I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing incessantly. While
still in the process of retracting myself from the dream-world, I am informed
of a movie plan for the following evening. There is no way my friends are
missing out on the latest Bollywood blockbuster. As the day proceeds, I can
sense optimism all around me. The fruit and vegetable vendors take up their
usual spot on the roadside. Every now and then, a car with songs blaring out of
the stereo passes by. I can see a tough young man walking his dog while two
little girls dressed up in an impeccable school uniform, hop along hand in
hand. I may soon hear of some depressing news, a strange new political
development or an unlikely event but I see no sign of distress on the outside
world. Who could ever guess that a society so trapped in a multitude of
problems could display such resilience!
None of us are blind to the daily troubles that surround us.
The personal security and liberty of every Pakistani citizen is in shambles. Our economy is in doldrums, half of the
population remains illiterate, poverty is on the rise, and as if all of that
wasn’t enough; the public is fed-up of the government’s inefficiencies. Every
other day we hear of events that shake up the country but we stand firm, facing
the challenges with a brave outlook. Instead of cowering down and cursing our
fate, we have learned to not just weather the storm but keep on living strong.
Our cricket team may be losing the most crucial match, but
we’d still be glued to our TV screens till the last minute of the game. Tennis
may not excite many of us, but we’d swoon to the thought of Aisam-ul-Haq cruising
to the Grand Slams Final. We’d hoot with joy at Pakistan making eight world
records in a day and we’d rush in hordes to buy the latest lawn print that is
all the rage! And when all else would fail, we’d turn to food for consolation;
a plate of steaming Chicken Biryani or a dose of Halwa puri would get us
through the day. The country may face a momentary security lapse, public places
may pose a serious risk to our lives, streets wouldn’t appear safe anymore, but
none of this would stop us from enjoying a hot cup of coffee at one of the
busiest commercial hubs.
We, as a nation, have so subtly adapted to the environment
around us that we don’t let pain conquer us for long. This does not mean that
we have become insensitive or immune to the atrocities being committed on a
daily basis but rather, we have let the hope in our hearts triumph all the
negativity. In spite of the constant threats, our journalists and social
activists do not stop raising their voices for the victims of injustice.
Sectarian violence has become a norm but there still remain many amongst us who
do not hesitate to speak up against this unfair condemnation of the minorities
by the society. Just last month, the Sunni community of Gilgit-Baltistan awed
the world by their act of gallantry; providing a human shield for the highly persecuted
Shia community during one of the 10th Muharram processions. We have
the worst law and order situation, with the crime rate at its highest and
frequent bomb blasts tearing through the cities, yet our Police Force stands
united in protecting the citizens even at the cost of their own lives. The
media, both national and international, may portray Pakistan to be on the verge
of failure but the citizens have learnt to brush off the allegations and not
let despair get to them.
Living under fear of the unknown diseases has also become a
way of life for us Pakistanis. From the outbreak of bird flu, to the dengue
menace stretching for months, the fake medicines and now the poisoned cough
syrup scam, we have had it all. Once paranoia gets set in a society, it can
shake it up to the very bones. However, we have stood against all odds by first
suffering, then recovering and finally working to uproot the problem. While the
world expects us to break down any minute, we show them that we’re made of
stronger stuff and that we’re not going anywhere any time soon.
Not surprisingly, according to the Happy Planet Index (HPT)
2012, Pakistan was termed the 16th happiest country out of 151
countries of the world. Many would scoff at the findings but we just need to
look at the people around us, smiling at and appreciating the little things in
life. It’s not always about how wealthy a country is or how it’s waging in the
global scenario; sometimes it’s just about a citizen’s simplistic approach
towards life. So the next time someone tells you in all seriousness that
Pakistan is going down, you tell them that we Pakistanis are resilient enough
to rebound!
(This article was first published on The Express Tribune Blogs on December 15, 2012)
