Felicitating Pakistan and Pakistanis on the auspicious commemoration of our Independence Day is important indeed. But what is vital is tapping our brightest jewels on this highly-blessed occasion towards a better and brighter Pakistan.
Pakistan is indeed a dream-come-true reality of our beloved poet of the east, Allama Iqbal, the accomplishment of exemplary statesmanship of our beloved Quaid-i -Azam and attributed to untold sacrifices of the teeming millions of Muslims of Indo-Pak sub-continent. Quaid-i-Azam, the architect and Founder of Pakistan and Allama Iqbal, the universal visionary, national poet of Pakistan believed in, advocated for and emphasized upon children as the future architects and assets of Pakistan.
Quaid-i-Azam termed youth as ambassadors of the nation and believed in youth as the pillar of strength for the nation. However, he prioritized for the youth the need for national character, respect for law, devotion to studies, spirit of self-reliance and the motto of unity, faith and discipline that resulted in the dream-come-true reality of Pakistan and where the salvation of our present problems and future prospects lies.
Allama Iqbal’s vision of Pakistan is, in fact, his vision of the children turning jawans when he said, “mohabbat mujhay un jawano say hai sitaron pay jo bandh tay hain kamand”. He believed in the immense promise and potential of our children when he termed them as “shaheen” where sky is the limit referring to progress in all walks of life.
Independence Day is rejuvenation of the nation, especially with children celebrating their hearts out in the bustling lanes, streets, roads, thoroughfares and highways and in the youth-packed Kharadar and Meethadar of Karachi, Chaburjee and Anarkali of Lahore, Kalibari and Chowk Yaadgar, Peshawar, thronging Jinnah Road of Quetta and so on.
At best is the young nation singing, chanting and dancing amid the echoes of such patriotic and pulsating songs like “Hum Zinda Qaum Hain”, “Dill Dil Pakistan”, “Is Parcham Kay Saye Tale” and others, in schools, colleges and universities of Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.
But it is a different story with countless other kids. Unseen, unheard, unfelt and unsung. Shy, subdued, suffocated, sidelined. Hidden or hiding quietly in their shell. Aggrieved, agonized, aloof, abandoned. This is cutting the long story short of the innumerable cute little heart parts of our beloved homeland.
With utmost respect we need eyes to see, ears to listen, hearts to feel and spirit to address the deprivation of our countless kids of slums, streets and schools and believe in their immense but dormant promise and potential to be efficiently and effectively attended and addressed.
Having envisioned such instrumental level of spirit and statesmanship, it is paramount to innovate and implement uniquely our shy kids’ trust, cheers and confidence building blended with training in trades for a decent living.
Here life-changing and value-adding innovations of spirit and statesmanship include positive and practical measures in such self-help and self-reliance that enable our real national assets of shy and subdued kids to stand on their feet.
Let us not be a nation of seekers of financial aid in name of development cooperation as it is trendy title to alms and charity, recipients are accustomed to begging, minds and bodies are paralyzed and progress down slides.
Social, corporate and political leaders, in their true essence, letter and spirit, are decision-makers, trend-setters and vanguards of owning, guiding and helping the unsung, unheeded and unnoticed little kids with self-esteem, self-confidence and self-assurance.
There can be no better gift of leaders on Independence Day than setting practical examples in creatively and uniquely building in the young nation self-confidence and self-reliance towards the dream-come-true reality of Pakistan.