Does Pakistan qualify as a Nation?

Does Pakistan qualify as a nation?

A nation serves its people, helps to fulfil their aspirations by providing equal opportunities and status irrelevant of caste, creed, religion, provide them civic amenities, services and try to make their lives safe, happy and content . Based on these parameters/ values where our neighbor stands?

As we all know India split and partitioned in 1947. It’s not that till that time Hindus and Muslims were living together in peace and harmony. The rift was widening due to the British ruling policy of  ‘divide and rule’. But till 1930′s, aspirations of separate state for Muslims wasn’t common and we know too well who helped to fan these secessionist attitudes.

It doesn’t mean that the country would have fared peacefully afterwards if it was not split. But then the Hindu-Muslim differences would be an internal affair, and the independent India might have settled it.

  The aggressive and quarrelsome might have been assuaged and started to swim along side of the other in the salvaging eternal river. Back to present, let’s begin with Economic stability and poverty reduction. The two vital indicators of a country’s health.

Pakistan faces severe economic challenges. By 2025, the poverty rate is estimated to be nearly 40%, with skyrocketing inflation (29.66% in Dec.23) and a deepening economic crisis impacting living standards. The government bend under the load and struggled to address structural issues, relying on IMF bailouts and loans from Saudi Arabia to avoid default. The low-income groups of the country are affected in the austerity measures  without any compensatory measures.

The external debt is mounting. The country needs 73 billion dollars in repayments by 2025.

Access to quality education and healthcare is a basic aspiration. Over 5 million primary school-age children, mostly girls are out of school before covid 19 pandemic. 

The Universal health coverage monitoring report 2024 indicates that only half the population has access to essential health services, far from the 2030 target of 80%. There are disparities across provinces and genders failing to fully meet public expectations.

Security remains a concern. With the country becoming habitual to nurture fighters, terrorists, Jihadists organization, using UN (United Nation), using OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) to spread hatred towards India since long. And, contrary to Indian belief that the Western and the US policy are democratic and liberated,  it was in fact shaped by the prevailing geopolitics.

Particularly, after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, the American and Arab money flowed freely to Pakistan along with lethal and advanced weapons. Governments after governments in Pakistan daubed their feet in muddled American dollars and Saudi riyal and convinced that this is the way for the rapid upliftment of their country.

But does the money reached the needy, was it utilized in development programs? The money was utilized to acquire atomic weapon status and shaping up strategies carving out Kashmir away from India. The numerous Madarasas ( schools following old Muslim teaching systems) mushroomed on foreign aid in Pakistan taught religious fanaticism to young ones. Veterans in terrorism took aid from government to train and  pay  thousands of Jihadists and fanatic in their newly formed institutes that are hidden under the garb of Muslim teachings.  Entire world was affected by this new national program of Pakistan government. America and many in western countries turned a blind eye as India was at the receiving end and not people of their country. It came to their attention when the twin towers failed and they have to wage a war against terrorism.

Where Osama Bin Laden was hiding? Was that a hiding or sheltering? Pakistan become a factory churning out terrorists. Even India’s conversion to a vocal and aggressive Hindutva, can be traced to Pakistan’s dominant terrorism war, a war of deceit and propaganda, border incursions and money laundering. More fanaticism, more religious hatred, zero tolerance, aversion to modern education and to western cultural practices gave birth to Taliabanism as it became necessary to nurture terrorism by embedding it in a thematic background. And, it is useful in brainwashing the young minds too.

15 or 20 years back India was  warning Pakistan that the terrorism it is sponsoring will one day, strike back the hand that feeds. Now, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan TTP and Islamic State of Khrasan Province ISKP   and other numerous proliferated organizations are targeting law enforcement , minorities, school children, progressive learned social workers, thinkers, accommodating politicians, soldiers etc. the list is long.

The state agencies are accounted for torture In Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The government’s heavy-handed response to protests, like crackdown on the Pashtun Taahafuz Movement PTM has fueled distrust. There is hardly any accountability for abuses.

Political instability and military influence over governance is a well-known fact. The military interference along with polling irregularities and the ousting of Imran Khan and subsequent arrest along with his Pakistan Tehreek – e-Insaf PTI supporters is also known to all. Imran Khan’s story also was  not different than his predecessors. The sporting spirit long vanished replaced by thick skin of false emulation.

Media censorship, abduction of journalists and restrictions on working NGOs indicates a climate of fear. Many posts on social media by its own citizen describe the country as a failed and dysfunctional state and allege state fascism through mass arrests and forced disappearances.

With the military dominance over political aspirations  are far from fulfilled and the military dominance alienating large segments of the population by suppressing their dissent, it is being fast propelling towards a doomed fate.

Minorities are living in constant fear.Religious minorities like Ahamadis face violence. Women face gender based violence, forced marriages and limited access to education and healthcare further aggravates their wellbeing.

Power shortages are with more than 10 hours duration of load shedding in summers is a common thing.

A significant portion of youth seems to be desperate to leave the country. Skyrocketing inflation and rising costs of basic necessities like food, fuel, and utilities are major concerns.

With nearly 40% of the population living below the poverty line, citizens struggle to afford essentials. Austerity measures, such as subsidy cuts mandated by IMF agreements have worsened the conditions. There is high rate of unemployment and limited job opportunities for youth.

Pakistani Youth (60% of the population) is attracted towards gun culture due to such conditions and is compelled to earn money by putting his life in danger. There is deep mistrust between communities and the state, fueling alienation and unrest. Limited industrial growth and region’s reliance on agriculture and informal labor restricts job creation.

Many regions of the country feel marginalized by Islamabad’s partial centralized control, with military exerting significant influence over regional politics. The crackdown on PTI supporters and workers in 2024 wreak havoc in national politics. Pashtuns are stereotyped as terrorists or militants contributing to social stigma.

There are many other factors untouched as the list is too long. The only party calling shots in Pakistan is none other than the Army.

We have seen recently the instigating speech against India by army chief of Pakistan collaborating two nation theory. The PM of Pakistan was seated in front row while the rabid speech was in full flow and nodding time to time.

So, we can conclude that our neighbor country hardly resembles a nation. It is a dangerous companion that is geographically on our international borders. It will never admit its mistakes and the efforts it is putting that it invested in destabilizing its neighbor India. Before it is too late and cause further internal strife, it is better to deal with it without wasting time on rhetoric and meetings.

The time is flying by enabling Pakistan  to convert other nations. Bangladesh, which was actually liberated by India from atrocities of Pakistani governments, is turned anti-Indian with the tide of time. Turkey has sent five military planes recently, and soon, the invisible Chinese hand will do some tactics to extract its share in the two nations’ fights. We must defend ourselves before it acquires a larger form of external and internal strife.