Free Nation in Chains: Pakistan’s Independence Overshadowed by Economic Crisis

The meaning of independence evolves with each era, shaped by the new challenges a nation faces. While the dawn of our independence once symbolized freedom from colonial rule, today it demands more than just sovereignty. It calls for economic stability, social security, and opportunities for growth. In times of crisis, the very fabric of freedom is tested. When citizens of an independent state find their future uncertain, their prospects limited, and their paths to prosperity blocked, we ask: how free are we truly? The reality of an economic crisis can turn the promise of independence into a question mark, compelling even the most patriotic to reconsider their place in the nation. In such times, we confront the boundaries of our independence, questioning whether the freedoms we cherish are truly in our hands.

Following the necessity of freedom for our ancestors towards today, when things are totally different, but the issues are almost same. Watching ourselves as a nation, we find ourselves fragmented. These divisions stem from religious intolerance, where people judge one another’s faith, deciding who is destined for heaven or hell. Others are torn apart by political ambitions, each fraction claiming to be the true leader, promising to transform the nation. But what does this mean for us? If our government is not truly independent in its decisions and actions, how free are we really? True independence means not just sovereignty, but the ability to govern ourselves without external constraints. How can anyone feel a sense of ownership over a country that dismisses their rights and denies them justice? Not the country of course but the ones who have given the rights, who are in power.

The struggle for power in Pakistan has become a battle, a seat that demands accountability and bears the weight of the nation’s greatest responsibilities. Yet, those who sit upon it often tend to forget that they are the custodians of the nation’s future. The harsh reality is that the middle class is slipping into poverty, while the poor, driven to despair, are taking their own lives. This is the state of Pakistan’s economy in 2024—a far cry from the freedom our ancestors fought for.

Every citizen of Pakistan has these and many other questions but there is no one to respond here. I wish that we, as the youth of this nation, can stand firm and restore our country’s honour. May we be the generation that reclaim Kashmir from the oppressors and helps Palestine achieve the freedom it deserves. Let us present ourselves as a true Islamic state, upholding dignity and respect in all our actions. We must rid ourselves of the corrupt practices and toxic politics that plague us today, free our nation from the burden of all the debt and safeguard it from the preying eyes of our enemies. May we cherish this homeland-the home Pakistan that was won with the blood, a land we are fortunate enough to inherit without witnessing the sacrifices that were made. May our independence be reflected not just in our words, but in the smiles and peace of the Pakistani people. And may we continue to shout “Pakistan Zindabad” with all our might on every 14th of August, with louder voices and in even greater numbers, truly embodying the spirit of freedom.

Written by: Noor Fatima Seyal