The youth foresees revolutionary change

The 63rd Independence Day was celebrated as usual but not with the same great zeal and fervour as witnessed in the country in 1947-48 and the following years.

The city elders explained to the young generation the circumstances in which independent and sovereign Pakistan was achieved. They recounted the factors behind non-achievement of the object — making Pakistan a social welfare state as envisioned by Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the millions who struggled and hundreds of thousands who sacrificed their lives for it.

The aim has not been achieved yet. Is it because of slow pace of socio-economic and political progress, if any, and the lack of unity wherein lies the strength of a nation, or is it because of what the common man says the failure of the new administrative set-up to meet the expectations of the masses?

Whatever the reason behind such a change of mood of masses on the eve of the Independence Day, the fact is that the latest mind-boggling foodstuff price hike, selfish motives of most of politicians, confusion and chaos and unemployment on account of power load-shedding, and nepotism saddened the people who think of the country’s future seriously. And the reported incidents of women being gang-raped and young men tortured to death by policemen and labourers run over by minor sons of the wealthy persons, exploitation of peasants and molestation of their daughters and sisters by landlords added to the cheerlessness of people of the twin cities.

So, frankly speaking, such happenings cast a pall of gloom over the enthusiasm of the people filled with patriotism to their back-bone. A true defender of the country, with a spirit of brotherhood, can understand and share the sorrow and joy of the suffering majority in moments of the Independence Day celebration.

Will it not be in fitness of things to tell ‘The News’ lovers that in the early period of the country’s life Radio Pakistan played a vital role in highlighting and boosting patriotism among the masses in co-operation with the armed forces, intellectuals, journalists, poets, singers and film artists? Many military men and women composed poems and songs of national interest. They participated whole-heartedly in singing ‘naghmas’ for the masses.

The message — “keep moving forward, time is calling you, why be afraid of death, you the brave and bold, march forward, the nation is with you” — was well delivered. The unity thus created and cemented by purity of love between the armed forces and the people was manifested by the joint effort to defend the country against armed aggression by India in September 1965. That unity now seems on the way to rebirth in the wake of new internal and external challenges to the motherland in the shape of extremist and terrorist activity in Swat and Malakand as well as insurgence in Balochistan at the instance of the enemies of Pakistan.

The credit to tackle such a situation with the co-operation of the people of the areas concerned goes to valiant soldiers, many of whom sacrificed their lives for a right cause.

The uncontained hoarding and profiteering dominated gossips on the Independence Day this time. The lower-middle class and poor parents could not buy the crescent and star flags and buntings for their children at a 100 per cent higher cost. They are already pressed hard by unprecedented price rise. The people had to buy potato, onion, tomato, ‘tori’, ‘bhindi’, ‘baingan’, ‘ghia’, pulses, rice, sugar and wheat flour at rates increased by 40 to 60 per cent.

For example, sugar jumped to Rs55/60, potato to Rs80 and wheat flour to Rs560/600 per 20-kilogram bag, although the year has been of bumper crop.

Unhappy over the unsatisfactory performance of the government, the common man prayed to God on the Independence Day for help and provision of a kind-hearted, selfless and devoted bold leader to save the downtrodden from economic misery.

The youths are more loyal than politicians, they have developed in them true patriotism. They want to gain higher knowledge abroad if supported by the federal and provincial governments on merit, not on basis of political connection, or family ties, or wealth. On return, they wish to serve their parents and motherland. That’s how they think to make Pakistan strong in all respects. They are against begging, they argue there’s crisis of leadership. If wrongdoings in portals of power are not stopped they foresee an unimagined revolutionary change. One can say an intellectual change is sweeping across the country — slowly but steadily. Who will win the race?


Zafar Alam Sarwar
zasarwar@hotmail.com