My Homeland 💚

No matter how deep this country falls into the tsunami of crisis, 14th of August will always hold a sentimental value for Pakistanis. Do you feel the same about your country and Independence Day?

I don't know about you but I know how much our ancestors (not very distant, my own grandparents) sacrificed for this country - how much they lost to get an independent and secure homeland for us.

During my visit to Lahore, I got to visit a museum that showcased the history of the country through mindblowing realistic sculptures.

^{Blood Train}

This setup was the best of all. The details, the perfection of the art, the story behind this scene, everything cumulatively tightened my heart.

If you are a Pakistani, you know this scene very well. People in this frame are feeling different emotions - pain of losing loved ones, helplessness for leaving behind homes and loved ones, fear of losing more, hope for finally getting to safety.

In 1947, Pakistan-India was a bloody division. Borders were announced only two days before the big split which displaced around 14 million people. There were more than a million casualties as a result of violence as both Hindus and Muslims fled in the opposite direction.

This train in the above picture is a true depiction of the bloody migration of refugees. Mobs looted these refugee trains, killed men, and children and dishonored women.

The two nations couldn't live together anymore and going opposite ways was also far from peaceful. The bloodshed during independence gave birth to a new kind of rivalry which still exists between both countries.

^{War against terrorism and conflicts with neighbors (another scene from the museum)}

I don't know about the other side but this painful history is forever etched in the minds of Pakistanis. We couldn't progress as a nation. The social, political, and economic state of the country has always remained troublesome. We can write books on how Pakistan failed as a country but we can't hate this piece of land because we can't forget the sacrifices.

I haven't seen the world except one country besides Pakistan. Turkey is considered a developing country like Pakistan by some organizations. When I stepped into that country, I felt I hadn't seen anything in the world. It was different. It was advanced. It was organized. It was clean. During my stay there, I didn't compare and only enjoyed a better world. I'm sure the country has its own set of problems, but it gave a better vibe as a tourist.

The moment, I stepped back on my land, I felt weird. I was briefly exposed to a lifestyle that I can never have in Pakistan, no matter how rich I get. Things that didn't bother me before, started suffocating me.

It was the queue at the airport, which was highly unorganized, loud, and unreasoning. This happened 5 years ago and I can still feel the pang of disappointment that I felt in that moment.

^{Just a random picture showing poor infrastructure}

Now that I'm a little more mature (I think so), I don't blame my people. We never had enough opportunities to excel. We have great talent but no resources to hone it. I know some would say, it's in our hands to change our lives.

But we are beyond repair. Our problems can only be fixed by a big revolution.

This post feels like a rant. But that's how I feel on the independence day. I'm neither happy nor hopeful. I can only pray and wish for a miracle that can ease the suffering of my people. At this point, I don't even think about education and better opportunities, I only wish nobody has to sleep on an empty stomach or see their loved one die because there is no money for medical.

Dil Dil Pakistan
Jaan Jaan Pakistan.