Wondering what’s the Pakistani pentagon? The 9/11 attacks that levelled parts of the Pentagon building in Washington DC also gave birth to the Pakistani pentagon. Our pentagon is figurative taking the lead from the geometric shape rather than a concrete structure and consists of poverty, inflation, law and order, politics and terrorism. These are responsible for the hastened crumbling of our country’s already weak and cracked structure and if not rectified in time would lead to irreversible damages and far reaching consequences.
Poverty has always existed but in the past three to four years has reached distressingly high levels, like an incurable cancer. Starting from difficulty of making ends meet, coupled with the ongoing recession it has now become a hassle to even find work. UNICEF statistics show daily deaths due to poverty at almost 2200.
Inflation has led us to a drastic fall in lifestyles and made people’s lives very difficult due to reduction in spending capabilities. Pakistan is currently facing a 13.1 percent inflation rate. Everyday there are huge price hikes. This leads to severe damage to the country’s economy as people have no confidence in the currency and save more, spending only that needs to keep life going.
The law and order situation is worse than ever. Just take a close look at the state of affairs in Karachi; almost 1500 killings last year. Inter-group fighting all just for proving the ideology of ‘might is right’. Families are torn apart, human lives are lost but nothing seems to matter, anything at all as long as the selfish desires of those responsible are fulfilled.
Our political scenario is like a rainbow, instead of colours however this rainbow consists of greed, corruption, betrayals, leg pulling, two-timing and all matters of moral ambiguities. Though there are shades of grey in politics worldwide ours, in our brief history, have demonstrated one characteristic seen in no other democratic state, though on the face our ruling bodies are democratic, behind the scene it’s a power struggle between political families who for generations have held the reins of power not allowing for fresh blood to come in and breathe new life into our dead democracy, treating politics like a fight for a throne between two dynasties.
Terrorism has destroyed lives, hopes and ambitions. People live in constant fear, suffering the distress brought about by the massacres and tragedies that have become an everyday occurrence. Our economy is in shambles. Any and all sources of earning like tourism have completely been eradicated while peace is nothing more than a fading memory.
Was this the Pakistan the Quaid-e-Azam had dreamt of, fought so valiantly against all odds to create, the nation for which he sacrificed his own well being? Every Pakistani citizen covers in fear never daring to hope but pleading against all odds for the return of some sense of normalcy. But the road to recovery is not easy and far from our grasps for in order to succeed we need to take responsibility, be true to ourselves and our work and most importantly love and live for our nation not ourselves.
Revolutions take decades but they are worth it if steered in the right direction by people with the right intentions. Holding back and drowning in one’s own miseries won’t help, steps in the right direction will.
Though the road ahead is long and treacherous, as long as we stay steadfast and true in our aims nothing can stop us. The great Roman Empire was neither built in a day nor with ease but when it finally came about it was a wonder to behold. If the people of that time could achieve all this, that why not us?
NIMRA HAMID
Kinnaird College, Lahore
