Independence Day

During tough times, August 14 provides a break from the ordinary and unites us for a single day despite our differences. Coming at the end of another difficult year, we must use this moment to think about the year that has passed and the years to come. The ugly head of terrorism raised itself again this week as an entire generation of Quetta’s lawyers were wiped out in a terrorist attack. Instead of renewing our resolve towards fighting terrorism, it opened up deep fissures within our state, which cannot be covered over by blaming external actors. Pakistan has suffered due to terrorism and it does not seem that our suffering will end soon. The promise to end terrorism is renewed after every major terrorist attack but we know not to believe the promise. This has been a tough year for Pakistan on the international front too with the US drone attack on Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansour inside Balochistan posing questions about the country’s commitment to regional peace. Pressure on Pakistan has been spiked up as Pakistan has found solace in its own trump card, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The CPEC has become the story of hope after a year in which the economic recovery remained weaker than expected. But the CPEC has also become a ready-made excuse for papering over any serious questions asked from the state. The economic corridor with China offers real hope that the country’s socioeconomic future might change. But it cannot be used as way of shutting down any criticism that comes from the people. Pakistan’s suffering economy has a glimmer of hope. This must not become a victim of petty politics. Another hopeful possibility is that this could become the year Pakistan gets freedom from the clutches of the IMF. Our living conditions are not a source of much joy, with only a minority having access to clean water. The majority of deaths due to illness in the country are caused due to unsafe water and there are millions of people across the country who have never visited a health professional through their lives. Our expenditure on education remains well below the four percent of GDP recommended by the UN and the consequence is that almost half our population remains illiterate. As we celebrate independence, we must also remember that democracy in Pakistan remains fragile. We have around us political mayhem with growing discord between major political parties and the inevitable sense of instability that this brings. We only need to look across the border to see how a stable political system has remained in place. But the story across the border is not always a positive one. We have once again been reminded that when we gained independence, Kashmir entered a new phase of subservience. Almost 70 years later, their hopes of freedom are still unfulfilled. As we celebrate independence we must pay a tribute to our nation’s resolve in the face of difficult circumstances. Terrorism, the economy and political instability remain the most obvious challenges. We must renew our resolve to combating them this Independence Day.