DNA
Islamabad: After three scores and fifteen years of independence, there was a serious need to revisit our national value system, agreed a group/cohort of youth. At a roundtable discussion titled “75 years of Pakistan—Reflections” held at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) here on Monday.
The event featured a diverse group of undergraduate and graduate level students from Lahore and Islamabad. The discussion was organized with the aim of bringing forth the voice of youth which was Pakistan’s biggest asset. The cohort agreed that while there had been major issues such as political turmoil, economic instability, religious disharmony, interprovincial discord and absence of nationalism, Pakistan’s resilience in the face of all that it had been through since its inception was commendable. Sincerity and loyalty to our motherland regardless of the challenges confronting the country was the need of the hour, said the Ambassador Nadeem Riyaz, President IRS.
The youth representatives expressed hope and optimism for Pakistan’s bright future on the basis of what Quaid-e-Azam said, i.e., Pakistan could never be undone. Only 75 years had passed since the birth of Pakistan and 75 years in the life span of nations, were in fact formative years. The reading on the wall about Pakistan’s future read ‘hope’ and ‘everything positive’ said Ms. Ayesha Zafar, an undergraduate student from National Defense University (NDU), Islamabad. Ms Fizza Bano and Mr Malik Saad, undergraduate students from NDU pertinently mentioned the challenges that Pakistan had to endure since birth in addition to highlighting its resolve in standing tall among the comity of nations. Ms Bano stated that as a young political scientist she saw lack of ownership among Pakistani nationals as extremely concerning. She added that it was imperative for our people to own their national identity and let it prevail beyond their sub-national and ethnic identities to emerge as a united nation that was capable of addressing troubling issues at home.
