What is there to celebrate?

On August 14 Pakistan celebrated its 64th Independence Day. The question for many people is, "What is there to celebrate?" When you mention Pakistan to people while outside the country, Osama, terrorism, Taliban and suicide bombs are the responses mostly invoked. On top of that are numerous other problems.

For example, 300 people were killed in Karachi in ethnic violence in July 2011 alone, bringing the total to 800 people for the year so far. Most of the news about the country seems to be negative and life denying. And much of it is. It is a far cry from the vision of the person considered the father of the nation, Muhammad Al Jinnah who, in a speech four days before the new nation came into being said: "You are free. You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State. Now I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State."

To say the country and its people have struggled to live up to the vision and the ideals of its founder is an understatement. Religious intolerance is increasing as the assassination of two high profile politicians at the beginning of the year tragically illustrated. As human rights activist and street theatre producer, Madiha Gohar, commented during the recent Independence Day celebrations:

"Institutions cannot move forward as they have become 'Talibanised' over a period of time… The mire in which Pakistan is sinking has been generated because of using religion for nation building. There is no tolerance and no genuine democracy. There is no cultural discourse or the right to differ… One has to mention religion on the passport. This confusion distorts the concept of identity. A real secular democratic Pakistan is the only hope. We need a democratic revolution giving space to small regions and communities."

Godar is a random representative of the significant number of peoples' voices and groups in the country that are struggling to create such a democratic space. It's in such people that some signs of hope are present in the country. In addition there are sections of the media who offer in-depth critiques of the country's difficulties.

In the last few weeks alone different newsgroups have published articles questioning the military's responsibility in being part of the problem rather than part of the solution. There has also been analysis of the 'talibanisation' of the military and the danger that poses for the country.

Pakistan's difficulties were compounded last year and the year before by the destructive flooding that covered large parts of the country. In the meantime authorities have failed to invest in prevention measures since last year's floods that killed, according to official figures, 1,750 people. The disaster has come again for some people including the people of Badin in interior Sindh where Columbans have a parish, 400mm of water fell in the four days leading up to Independence day. Crops and livelihoods were again wiped out.

It has been declared a calamity area. Aid distribution is carried out by government authorities and many NGOs (Non Government Organisations). Such is the context in which Columban Mission continues.

Fr Tomás King has been a missionary in Pakistan since 1992.

Read more from The Far East, January/February 2012