On Friday, Pakistan celebrates the sixty-second anniversary of its independence. Recently, the country has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Terrorism, communal violence and the economic and energy crises dominate headlines. But the resilience of the nation and its people has been expressed again and again – through a nationwide consensus against militancy, a national movement in favour of a free judiciary, a much-needed Twenty20 win, the generosity of host families in the face of mass displacement, and new initiatives to protect women’s and minorities’ rights.
In these trying yet optimistic times, what is your prayer for Pakistan? How do you serve your nation in an effort to make it the country you wish it could be? And where do you hope to see your country in another 20, 30, or 100 years?
The views expressed in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
I hope and prey that Pakistan comes out of the crises.
We need more darring and honest leaders like President Pervaiz Musharraf to get us out of this mess.
My Prayer for Pakistan is that May Allah bless us with the strength and will to make it the best place on the face of the planet… i pray that we could all realise how blessed we are to have a home of our own….
i pray that we could all rise above the differences of caste, color, creed and emerge as a nation…. i pray that a day rises when my green passport is returned to me with a smile….. i pray that this country stays on the face of this planet till eternity…. Ameen
we all know things are not good around us… But we are the one’s who’ll fix things up or atlest give them a try…
All we need to do it to keep the hope alive.. do what is right and things will be fine…. and to all those poeple who are hopeless i’d want to say, Allah helped us create a homeland just 62 years back… n it will instaAllah live as long as we’ll want to see it living… A very warm ” Azaadi Mubaarik” to all of us who are able to walk with their heads held high because millions sacrificed for this air that we breathe in….
I pray before anything, unity. Then comes education and political awareness, equality as a human being for all without exception and eradication of feudalism.
Can we achieve all these goals? Yes we can but we all have to work together instead of working solo.
I pray that all those who have been, and are still betraying the masses, for whom our great Quaid carved out this great homeland against all odds, may come to an end. Amen
My Prayer for PAKISTAN is:
whatsoever our founding fathers thought for this country should be done and INSHALLAH it would be.
Secondly, my prayer is to see my country on the TOP of this world!!! as this gonna happen soon,,,
“LONG liVE PAKISTAN”
For Pakistan to become a great country people of Pakistan need to realize that Islamization of the country can not be a basis for building a great country, they need to respect all of the religions and treat all the people equally irrespective of their religion.
Every one who wants to make Pakistan an Islamic country needs to understand that all the religions has same core values which teaches to treat every one equally and with respect.
The real happiness in the world can only be brought by finding the similarities between people and not the differences, when this will be realized by both of the countries India and Pakistan (This truth has been recognized by most of the European countries after centuries of fighting), only then we can be really on the path of growth.
The time when vision of great land was seen
Where every soul considered it as an ultimate doctrine
So as to facilitate creation of self-esteem
Time passed by, while people moved on with anticipation
The invaders of west succeeded to abduct the freedom of determination
Yet, a venerated intellectual crafted a theory of separate nation
At last birth of a nation was marked on August fourteen
Where Bolan, Ravi, Khyber & Mehran found home in between
As they pledged to make it a South-Asian queen
Shortly, all went away to defile
Started to indulge in a quarrel that turned all fragile
As a result, everything looked like hostile
It’s now time to open arms wide open & be excited
To have Bolan, Ravi, Khyber & Mehran once again invited
Because brothers are meant to be united
My prayer on 14th, for Pakistan,is “A Khomeni and Iran Revolution for Pakistan which is only solution to clean the curruption.Ali
In 1947 when the flag of Pakistan was presented to the nation, no eye was devoid of tears – these were the tears of gratitude, love, awe and a passion so deep it defied all boundaries of religion, sect, region or culture. We all were finally given an identity: a sense of belonging, after being lost and suppressed by so many decades. We were branded Pakistanis, and this flag was our brand, our sacred symbol, our mark of recognition as well as unity. This flag is not the property of a person, a party, a religion or a sect. Our forefathers felt the flag was enough to represent each and every one of us, after this we will not need another symbol – evidently they were mistaken. When I see flags of political parties hoisted everywhere in the federal capital of Pakistan it makes me wonder wasn’t the Pakistani flag enough for our rulers? Or they think that Pakistan is not the property of Pakistani’s (who are proud to be represented by their flag irrespective of their background) but rather the property of a select few elected to govern.
Well my lords you can take away our food, education, electricity, sense of security and even our freedom of speech but please don’t take away our identity.
RBT wrote this for Pakistan too…
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Rabindranath Tagore
I pray that the citizens of Pakistan take control in their own hands, that they realize the importance and blessing of living under the flag of FREEDOM.
I pray that the educated population take up the responsibility to teach the under privilege ones.
I pray that this land gives us a leader to take us back to the very reason we came into existence.
I pray that UNITY FAITH & DISCIPLINE find its true place in the hearts and minds of this nation.
God Bless Pakistan and its TRUE Nation.
I pray and hope that
– Pakistan becomes a paradise for people from all quarters and walks of life in every possible way
– Pakistan be a place where there are no minorities
– Pakistan becomes a place based on the teachings of Holy Quran and practices of the Holy Prophet. By this I do not mean the “Mullah devised so called shariat” but the true one where people of all backgrounds and religions live together in harmony with equal rights
– May all good things happen to Pakistan including but not limited to prosperity & peace
May Allah bless Pakistan.
