Being in my late teens, comparing the Pakistan of the past and the present evokes strange feelings in me. While reading about the seventies, watching the movies or even looking at the pictures one cant help but notice a sense of direction. People driving towards something, striving to take this developing country to unforeseen heights. Looking to emulate the successes of the West, even if it meant replicating them. This obviously led to a liberal outlook. A country that wouldn’t stop at anything.
Looking around myself today, all I see is confusion. Nobody seems to know what we are striving for. Individual targets seem to have taken over national responsibilities. Forgoing the national interest in favor of better jobs abroad. The present “Young generation” can no longer be discussed as being a single entity. The boys and girls lounging in Islamabad clubs and studying in the elite universities of the country predominantly seem to have a liberal outlook of things. On the other hand equal or even greater proportions of boys have never stepped in the same classrooms as the female students in their madrassahs. How can one expect the nation to grow without clashes of ideologies in the near or distant future in the face of such disparities? How can these two factions work together for a new Pakistan?
Before we dream of a perfect Pakistan, we need to address these issues and bring the young minds of the country to a common platform. For only then can one sleep on a train ride home once he has faith that its on the right path and as of now, the faith is missing.
SAFEE ULLAH HAIDER,
Lahore, December 7.