Since early childhood, I can remember standing in my classroom at reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. One of the most basic things that I learned in my time in the United States is that they foster national pride at every level of social development. Now, I know that the extremist view here in Pakistan is that America is “the Great Satan,” but realistically if we study what the Americans have done from childhood, we can develop a process that instills national pride into our citizens.

Let me start by explaining what I recall of my education in the United States. Every morning, when school started, the national anthem was played on the school’s internal announcement system. We all had to stand for the national anthem and place our hand over our hearts. After the national anthem, before sitting down, we would recite the pledge of allegiance. A pledge that is supposed to signify what it means to be an American

“I pledge allegiance to the flag…,”

The United States has federal laws protecting the American flag. It is not allowed to touch the ground. It can not be burned. It can not be treated with disrespect. These are all federal crimes for anyone in the United States, citizen or otherwise. Every developed country has laws protecting their national flag.

But it goes much deeper. When I was in school, part of the curriculum was to teach children about the flag and how it came to be, starting from the original 13 colonies, including the Confederacy, and concluding with the modern day American flag. We were taught about Betsy Ross and the tireless work she did to sew the first American flag.

We were taught that the first step to national pride was respecting the flag.

Now, I have noticed in Pakistan that the national flag is not a symbol of respect or pride. Before you all start to fume about that comment, think for a second… on your house, do you have the national flag flying or do you have a political party flag? When you see protestors on television burning the flag, does it burn you inside knowing that the symbol by which Pakistan is known in the world is being desecrated?

Would you tolerate it if a foreigner were to do that in front of you?

Then why do you tolerate it when Pakistanis do it?

A quick quiz…

What is the Pakistani flag called?
Who created the national flag?
When did it come into existence?
What does it mean?

Did you know the answers without going on the internet and looking them up? Would you like to know the answers? I didn’t know either, so I had to look them up.

The national flag of Pakistan is called Sabz Hilali Parcham which is Urdu for Green Flag with the Crescent or Parcham-e-Sitara aw Hilal meaning The Flag of the Crescent and Star. It was created on 11th August, 1947 by Syed Amir-ud-Din Kedwaii.

The flag comprises a dark green field (representing Muslims) with a vertical white stripe in the hoist (left side) (representing non-Muslim minorities). In the centre is a white crescent (symbolizing progress) and a white five-pointed star (light and knowledge).

We need to start educating ourselves and our children about the national flag and that it is something to be respected and revered, and should never be an object of abuse, by anyone.

Pride in our nation starts with pride in our flag, that is what the world knows as the symbol of Pakistan.

See, by not saying anything, by not writing a letter to the editor, by not writing to the President and Prime Minister, you are allowing this to continue. Write emails to everyone demanding that laws be enacted to protect the national flag. We can not control what people do outside of Pakistan, but at least we can learn to respect the flag within our home country…. can’t we?

“And to the Republic for which it stands…”

Allegiance to the Republic, not a family, not a political party, nor a charismatic person; the Republic. Here, we tend to have allegiances all wrong, which is the main reason why our country stands in the condition it is today. We pledge allegiance to political parties when we sign the membership form. We pledge allegiance to professional associations. We pledge allegiance to political and charismatic leaders. But when do we pledge allegiance to Pakistan? Or is that only for those that take a military oath of service?

We have put ourselves on a vicious cycle, and we are the ones to blame for it. By pledging allegiance to everything else, we forget the one thing that requires our true allegiance, Pakistan. Without Pakistan, there is no Pakistan People’s Party. Without Pakistan, there is no Pakistan Muslim League. Without Pakistan, the political and charismatic leaders that we blindly follow would not exist.

Think for just a moment about what or where you think you might be if Pakistan did not exist.

Think for a moment about the sacrifices that Quaid-e-Azam, Sir Muhammad Allama Iqbal, and others gave to bring Pakistan into existence.

Think for a moment about the thousands of men who have given their lives in the defence, both civilian and military, of this nation we call Pakistan.

Now, think for a moment, why you don’t pledge allegiance to Pakistan?

