Gold medallist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan celebrates. (REUTERS Photo)
August 14, 2024, marks Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day. Pakistan’s press reflects on the vision of the country’s founding fathers and discusses the many ways in which it has fallen short of that. With the economy in dire straits and seemingly chaotic politics, it is the citizens who are losing out.
Dawn ascribes blame to the “ruling elite” who have “done little of substance to dispel the clouds of doom.” Recalling the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the time of independence, the editorial laments that on the axes of “democracy, constitutionalism, protecting minorities, eliminating corruption”, the country has “done the exact opposite”.
In contrast to Dawn’s assertion, Express Tribune’s columnist Majid Burfat assigns responsibility to leaders as well as citizens and believes that Pakistan’s story “is a narrative awaiting a transformative rewrite, a future yearning to be sculpted.” Burfat lays out the current challenges while acknowledging earlier triumphs saying, “As Pakistan celebrates its 77th Independence Day, it must confront the dual reality of past achievements and present failures.”
On the economic front, however, it seems that there is consensus on the long path to redemption that the nation must undertake to pull itself out of an impending recession. News International columnist Abid Qaiyum Suleri weighs in here comparing the development trajectory of Pakistan with three other countries that gained independence in the 20th century. He concludes that the reasons for Pakistan’s situation may be its inconsistent policies. While the others maintained “consistent economic development frameworks” for the most part, “Pakistan’s economic policies have frequently shifted between a controlled economy, Islamic socialism, nationalisation, Islamisation, and privatisation lacking a coherent long-term strategy.”
But prioritising investments in “education, healthcare, nutrition security, and technology” will help the country to “lay a strong foundation for sustained economic growth and improve the overall quality of life for its citizens.”
Dawn’s columnist Rafia Zakaria points to the challenge presented by “youth bulge” in Pakistan: “Having a large population of youngsters virtually guarantees that there will be too few resources to give these young people a decent existence”. Coincidentally, the world recently celebrated International Youth Day on August 12, which, according to News International’s editorial, is an “appropriate” reminder: “For Pakistan to be a success, it needs to create an environment that matches the needs and dreams of its young people.”
Citing governance, security and social disorder with the people of Balochistan repeatedly facing terror attacks, unprecedented inflation and oppression, The Nation emphasises the divisiveness that has taken hold in the country. The editorial refers to the issue of Pashtuns who reside both in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which “has caused countless problems” and mentions the Kashmir issue.
Even so, with Arshad Nadeem’s gold at the Olympics this year, Pakistan’s first medal since 1992, there is an undercurrent of hope. Mahir Ali, another columnist at Dawn, begins by saying, “A singular athletic triumph in Paris triggered spontaneous jubilation in the run-up to Independence Day in a nation that might otherwise have wondered what was worth celebrating 77 years after its birth.” Express Tribune believes that “though the chips are down for it at the home front and internationally, it [Pakistan] is determined to overcome the odds.”
adya.goyal@expressindia.com
