Pakistan may be a country that has faced incessant political, economic and social turmoil. It is a state that is in dire need of a revolutionary force that can grip the fate of this nation and steer it towards advancement and prosperity. This very revolutionary force has emerged in the form of the Youth of Pakistan thriving and working with new ambitions, hopes and goals. Pakistan along with its envious strategic location and a plethora of natural resources possesses another exceedingly important resource, a resource that is oozing with power and determination and overflowing with ambitions to make Pakistan a better place to breathe in is the human resource of Pakistan.
Over the past 66 years of independence, more than once the youth of Pakistan has emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Youngsters emerged as those new faces who had the power to drive and the dedication to achieve what they had set their mind to. Be it the powerful America or the dilemma-plagued African states, it is primarily the youth of a nation that forms concrete bedrock for the achievement and prosperity of a nation. The reins of a country should be in the strong hands of its young generation and Pakistan is one of those countries which needs this the most.
More then 65 percent of the population of Pakistan is comprised of youth. That is a pretty hefty percentage for a country like Pakistan. One of thebiggest examples of how they have indeed come forward can be seen in the turnout for the General Elections 2013. For the very first time in the history of Pakistan, a significant percentage of the turnout was of the youth who were first time voters. They took a strong stance without being influenced by their families’ age old preferences and tried to give it their best. They came out not only to vote, but throughout the political campaigns they came forward to support their parties and hoping to bring a change in Pakistan. What we have witnessed is a generation of young people who want to be an active part in bringing about the change in Pakistan that it needs. It’s a group of forward thinkers who with an open frame of mind have come to embrace the ways that will take them to success and get them better equipped in their respective fields.
It is this very group of people who are the future of Pakistan. They are the next doctors, engineers, lawyers and the new businessmen. The youth’s drive and renewed ambitions knows no bounds. One prominent phenomenon is that today’s youth is not all about whining, but about hope, dedication and wants to take action. We have seen so many welfare initiatives being run by the youth. When I did my part of the research, I found how this young generation is much more responsible than the tycoons and industrialists swimming in their pools of wealth. We all know that the only thing that can take Pakistan forward is the education of the masses. It is the education at the most basic level, that will not only bring about the change we need but give the working class and the masses of people relying on pitiable amounts of money by doing such hard work, a chance and a ray of hope to come forward and do something better with their lives. Education will lead to social awareness, a better chance of employment and better employment opportunities. With that in minds, a lot of youngsters have taken the initiative to educate children in remote areas. Many social welfare organisations and NGOs, with the help of students from different universities have reached out to different villages and started teaching them. It is heartening to see that so many young people are now socially aware of their responsibilities and are taking the initiative to take Pakistan forward on their own terms. Rather than sitting and whining about what’s wrong with Pakistan, they have the drive to push this country towards liberation, success and advancement.
Pakistan is not a state of turmoil, terrorism and political instability. It is a blessed country with a new generation that is fully aware of its responsibilities. It is a state that has a generation that wants to go a mile farther in doing what they are able to do in the name of the country. With so many good universities in tow, what we have now is a hefty percentage of people who are educated, ambitious and are struggling to bring a change. Organisations like Youth Forum, Bargad Foundation, Youth Welfare Organisations, SOS, Rise, Paidal and much more get hundreds of volunteers every year so that they can somehow help the underprivileged people of Pakistan. It is a country that has given birth to infallible courage and bravery. A country who’s generation can survive anything. A country that has Arfa Karim, Ali Raza, Ali Moeen and MalalaYousafzai, symbols of talent and bravery. We are anything but a failed state. No matter what the issues faced or what the governance does, the Youth of Pakistan have always maintained a positive stance and have been able to achieve amidst all the chaos.
It is not that only within the country the youth is trying to achieve and move forward by leaps and bounds. One of the proudest moments for Pakistan has been where it was represented in international competitions and initiatives by young achievers. We have won tons of competitions internationally e.g. in debates. The NASA initiative handled by LGS sends a number of students abroad who participate in debates and science competitions. While doing my research, I came across a very recent but extremely impressive initiative. AISEC, one of the largest student organisations of the world, has a large student body here in Pakistan. It comprises of students from many universities like LUMS, LSE, UCL and BNU. They are now entertaining foreign students from all over the world by calling them here to Pakistan and showing them the culture and heritage of all cities. Foreign students from Japan, Singapore, Malaysian and the USA were called by AISEC in their recent initiative. Not only did they come, but they are now living in the houses of these students for a specific period of time who arrange trips to different sites and show them what Pakistan is all about. One of the members, Wasma Imran says ‘This initiative has been extremely successful! We were not expecting a good turnout, but we have so many foreign students that is overwhelming, the idea behind those was to show people that Pakistan is much more than what they perceive it from across the borders. It is a thriving nation with so much to offer. We are proud to be Pakistanis and we are here to tell all of them WHY.”
With massive talent sprouting out of the Pakistani soil and uncountable potential-fountains streaming from every nook and corner of Pakistan, how can Pakistan possibly not reach out for the epitome of accomplishment?n