[Photo: Pakistan Independence Day. Aleem Yousef.]

By Mahboob Khawaja, PhD.

When on August 14, 1947, the nation achieved the freedom from the British colonial subjugation; it inherited a history of neo-colonial systems of thinking and governance. Ironically, the national freedom movement was the outcome of a long democratic process offering ample opportunities for a progressive future-making goal. But with the death of Mohammad Ali Jinnah- Quaid-E-Azam and the conspiratorial killing of its first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, all optimism for the enhancement of a progressive nation was wiped out – replaced by subsequent political intrigues, factional identities and military coups. Most proactive imaginative minds could not foresee how a newly born nation, lacking planned resources, would emerge in the changing fortunes of time to cope with swift economic, political, security and national unity affairs. Despite the foreign propaganda and challenges from its arch enemy India, Pakistan demonstrated unity of mind and sacrifices to come out of the initial trial period with immense success and unthinkable triumph.

Listening to Voices of Reason

The masses had listened to Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his reasoning to work and work hard for unity, discipline and freedom. Quaid-E-Azam was a leader of vision and integrity and all factions of the nation regard him with respect and honor for his contributions towards the making of Pakistan. For over half of a century, Pakistan has been a victim of its egoistic, naïve and corrupt leadership. The individualistic military coups were one of the major factors involved in this junk history-making. The resulting abhorrent affairs consumed the positive energies of the hubs of Pakistani intellectual and educated elite in a struggle to restore political normalcy, objectivity of the ideals of the Pakistan Freedom Movement, and pursuit of change and development of a progressive nation to stand amongst the developed nations of the 21st century world. Alas, the corrupt leadership of the few Generals – Bhuttos, Sharifs, Zardari and Musharaf – has plagued the political culture with sadistic thinking and moral and intellectual corruption. Political correctness appears hard to reemerge in the foreseeable future unless a revolutionary jolt could change the course of monstrous politics. This vicious culture, set in over 50 years of corrupt politics, does not facilitate the feelings of joy inspiration to visit the spirit of celebrative festivities of 70 years of national freedom.

This situation demands critical rethinking and truthful reflection for a navigational and strategic change to reform the obsolete systems of political governance.  Then Pakistan could proceed with a planned scheme of future-making with unity, optimism and av new educated and honest leadership. Those so called leaders have stolen the time and opportunity creating a pathological picture of disorientation and a naïve culture of corruption, depressing fantasies of change. It was recently depicted when the ex-PM Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court on financial corruption grounds, but paid agents demonstrated a different culture of anti-law and anti-moral and anti-intellectual thinking. None of these leaders share a clean record of meeting their obligations, deeds and honesty extended to their office or commitment to the cause of nation-building. They have proven to be mentally and morally unfit to have held their offices. Yet despite the length of their tenure, they could not learn to be honest, responsible and effective leaders, or to represent the national interest of the beleaguered nation. If they had subscribed to the joys of wanton destruction of the national unity and discipline, for sure, they were on that track of sadistic cruelty and priorities. Reality and optimism demand an urgent rethinking on how to change the inner struggle of consciousness and to develop the course of progressive nation-building and an economically and politically viable future-making.

The nation of Pakistan is One in its Unity, and its multicultural identities and values must be organized peacefully to cope with the challenges of the contemporary world while rejecting the extremism and phony terrorism of the few who lack imagination and respect. Undeniably, national security is fast becoming a domain of insecurity with daily sectarian killings and terrorist attacks by the Talibans and some extremist Islamic groups often unable to have a clear identity and purpose. The common masses are the net victims of these atrocities. The national image, normalcy, movement of the people, economic productivity and political stability are all adversely impacted. The masses have been made afraid of an impending collapse of systematic security apparatus working for the safety and protection of life in Pakistan. If there was responsible political governance intact, it should have taken urgent corrective actions to remedy the national insecurity and to assure the public of its rightful needs. Pakistan has the capacity, both in knowledge and essential devices, to ensure the safety of its people.

Is it all about the corrupt politics that leaves the nation is suffering? Or is there more going into the making of the insecurity bubble? Often crisis brings the minds and hearts of the people to unity and determination. One wonders, why is it that the Pakistani nation has been abandoned by its ruling elite leaving it unsafe and insecure? For sure, contemporary politicians appear to have no sense of consciousness and guilt to be held accountable for their drudgery, broken promises and dishonesty to the masses.

To Face the Reality Challenge

Rationality and truth has its own language. Everywhere the blame game is used by corrupt politicians to cover up their cruel impulses. Their insane egoism blocks  recognition of their own incompetence, criminality and failure. Across the nation, agonizing situations warrant urgent attention to deal with insecurity, conflict prevention and conflict management, Pakistani Taliban’s terrorism, problems in responsible governance, disdain trade and commerce and to revitalize sustainable national unity. The dismissed PM Sharif and his colleagues amassed wealth, stolen time and opportunities for political change and killed peaceful civilian demonstrators. They react like paranoid and maniacs as if masses are the problem. If conscientious Pakistanis living abroad are concerned about the decadent political culture and rebuilding of the moral, intellectual and economic-political infrastructures, the ruling elite will ensure to deprive them the opportunity to be heard at a national level. When people are forced to live in political darkness, they lose sense of rational direction.

The 14 August Independence Day should have been a day for the people to rejoice and value the imperatives of the 70th Independence Day across Pakistan.  Flag waving, military parades and political salutes are not what people are looking to as the future-building of the nation. It should be a self-reflection on the national priorities for a new system of political governance, encouragement of the educated and intellectually mature people to hold offices of political responsibility and articulate plans for change and development of the nation to stand amongst the progressive nations of the 21st century global community. The political elite and the people live in a conflicting time zone being unable to understand the meaning and essence of the Pakistan Freedom Movement. This purpose needs unwavering public commitment and continuous struggle to political change. It needs not to be invented, it is living in the mind and spirit of the people, it just needs to be revitalized and better organized as the momentum is waiting for the grieving people..

Pakistan urgently needs a savior, not Sharif, Bhuttos or the few Generals. The solution must come from the thinking people of the new educated generation – the intelligent Pakistanis to facilitate hope and optimism for a sustainable future of the beleaguered nation. This should be the framework of the message and active agenda for change and reformation as the core of the celebration of the Pakistan’s 70th Independence Day

In “Pakistan:  Reflections on the Turbulent 69th Independence Day”, 8/14/2016, this author offered the following candid observations to fellow Pakistanis:

The military dictators, Bhuttos, Zardari and Sharifs could never have come into power unless the whole nation had lost the sense of rationality, PURPOSE and MEANING of its existence. These sadistic and cruel monsters have institutionalized chaos and fear, demoralization of a moral society and dehumanization of an intelligent nation and have transferred these naïve traits and values to the psychological-social-economic and political spheres of the mainstream thinking hub of the nation. Why should we care – many will assert at the cultural levels. Are there any concerned thinkers, intellectuals and proactive political activists to safeguard the national interests of the present and future generations of Muslim Pakistan?

Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including: Global Peace and Conflict Management: Man and Humanity in Search of New Thinking. Lambert Publishing Germany, May 2012. His forthcoming book is entitled: One Humanity and The Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution