“An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep”—Alexander the Great
Celebrations, commemorations, anniversaries, festivals are different types of ways that serve as reminders of past events or people. The cheerful ones are full of pomp and pleasure, while the tragic ones are somber in nature. These occasions help to keep alive the cherished indispensable contents that are at the core of these memories. History has a queer style of keeping its flag aloft in more than one way, so other than written manuscripts and books, it flows through crowds as they move along in processions or as they get together to celebrate.
Liberty and freedom are qualities that should be a matter of pride not just for one person but the entire humanity, therefore wherever there are instances of political independence or its likes, it definitely calls for jubilation not just once, but repetitively. This enables the mind to be etched with a never fading memory of the event and its background. The day should be observed with complete opulence accompanied with colourful festivities and feasts followed by speeches to highlight its significance, especially for the benefit of the younger generations. Majority countries celebrate their independence days with great fervor.
Pakistan commemorates its independence on the fourteenth of August each year. From Karachi to Peshawar the occasion is marked with plenty of fun and frolic at the expense of billions of rupees, to display the level of patriotism Pakistanis have for their beloved country. Youngsters speed around on motorbikes, the silencers of which are removed to release annoying noises in order to express happiness for having attained an autonomous state to do as they please. Sweetmeats, cakes and pastries are distributed among neighbors and friends, even if millions are starving for want of one square meal. Streets are lit up with fancy lights and decorations where innumerable people are struggling to pay their electricity bills. Huge flags made with thousands of meters of cloth are hoisted on buildings, where school-going children are deprived from education for want of uniforms and books.
When the Indian Subcontinent was partitioned after obtaining freedom from British colonial rule in 1947, two independent countries, Pakistan and India came into existence. Political outcomes are not always pleasant, but Partition was a nightmare for people on either side of the newly formed borders. There was uncontrollable bloodshed, grotesque scenes of brutal killings, loot and plunder. Women were the greatest sufferers, as they became victims of rape, torture, torn apart families, kidnapped and slaughtered children, and forced marriages outside their community. Those who had remained veiled and protected throughout their lives were rendered stark naked in public. Such was the magnitude of trauma borne by migrants moving from India to Pakistan and vice versa, and such was the pain in their told and untold stories.
By keeping the majority under the thumb of their rule, the elite have ably scraped off the cream to expand their assets and reach in a way that has enveloped the entire country in the web of their deceit wherein they live off Pakistan, but their loyalties and assets are centred abroad.
Where in some cases, independence was a matter of triumph, for the people of Subcontinent it meant being uprooted and humiliated, implying that it came with sacrifices, remnants of which are still lingering in the present day Pakistan, India and now Bangladesh. Where today independence is celebrated with so much fanfare, the blood-soaked beginnings cannot be ignored. As they say, time is the biggest healer of wounds therefore each year we engage in merriment as if nothing ever happened in the past. Good enough!
As long as a unified Pakistan was on the path of progress, as long as there was an iota of justice, as long as there was peace and happiness and as long as people were content, all forms of celebration made loads of sense. However, the bleak situation prevailing in the country hardly calls for euphoric expression of joy, as there does not seem much to rejoice about—at least at the level of ordinary citizens. The only ones who should really be at the forefront of jubilation are the handful minority—the elite, true beneficiaries of independence. By keeping the majority under the thumb of their rule, the elite have ably scraped off the cream to expand their assets and reach in a way that has enveloped the entire country in the web of their deceit wherein they live off Pakistan, but their loyalties and assets are centred abroad.
The last few decades have seen Pakistan’s economy gradually sliding down. From a relatively comfortable position, the people of this country are now stuck in a debt prison, the walls of which are closing around them each passing year. The tragedy is that those who are supposed to, and actually claim to have the capacity to turn over the nation’s fortunes have been inciting the people to vote them into power, yet have utterly failed to fulfill any of their promises. Consequently, there is unrest, discontentment, inflation, injustice, corruption, brain drain, food shortage, rising level of poverty, absence of rule of law, dearth of employment, high cost of living and doing business and what not?
Amid this gloomy atmosphere, where the future is totally blurred, where the country’s youth is desperately looking for greener pastures abroad, where every passing day is pushing more and more people below the poverty line, where the country is on the path of default, with global lenders glaring at the way our economic managers are handling this critical position, one wonders how we can indulge in festivities calling for wastage of much needed money.
On every Independence Day, are we justified in ostentatious display of patriotism, making false resolutions of redeeming the country and delivering it from the quicksand of economic collapse? Instead of wasting time and money on verbal promises, would it not be more appropriate to put into practice duties of loyal citizens that are chalked out in the country’s constitution? Singing patriotic songs is one thing but actually ‘dancing’ (implied as obeying) to its tune is what is essentially required of us and about which we have no concern.
We must awaken our hearts and minds to the call of our nation’s plight, rather than indulging in useless victimization of political adversaries. We must support the few who are constantly drawing our attention to wrongdoings and wrongdoers. We should engage our resources for the betterment of the people and not focus on artificiality. We should observe our important days, not as a mentally enslaved nation but as a proud, self-respecting one.