Pakistan Zindabad.
Waqas Mir
I pray that those who rule Pakistan may read the speech of Quaid delivered in March, 1943 regarding the rights of peasants/workers. In that speech Quaid said that I wont have a country where peasantry is exploited.
We pray for a Pakistan Quaid dreamt of…….
I pray to Allah on this 14th August that Pakistan transforms in to wat it really means..”A land of pure where each day sun rises with a new hope with an enduring majesty as the rays of light flushing down towards the snowcapped Himalays.A land where love finds a meaning in the heart warming hospitality of people.A land where history & ancient civilization mystifies one’s heart.A land where spiritualism unveils its mystery at the shrines of sufis & saints.”
Aamin
I regret that I have but only one life to give to Pakistan.
Happy Birthday, Motherland. And many many more…
Well….my prayer is that a revolution takes root in Pakistani society and the old guard including all kinds of “elites” are disposed off never to raise their ugly elitest heads. All corrupt institutions are burnt to cinders and then perhaps from the ashes can arise a nation we can truly call “PAKISTAN” otherwise all our wishes, prayers are an excercise in futlity. What we have now is like a mould that cant take another shape it has become so dry that a complete demolition and new build job is required.
My prayer would be that every Pakistani becomes the ‘shaheen’ of Allama Iqbal. That in itself would be enough to get things straight.
Quaid-Azam Mr. Jinnah was one such ‘Shaheen’ (can’t believe it? go research their mentor-mentee relationship).
We must not forget that Pakistan was Iqbal’s idea, not Jinnah’s. And Iqbal wished ‘an autonomous region in India where muslims can rule with the tenets of true Islam so that the blot of monarchism (malookiat) that polluted the name of Islam could be washed away and the world can see what real Islam is all about’ (paraphrased from Iqbal’s Ilahabad sermon).
Our nation has had enough capable people who can easily help implement true Islam (agreed upon by both major sects)… if only they were heard!
I feel its a deception en mass that mr. Jinnah wanted a 100% secular Pakistan. Go read his speeches (e.g. one on the occasion of inauguration of State Bank of Pakistan).
Personally, I care more about what Iqbal wanted for Pakistan, not anyone else.
And through Iqbal, I know that future is bright!
So my prayer: May Allah make us a nation of Shaheens!
my prayer for my beloved motherland is that she becomes a state where all the human beings are given equal rights, irrespective of thier religion, race, language or colour. As she celebrates her 62nd anniversary of independence,she may be freed from all curruption, terrorism and unstability. That all her leaders may become sincere and honest in guiding her affairs.
I am sure we can achieve our goals. All we need some sincerity and dedication from our ruler elite. Come on guys! enough now, lets get serious. Lets not be jerks any more. Lets grow up and behave like humans!
Pakistan Zindabad
I pray to Allah to save this country which is citadel of Islam in real sense and that is costing it too much. Islam will flourish from this country Insha Allah.
In the meantime I would request our media and politician to avoid divisions and adopt modesty. These days the language being used for Gen. Musharraf is neither Islam nor manner oriented.
Difference of opinion must not divide the nation.
As I thought would be the case, most people have attributed our problems to a lack of leadership but I think the problem is more with the people. The day the people realize their own position in the composition of the society things would start looking up for us. I pray that we as a people open our minds and broaden our horizon.
I pray that muslims in pakistan & elsewhere go back to their roots & study the beautiful way of life of Islam.
Only upon the guidance of Allah and His messenger can we find success. Secular democracy is not the way to go. Democracy only works upon the whims of the people and is an unstable way of life.
Only by practicing Islam in our social, political, govermental, economic, familial, and spritual life can we truly find ultimate success, both in this life & in the hereafter.
May Allah guide us all.
All great nations today went through difficult times, they learned from their past and prospered, being a young country Pakistan experience’s these hardships; but I have no doubt that Pakistan will come out bigger and stronger than any other nation ever did and ever will.
The biggest threat to Pakistan is a fellow Pakistani losing hope. Never lose hope.
Pakistan Zindabad!
Wish to see Pakistan a prosperous country.
Let’s all work for this to happen.
God bless great nation Pakistan.
May Allah Almighty give us the will to reform our own selves and the patience to tread through these times. May Allah protect Pakistan from all external threats and internal (including our own selves even of we are unaware of our actions). I ask him forgiveness for what we have failed to achieve in these past 60 yrs. May he guides us and our next generations on the right path.
I pray that we have a just society based on the principles of Faith, Unity and Discipline.
All this comes from the heart, so please do not be so pessimistic and spoil everything at the end by saying that you wished and nothing happened blah blah blah. Well being true Muslims, we should have strong faiths. Pakistan is such a beautiful blessing from Allah that knowing it exists, makes me feel strong. I know the progress it has made, leaves a lot to be desired but we can never give up praying and dreaming as long as we have Pakistan. After all tell me, when do we need to pray and work hard for it, after it is gone?
Certainly not, now is the time to pray and act, each of us.
A very happy independence day to all of Pakistan.