Confessions of a patriot

It’s always challenging and stressful when facing aggression and hostility from an adversary or a rival. I have spent over a decade in America facing criticism of Pakistan from the Indian diaspora, American professors and some of those ridiculous Pakistanis who have to do Pakistan bashing for their benefits. The types that work in places such as Voice of America. However, what’s more difficult rather than very hurtful is when those same Indians come to you and show their sympathy with you for being a Pakistani.

I’d pay anything to go back to that situation where the Indians in America are disturbed and angry because of a somewhat stable Pakistan, which uses its strengths to counter the hostile Indian moves.

I used to be invited to these various Indian talk shows such as those on CNN, WION, and Republic TV where Arnab Goswami sits wearing his funny glasses and bashes Pakistan for fun. I remember being on those shows and unleashing hellfire on Arnab and the rest during my extremely fierce defence of Pakistan and critique of India.

Those shows invite me now more than ever. They have called and texted and requested more than ever before. I refuse to appear on their shows anymore. I always use some kind of excuse for not being able to come on air but the truth is: I don’t know what to defend anymore. What do I argue there? Should I strongly defend the economy of Pakistan or should I rather brag about the global standing of Pakistan? Do I take pride in how journalism is free in Pakistan or should I rather make a case for a Pakistan that fights corruption? The Indians would tell me how their nation is the 4^th or 5^th largest economy now and they’ve landed on the moon too. Should I argue that we have a moon on our flag so we don’t need to go?

Just as Pakistan, for its legitimate defence against India, needs Afghanistan to be free of Indian involvement so as to continue to have the strategic depth, I and many others also need some material for solid arguments. Unfortunately, I feel like I have lost the strategic depth. Imagine Pakistan not having its strategic depth while fighting with India. That’s where I am. That’s why I am refusing to fight.

As for the economy, the nation’s nationals have become so mentally slaves of foreign forces controlling their lives that people make major buying decisions and wedding plannings based on when and whether or not the IMF loan will come. Because the announcement of that would bring the dollar and gold rates down for a few days and that would be the window for executing the plan. A friend of mine wants to buy some US dollars. He’s waiting for MBS to arrive and announce some kind of investment.

Pakistan is hardly ever mentioned in the western broadcast media. I hate to put it this way but Pakistan does not matter here anymore. Pakistani leadership used to get red carpet treatment by the American president. Neil Armstrong, the first man to set footsteps on the moon, had visited Pakistan as one of the countries he went to. Kissinger asked Pakistan to help engage with China. Now? Pakistan spends years in the grey-list and celebrates as some major victory when it exits it. Active duty soldiers were killed in the Salala incident and Washington DC even refused to apologise. That was around the same time when Shah Rukh Khan was merely detained for some hours for which almost the entire American government machinery apologised to India.

There’s probably no nation in the world that was born great. Almost all are the result of violence, wars, bloodshed, deception and displacement. Nations rather grow great. They evolve and become mature with time. Just as the arrow of time, nations progress with time in many different ways. Unfortunately, Pakistan seems to be obeying physical laws of another universe.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2023.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.