The quest for some human beings' "animal" instincts to unquestioned governance of their natural habitat as well as stealthily acquired or captured territories knows no bounds. They can quietly stay within limits or unleash their ferocity with real or imaginary threats to their land, inhabitants, governance, and possessions. Even animals may have rules that put to shame the human race when the latter violate their agreed-upon written rules.
Such was the irrationality demonstrated by our Eastern, ten-times-bigger neighbour over the last 19 days that it almost brought us as close to perceived mutual annihilation of the human race as has ever been witnessed in modern history. The last four days were the culmination of this nightmare where real lives were lost—including those of children, women, and men who were not even remotely connected to both the real and imagined threats.
The media hysteria across the border showed a collectively paranoid psyche of a nation fed on make-believe Bollywood heroes and supernatural figures scripted from ancient mythologies.
Even so-called sportsmen of great stature fell off their lofty pedestals into the depths of mediocrity by their unfair calls for boycotting their neighbour without even resorting to evidence from neutral quarters.
We may also revisit our commitment and responsibility to the Palestinian cause, as our newly rediscovered self-belief needs to translate into a leadership role for the Muslim world committed to the liberation of Palestine and an immediate stoppage of the genocide
One can totally understand the anger, sadness, and distress at the loss of lives of innocent tourists on family vacations in the serene mountainous Kashmir valley. We felt exactly the same when our innocent train passengers on the Jaffer Express were hijacked, hunted, and gunned down a few months back. Not a soul in Pakistan asked for a full-scale incursion across either our eastern or western borders to punish the perpetrators, as we had no concrete evidence either—much as suspicions of involvement were raised, as in any act of terrorism, and we have been witnessing these for several decades, partly due to our own follies.
There are internal politics and compulsions driving state dynamics in both the neighbouring countries, and ordinary citizens like myself, though not experts at statecraft, note with deep concern the elements of inequity, injustice, lawlessness, and in some cases, state suppression apparent to all and sundry.
That the majority of our populations live below the international poverty indices, have poor access to healthcare and natural resources such as potable drinking water, sanitary standards, and housing is a crystal-clear fact that stares us in our faces daily.
So on this 11th day of May, 2025—declared a day of Tashakkur/Thanksgiving by the Government of Pakistan—much as we laud our brave armed forces and citizens for their unified and unwavering commitment to the dignity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Pakistan, we may ask ourselves if we can demonstrate the same unity of purpose in uplifting the common citizens of our nation through reforms in education, justice, healthcare, shared provincial resources, and full restoration of democratic institutions. The recent goodwill and mutual respect amongst all institutions and citizens of Pakistan provide an ideal window of opportunity after several decades.
We may also revisit our commitment and responsibility to the Palestinian cause, as our newly rediscovered self-belief needs to translate into a leadership role for the Muslim world committed to the liberation of Palestine and an immediate stoppage of the genocide, as well as addressing crises in other regions such as Sudan involved in similar strife.
The real battle should start now.
Pakistan Zindabad!