Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and more so after the 9/11 episode, the state has focused more and more on pushing Russia back and then on the war on terror and not at all on Pakistan's real issues. With short-term solutions and short-sighted leaders, we have seen a cancer-spread, both in Pakistan's internal and external problems. Resultantly, we are sore and the sole losers.
Let's have a look at our sufferings: 1) growing Indian economic and diplomatic influence in Afghanistan and other regions; 2) trust deficit of the West; 3) racialism and hatred against us abroad; 4) population explosion; 5) electricity outages; 6) extremism; 7) illiteracy; 8) unemployment; 9) inflation; 10) rise in crimes; 11) bad governance; 12) food shortage; 13) industries shutting down; 14) fuel shortage; 15) law and order; 16) inter-provincial disharmony; 17) no tourism; 18) growing debts; 19) lack of patriotism; 20) Breakdown of state systems; 21) gas shortage; 22) flight of capital; 23) flight of skill, 24) shaky investor confidence; 25) lawlessness; 26) selfishness; 27) corrupt politicians and public servants; 28) ruined educational institutions; 29) terrorism; 30) child labour; 31)ethnic killings; 32) delayed court cases; 33) no tax culture; 34) water shortage; 35) inability to cope with natural calamities; 36) rubbish public hospitals; 37) expensive private hospitals; and 38) utter disregard and disconnect by those who matter, for those who should have mattered. These are the hiccups and the list keeps growing. So frustrated are the people of Pakistan, that most discussed topics nowadays are: 1) Pakistan's creation was a mistake; 2) some external force must come and take over; and 3) It is inevitable that fragmentation will take place.
Such ideas have found place, even on popular talk shows and TV channels, openly spoken about by well-known personalities. What an irony? Old political marriages are getting broken and new alliances are being formed, all in the name of the people of Pakistan, whereas the ultimate aim only and only is the achievement of power and money, while the public continuously rots in a living hell.
Can any one imagine that in a country spanning over 880,000 square kilometres, not even on one square kilometre of land, the true spirit of the 1) Quran, 2) Sunnah, 3) humanity, 4) merit, 5) accountability and 6) social justice is visible.
Losing hope is not an option, but after so much happening around, when people at the helm of affairs show a 'least bothered' attitude towards the ground-realities, even optimists are forced to think, why such ignorance and arrogance? Like it or not, the examples of the current dynamics, is like a car going downhill, or a plane nose-diving, a ship hitting an iceberg, or a patient with multiple organ failure. Lord have mercy!