
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