United under one flag - اس پرچم کے سائے تلے ہم ایک ہیں
Dear Pakistan,
Congratulations on making it through another year!
Up till last year, I had a different definition of patriotism — an extreme sentiment that doesn't let you receive any criticism without unleashing your inner beast. I was really grateful for a land, I could call my own; an identity, I was so proud of; a nation, I was madly in love with. Then I started wondering if every Pakistani felt the same pride. I had turned a blind eye to all the killings in the name of religion and honor. I used to think what if few people died in a remote city, what about all the other prosperous cities of my country; what if few mosques were burnt in the name of blasphemy, what about all the festivals for the minorities in my country; what if there was an acid attack on a woman, what about all the other women in higher statuses. That is when I was hit with a realization, which should've come ages ago, that just because few people like me were safe and happy in this country didn't mean every one else was too.
Instead of beaming with pride I am ashamed that we couldn't live up to the expectations with which this country was founded. I pray that by the next independence day, we will be able to kill the intolerance and hypocrisy that doesn't let us unite, we will be burying our differences instead of innocent people. Make this land every Pakistani's land!