Many reasons right, but the biggest being: The government is corrupt. But riddle me this: Didn’t you sit idly by and allow them to become this corrupt? Do you pay bribes or give “gifts” to get things done? Don’t blame the government; they can’t bribe themselves; that is where you encourage them. Learn to say no.

We need to go back to teaching our children history. If you don’t have the time, let your parents explain it. They actually lived through it and can give a first hand account of Pakistan’s development. We have a rare opportunity that will be gone in the next 20 years. We can actually learn the stories from the people that built Pakistan.

Take advantage of the opportunity and write the stories down and post them here.

The more that we learn about our history, the stronger we become.

People say history repeats itself… we are a broken record stuck on the same track. It’s time we started to believe the slogans that we scream at political rallies…”Pakistan Zindabad,” “Pakistan Painadabad,” and pledged our allegiance to the country that we thank Allah each day for.

You are able to get up every morning knowing that you are free. You are able to hear the azhan 5 times daily and join other Muslim brothers in prayer and fellowship. You are able to get an education and build a life for yourself.

With Pakistan, you have everything. Without Pakistan… only our elders can really tell us what state our lives would be in without this great country.

“One Nation, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice For All.”

We all want this. One strong nation. One united people. Freedom and Justice for every citizen of Pakistan. What are we doing to make it happen?

The next time you are in a video store, look around and see how many, what I call, “Gung Ho” movies there are about America. Movies that do nothing more than boost national pride and build respect for the things that they have accomplished in building and defending their country. When you are watching television, look at how the shows also echo national pride and respect. From the cop shows, like NYPD Blue, to the comedies, be proud to be an American. Why? Because we say so. Is it really that easy?

We, as a nation, have to start believing in the rights that are guaranteed us under the Constitution of Pakistan. When we, as a nation, decide together to stop accepting that Pakistan is this way and will always be this way; only then can we expect the democracy to grow and the nation to flourish.

We can not expect Pakistan to be Pakistan while we still have cultural divides across provincial lines; while we have ideological differences with the people leading the political parties, religious parties and government.

We have the right to ask questions of anyone as citizens of this country. Whether you do it or not can only be answer by one person… you.

Let me give you a few to think about:

How can a politician demand democracy when they don’t have a democratic process within their own party structure?

How can a religious leader demand Islam and Shariah when they are doing nothing to stop the social ills of the nation?

And don’t we have a clear example of a Talibanized Pakistan from when General Zia was Chief Martial Law Administrator?

How can we trust the people that lead us in the past and failed miserably to be different this time? Wasn’t that the nara last time?

Where is the money from “Kharz Uttharo”?

What happened to all the yellow cabs that were imported for the Yellow Cab scheme? And where is the money?

Why is it that when supporters of a sitting Prime Minister stormed the Supreme Court with weapons in hand it was not considered an attack on the authority of the Supreme Court? Yet, suspending the Chief Justice and asking a body of his peers to make the decision is?

And most importantly, why are all forms of corruption ok except taking money? Corruption is corruption in any form.

Until we, as a nation, stop following blindly and start talking, asking questions and understanding, we have no hope of being indivisible. We are already divided. Political parties, religious parties, religious “leaders” and extremists divide us into war parties.

We may all stand together in protest, but are we all protesting the same thing?

Pledge your allegiance today. Pakistan is our home, not a war ground, nor a game board for the various players. We need to take back Pakistan today.

And I have a small challenge for those who feel patriotic. Write a Pledge of Allegiance for Pakistan and post it here for consideration. Your name could go down in history if we can get the government to agree to a National Pledge of Allegiance.

Pakistan Paindabad!

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1 Comment

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  By Jack Yan, 18 April, 2007 @ 4:35 am

  What a great initiative, Khalid! When I was younger, I could recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and it is indeed something that is lacking in many countries. In New Zealand, I remember letters to newspaper editors when it was suggested a state school have a flag-raising ceremony. It was that politically incorrect to have national pride. Pakistan could well rise with some additional national pride, and even a nation brand.

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