Yeh Watan tumhara hai!

Pakistan turned 70 today, and yesterday as we celebrated the independence day with more than 60 of our fellows, we all sang the following piece from Kaleen Usmani, sang by Mehdi Hassan. The wording is so insightful, that I was having goosebumps, and it made me to 70 years ago, and think about the hopes, aspirations, dreams that our ancestors had when Pakistan was created.

As I grow older, I feel that my generation, and the our youth needs a reminder that this country is an “amanat” (treasure), and we are all guardians of it, we are the ones with whom the future of this country lie with. I hope that we can realize this, and take the ownership that this country needs to prosper.

Iss zameen kee mitti main
khoon hai shaheedon ka
arz-e-pak markaz hai
Qaum kee umeedon ka
Nazam-o-zabt ko Apna
Meer-e- Karwan jano
waqt ke andhron mein
Apna Aap pehchanno.

Ye Zameen Muqaddas hai
Maan ke pyar kee soorat
iss chaman mein tum sab ho
Barg-o-baar kee soorat
dekhna gawana mut
dolat-e-yaqeen logo!
ye watan Amanat hai
aur tum !Amee’n Logo!

Ye Watan Tumhara hai
Tum ho Pasban is ke.

Meer-e-Karwan Hum thay
Rooh-e-karwan Tum ho
Ham to sirf Unwa’n thay
Asl Dastan tum ho

Going through this piece, made me realize of the huge responsibility that I have working with the youth and the potential that this country has is amazing, but it needs to be channelized. As during the celebration, we talked with them about taking personal responsibility, and that if each one of us do our part, and remember the values of unity, faith and discipline, we can have a different story. I am recommitting at this independence day to do what I can do for this country, whether the Pakistan I wish to see will be there in my life time or not shall not matter but what should matter is that I stay hopeful, persistent, and continue the work.

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