Dr Ammad Farukh
August 14, 2026 marks the 79th Independence Day of Pakistan. A day filled with pride, devotion and integrity for every Pakistani, regardless of caste, creed, religion, ethnicity or political affiliation. Yet, somewhere in a parallel universe, Founder of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah must have perceived of an economically prosperous and principled Pakistan. Allama Iqbal must have perceived of an educated, tolerant and religiously devoted Pakistan.
Our ancestors who sacrificed their homes, possessions and livelihoods for this country must have perceived of a nation that is focused, resilient and works towards making this country a better place to live. Alas, all these ideas of our founders failed to see the light of the day. We looted, we plundered and we sowed the seeds of extremism and intolerance, making this country a challenging reality for those who live here. The foundational idea of Pakistan seems to have lost its meanings.
Before partition, the idea of a Muslim nation for the Muslims of British sub-continent was different. It was perceived as a state, where they can freely practice their religion and hold a social order based on unity, faith and discipline. Sacrifices of our ancestors for the idea of Pakistan and Pakistaniat seem to have lost its meaning. Despite having more than 98.2% Muslim population, religious intolerance and extremism has created countless divisions amongst us. Our National Literacy Rate stands at 63%, with merely 54% of literate women and 73% of literate men. We have lost more than 83,000 men in war against terror during last 26 years.
More astonishingly, own people abuse the very same men and women, who are protecting us against chaos, terror and bloodshed. Pakistan’s Human Development Index is 0.544, placing it in the low category at rank 168 of 193 countries. Our health sector functions well below the global standards. The country has just 1 doctor per 1,000 people and a hospital bed density of 6 per 10,000 people. On an average day, roughly 675 newborns and 27 mothers die from largely preventable causes. Health spending is just under 3% of GDP and child vaccination coverage sits at 60%. Nearly half of all health spending (47.4%) is paid out-of-pocket by families.
Likewise, Food Security is another major challenge, in which Pakistan ranks 106th of 123 countries on the 2025 Global Hunger Index, with a score of 26.0, placing it in the serious hunger category. About 11 million people faced acute food insecurity in 2025, with projections of up to 20 million affected between April and September 2026. 40% of children under five are stunted, while the country has around 25 million out-of-school children, which is the largest such number in the world. In terms of Water Security, Pakistan ranks 5th on the ND-GAIN Climate Vulnerability Index, among the countries most exposed to climate shocks. Per-capita water availability has collapsed from 5,260 cubic meters in 1951 to roughly 860 in 2025, pushing the country from water-stressed into water-scarce territory.
The 2022 floods alone caused over $30 billion in economic losses and displaced 33 million people. Terrorism has emerged as a major challenge during last four decades. Pakistan ranked number one on the Global Terrorism Index for the first time in 2026, recording 1139 terrorism related deaths in 2025. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan together accounted for over 74% of attacks and 67% of deaths. The banned TTP has emerged as the deadliest militant group operating in the country and the third-deadliest worldwide. Furthermore, Pakistan scored 28/100 on the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking 136th of 180 countries. On the Fragile States Index, Pakistan scored 91.7 in 2024 against a global average of 64.56, placing it in the high alert fragility band.
The statistics are appallingly worrisome. From Human Security to Conventional fight against terrorism and Governance, we are facing serious challenges. The dilemmas are real, yet so should be our struggle to address these challenges. Today, Pakistan stands at the crossroads, wherein following the principles of our founding fathers can guide this nation towards prosperity and accomplishments. Yet, if we failed to mend our ways, a disastrous future awaits 250 million people of this country.
It is time for now or never and our leadership has to realize it. A unified national approach is a prerequisite that bonds the entire spectrum, i.e. political leadership, military establishment, civil society, media and the business community. Our personal interests must not be above Pakistan and hence, Pakistan First approach has to be the adopted national vision. The day, we realize that our personal interests actually corroborate with the Pakistan
First approach and the sentiments of Pakistaniat; this country will start making progress. The uncertainty transcends hope, yet it is the people of Pakistan who will rise this state from the daunting challenges we presently face. It is that 64% youth of the country that will not only make this country prosper socio-economically, but will also rise to the challenges of intolerance, extremism and terrorism.
Our institutions, weather civilian or military are our national pride and the parliaments (including provincial assemblies) sit at the heart of decision-making. It is time for Pakistan to prevail and prosper across all domains. Strengthening and making our people prosper economically and intellectually should be the objective. This 79th Independence Day must be the day for every Pakistani to pledge devotion, hard work and a commitment to work for the betterment and prosperity of Pakistan and prioritize national interest over personal interest.
—The writer is the COO of Bondh-e-Shams, based in Islamabad.
