What comes to your mind when you think of the country, Pakistan? Do you think it is a place that our founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, would be proud of? Well, I am here to give you my two cents on what I personally see, and what do I feel when I see it.
I see a place where a child’s worth and the amount of celebration that should be done is determined by your gender at birth. A place where, if it is revealed to be a girl, you will hear hushed whispers saying, “oh no… better luck next time.” Hearing this always released a bitter laugh out of me, because these same people otherwise love quoting the religion of Islam on everything, but when it comes to the blessing of a baby girl, their narrative changes.
Speaking of which, people who are religious (read: mullahs) seem to hold some sort of autonomy over others. The mullahs and Quran teachers, even the ones who are known who molest and sexually abuse kids, are still at their posts, and the Pakistani masses do not seem to protest about this as much. On the contrary, a Pakistani celebrity was facing severe backlash for shooting a twirling scene (without music) at a mosque, for which she also apologized for. Another woman was sent actual rape threats, and abusive voice messages, all over a picture in which she had tied the flag of Pakistan onto her dog’s collar because apparently dogs are shaytaan ki nasal. I am going to keep this part brief, but I see a place where women ‘crossing boundaries’ irks the common folk more than destroying and potentially permanently scarring children’s mental health.
I see a place where the white part of our beloved flag, which is a representation of religious minorities, is largely ignored. Ahamdis live in constant fear of being killed. They have been shot dead in courts, while closing their shops, at their prayer meetings and inside their mosques. It seems as if a difference in faith from the majority of this pious population is threatening. A mere accusation of blasphemy can ruin your life, whether it gets proved or not. I wonder, what gives them the right to murder innocent human beings, and ostracize them from society?
I see a place where, even during a pandemic, your religion determined whether you would survive or not. An NGO in Karachi denied ration cards to Hindus and Christians, because apparently ‘only Muslims are entitled to them’. In other places, people had to convert to Islam to receive aid, changing their faith to survive. It is alarming that creations of God are going against their own kind, in the name of God.
You might be thinking what a pessimistic approach this is to be writing about our beloved country, but I am merely stating the realities of our motherland. Of course, there are positive things as well, but in recent times where people have more access to be aware of things happening nationwide, my image of this nation has become anything but positive. It is also important to note that being critical is not the same as being ungrateful, another thing which Pakistanis need to keep in mind. I sincerely hope that one day, this country becomes a safe space for women, children, and minorities.