“Failed state“, terrorism, corruption, killings and oppression are among the terms that define Pakistan around the globe. Is this all Pakistan is about? I don’t think so. So what is it about Pakistan that raises hopes, makes us optimistic, and tells us that we’re going to make it out of this temporary rough patch in the road?
Even before finishing the first paragraph of this post I can see the critics rushing to slap me to my senses. Well, let me clarify! I’m not here to present infallible logical arguments or undeniable empirical proofs that Pakistan is a gem among the nations of the world. I just want to talk about a few things that warm the hearts of many of us. I know that there are countless examples of what’s wrong with Pakistan but why must we linger on just that? There are many good things that can raise our spirits. I, for one, would rather try and find things to ‘love’ or at least like, than to despair.
These are some of the beacons of hope that keep us Pakistanis going:
The Great People of Pakistan
Just like a house is defined by its occupants, a country is defined by its people. There’s a lot about Pakistanis that goes against the popular judgment of doom. We have survived many disasters, wars, exploitation and calamities and showed resilience. Pakistanis have proven themselves across the globe in all walks of life.
The Bravest nation: Newsweek celebrates Pakistanis as the bravest nation in the wake of earthquake
Why I love Pakistan: Raza Rumi gives his reasons to love Pakistan
People of Pakistan: A beautiful video about the people of Pakistan.
Philanthropy of Pakistanis
Unfortunately, historically our governments have seldom made sincere efforts to improve the conditions of the downtrodden members of the nation. However, there is no dearth of Pakistanis who are happy to share their wealth with others. I’m not talking about big name NGOs or famous philanthropists; I can’t forget the piles of donated stuff – aside from cash donations – that lined the streets of our cities and towns after the earthquake a few years ago. These were ordinary people like you and I who rose to the occasion.
South Asian investor review: Pakistan Ranks High on Philanthropy
Charitable Pakistan: What mainstream media stories about suicide bombings and natural disasters fail to capture is the strong charitable and philanthropic tradition of Pakistani society
Tribune: The amount contributed towards philanthropy in Pakistan has almost doubled over the past decade
Philanthropy in Pakistan: Philanthropy in Pakistan: Moving Beyond Conditional Generosity
Positive Pakistanis: In an age where most people depend on others for help, Major Muhammad Abbas only thought of helping the helpless
Charity Vault: A comprehensive list of charities operating in Pakistan
Pakistan’s Achievements in Sports
Fazal Mehmood, Islahuddin, Samiullah, Imran Khan, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan, Wasim Akram, Husain Shah (boxing-bronze medalist in 1988 Olympics), Muhammad Yousuf (Snooker), Sultan Golden (auto stunt professional). These are only a few of the sports legends from Pakistan. We have a rich history of making extraordinary feats in many sports. Sports is one of the very few things that unite this nation like nothing else.
Sports in Pakistan: An informative and interesting blog post about various sports in Pakistan and our achievements
Cicistan: Pakistan’s Major Cricketing Achievements Up Till Now
Sports heroes: Remembering many sports heroes of Pakistan
Sports landmarks: The Financial Daily talks about various sports landmarks of Pakistan
Pakistan and sports: An in-depth Wikipedia article
Sports legends of Pakistan: This video is a humble tribute to all those sports personalities who have served the nation of Pakistan
Pakistan’s Scenic Beauty
“gar firdaus bar ru-e-zameen ast/hameen ast, hameen ast, hameen ast”
(If paradise is on the face of earth/ it’s here, it’s here, it’s here)
From majestic mountains to scenic lakes to serene valleys to awe-inspiring deserts filled with amazing wildlife, Pakistan has it all. With snow-clad mountains, green valleys, slopes covered with colorful flowers, the northern areas of Pakistan are the crown jewel of the Pakistani landscape. This beauty is in stark contrast to the popular image of Pakistan and once you walk through this beautiful land, the images of doom and gloom would certainly start fading away.
Pakistan pictures: A great collection of pictures about Pakistan
Pakistani Deserts: Deserts-the other natural beauty of Pakistan
This is Pakistan: Awesome collection of pictures showcasing the natural beauty of Pakistan
Best natural places: Description of the natural beauty of the northern areas of Pakistan
Pinnacle of natural beauty: A video about the breath taking natural beauty of Pakistan
Northern areas of Pakistan: The beauty of northern areas in words and pictures
By writing this article, I’m not trying to advocate blind patriotism, sticking head in the sand or being oblivious to all that is wrong with us. This was just about raising hope. Let me know what you think!
(Image courtesy of BigStockPhoto)
Hi….
Thanks for sharing such a nice piece of information to us. This is very knowledgeable
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– Well Pakistan is Full Of Scenes :) No Need To go To Switzerland :)
Very heart warming…. !
Thumbs up bro…. atleast one of us has got the courage to post a blog like this to show the world what Pakistan is and what the rulers have made it….
Thumz Uppppppp!!!! (y)
A beautifully written article to cheer up our despondent souls. The fact is that all the faults mentioned about us do exist. And all the virtues listed also exist side by side. We are a nation with lot of anomalies. So consider the following:
1.We love our country despite all the faults simply because it is our country. But we cannot force other nations to love us with all these faults.
2. Our virtues are internal and benefit our own loved ones and countrymen and are visible to us only, but our negative points are often affecting people in other countries because we commit those acts abroad (latest example Altaf Hussain), are visible to them and therefore bring bad name to us.
3. As they say in Urdu ‘Bud achha Badnam Bura’. Once you earn a bad reputation it sticks to you.
4. Perceptions are stronger than reality-particularly if perceptions are based on our track record. And finally;
5. As in the media so in the real world, “Good news is no news, bad news is news.”
Great article! We just need to grow our minds up brother!
pakistan zindabad!
I KNOW WE HAVE OUR OWN MISTAKES AND MAN MADE PROBLEMS, MANY PEOPLE SUFFER IN MANY WAYS, YET I LOVE PAKISTAN ANS I AM PROUD TO BE PAKISTANI.
This is heaven on earth.. despite all the facts what media says about Pakistan, Pakistan has alot to share geographically and spiritually as well..
Every infrastructure is available to get Pakistan into the queue of developed nation, little attention plus nationalism is needed.. We all need to show will to make Pakistan strong..
Really this article is so beautiful. Though i am Indian but i always wanted to visit Lahore and Karachi some day and Insa Allah i will do it one day. And after reading this article my excitement to visit goes up.