A Nation at the precipice: Pakistan
There is no denying the fact that today collectively, we as a nation and as proud Pakistanis are at a crossroads. To be more specific, a precipice because of this menace of continuing and consequent wave of terrorism and the related trauma, fear, helplessness and anger that it harbours when it leaves its deadly toll behind. It is up to our own selves whether we let this face of ugly and callous militancy and terrorism to define us among the comity of nations or we as a country will be remember in the scrolls of history as a state that defied conventions, a proud country that looked straight into the eyes of this terrorist ideology and eradicated it straight from its origin and core.
Rhetorically speaking, it is but now a futile and a dated argument that this current wave of terrorism that is ongoing for a decade more or less is because of our mistakes during the Afghan-Russian occupations war time-frame of the 80’s, that the sins and misdoings of Zia coupled with the flaccid policies of Pervez Musharaf in 2000’s unleashed the Frankenstein monster that initially saw the light of the day during Zia’s era, in Muhsaraf’s regime, it only grew larger, more fiercer and untamed. Regardless, we cannot go back in time and undo what is already done, instead of crying on our misfortune that how liberal and tolerant we were as a country during the 1960’s and 1970’s as oppose to how the civilized world perceive us today.
Being pragmatic is the need of the hour, and thankfully we are heading there even if it may seem a slower albeit a steadier journey towards our end goal of being once again a nation full of hope and unmeasured prosperity not to mention a tolerable society where individuals from all sects, creed, class and religion are seen from a singular and a fair/just eye instead of discriminating among them. We are truly indebted to our armed forces for launching a multiple pronged approach to counter the terrorist/militancy threat because let’s face it! It is not about leading an on ground war though that is equally pivotal and important but we need to change the hearts and mind of those that have fallen astray, those young and naive minds that fall prey to those who exploit it to make their own vested interests and designs to fruition.
We are a nation that is based on an ideology and we will defend it any cost either by giving our own blood or by arms, there will be no two ways about it, no middle ground. The time is ripe for a much needed introspection, we need to look deep inside our heart, our conscience, the only voice that will echo from within will be that of staying your ground and doing what is right to defend our way of life. To believe on the divine book of Holy Quran that propagates peace and to correct those we take the name of Islam in guise of satisfying their own self interest and agenda.
There is still some time left, we need to implement corrective measures and actions, a clear and present policy to tackle militancy in all of its form should be present from the grassroots to the highest echelons of power, where decision and king makers sit and brainstorm with context to the future of our very country.
We will rise after every fall, after every stumble, we will wipe the dust and with an unyielding and resolute grin on our face, we will counter every predicament, every problem headstrong! Perhaps during these testing times a nation exhibits what inhabitants dwell in this nation of ours, and what stuff they are made of.
A poem by a renowned poetess Maya Angelou fits the context like a hand in glove, it truly reflects who Pakistanis are as a nation. An excerpt from Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” goes something like this:
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise !!!