These are times when a great majority of people are thinking about leaving Pakistan and many of them have actually migrated and settled in other countries. But Pakistan is not as bad a country as it is portrayed to be. I still love Pakistan and below are the reasons why I do so.
Pakistan is a result of the sacrifices of millions of Muslims and the efforts of Muhammad Ali Jinnah to get a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent. How can I forget the sacrifices my ancestors gave to provide me with an independent homeland? How I am not supposed to love a country which my ancestors died fighting for! I love Pakistan because of the straight forward reason that it allows me to practice my religion freely.
Additionally, most of the people around me are of the same culture and religion as I am which gives me a sense of belonging and affection for them as well as for the country.
Meanwhile, people complain that we are victims of terrorism; no doubt these are challenges but which country is not a victim of terrorism? Have you forgotten the attacks on U.S World Trade Centres? Every country faces one crisis or another. However, this does not mean that we should leave our country when it needs our support the most.
Another reason why I love my country is because it gives me a standard of living which no other country would. I can freely roam around the streets all night and no one would stop me. I could park my car wherever I want and no one would penalise me. I don’t have to pay half of my earnings to drive a car, unlike people in the West. People in countries like U.S and U.K have to pay road tax and also a large amount of parking fee if they want to park their cars.
All of these freedoms suggest that I can live as a free citizen in a country that does not impose unnecessary taxes on me and allows me to do whatever I want to do with my property.
I also love my country for the beautiful sites it has. The northern areas of country – including Swat, Naran, Kaghan and Murree – have incredibly beautiful valleys that one would not want to miss an opportunity to visit these places. Being a Pakistani I have the privilege to enjoy my vacations on beautiful hills and that too at a low cost.
One thing that makes me love my country even more is our most beloved sport cricket. I admire the Pakistani Cricket Team because it brings our entire nation under one flag and gives a sense of patriotism which no other sport or thing could ever give us.
Although I admire and like Pakistan, I can’t ignore the problems it is going through. However, instead of leaving my country because of the problems it is facing, I want to live here and contribute in any way I can to take my country out of trouble because I truly love Pakistan!
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Ghulam Mehdi Karbalai is a journalist and the chief editor of the Voice of Karachi newspaper.
