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 and attributed to untold sacrifices of teeming millions of Muslims of Indo-Pak subcontinent.
Both 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. Unseen, unheard, unfelt and unsung. Shy, subdued, suffocated, sidelined. Hidden or hiding quietly in their shell. Agrieved, agonized, aloof, abandoned. This is cutting the long story short of heart parts of our beloved homeland.
With utmost respect we need eyes to see, ears to listen, hearts to feel and spirit to address deprivation of our countless kids of slums, streets and schools and believe in their immense but dormant promise and potential. 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 downslides. 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.
PARVEZ JAMIL
Karachi
