First, congratulations on Pakistan Independence Day, 14 August 2024. Many achievements have been made in Pakistan over the last 77 years, despite numerous challenges as the country has struggled to ascend the metaphorical hill. However, many things have not gone as well as they could and should have, some due to economic constraints, partly because of high military expenditures. Pakistan could have done better in ensuring education for all. Bangladesh, for instance, has spent less on the military and has consequently made greater strides in education and industrial development. Yet, no country is perfect, and priorities are determined by the people, through their political parties if democracy is functioning, and through interest groups, professional organisations, labour unions, employers’ associations, and more.
I believe that all countries can prioritise better than they do, and also analyse issues more effectively to predict developments and avoid problems, such as those now disrupting the otherwise peaceful British Isles. Measures should have been in place to prevent the growing number of people living below the poverty line, including some who are employed or receiving unemployment, disability, or old-age allowances. In the UK, figures show that 4.3 million children grow up in poverty, which is 30 percent of the children in a country of 77 million people. Yet, the UK is also the world’s sixth-largest economy. It is wrong and dishonest to blame these difficulties solely on refugees and the high number of legal and illegal immigrants, without whom there would be labour shortages in several key sectors in the UK and other European countries, such as health and medical services, elderly care, the hospitality industry, and more.
Now, with a new Labour Party Government in the UK, it would be in the party’s centre-left philosophy to implement policies that lead to greater equality and inclusion. However, the possibilities for rapid change are limited and challenging since it is said that the government coffers are close to empty. Military expenses are high, but reducing them is politically difficult in the current European and NATO atmosphere of rearmament. I don’t think the 32 NATO member countries, plus the dozens of partner countries across the globe, including Pakistan, discuss these issues deeply, nor do they seem to be searching for new and alternative ways of defence and cooperation between countries. We must remember that NATO is the world’s largest military organisation ever, with unprecedented budgets from its wealthy member countries. Therefore, we have a right and duty to expect more from NATO, its members and partners, and all other countries. After all, we are supposed to be good custodians of the world’s people and resources.
In Sweden, France, and other European countries with growing right-wing parties and movements, and young people rioting without organised parties or groups, we can certainly criticise the political establishment and the mainstream political parties, mainly social-democratic ones, for not having foreseen the need for change to include right-wingers and young people in more positive activities, rather than leaving them to become outsiders. This is happening at a time when sociologists and other social scientists are more capable than ever of analysing and describing trends and recommending solutions. Not all corrective measures are costly, and it is usually cheaper to prevent negative developments than to try to correct them later. Money is important, but politics is also about values and priorities, and trying new and alternative ways. If there is a clear desire to create a more equal and just society for all, locally, nationally, internationally, and globally, then ways can be found.
Sometimes, maybe even often, I wonder why we allow problems to drift, knowing that they will cause significant issues, not only in developing countries but also in the West, with its vast resources for research and experimentation to find solutions. This leads me to reflect on the roles of religion, philosophy, and culture in society. In the West, particularly in Europe, religion plays a lesser role now than it did fifty or a hundred years ago. Previously, it was an essential foundation for society, though not necessarily used in practice to create good work and living conditions for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, or status within a country. Regarding gender equality, I believe Pakistan has made significant achievements since Independence, but there is still much work to be done, as it ranks 95th out of 146 countries on a global gender equality index.
Today, secular human rights and humanist thinking form the key foundations of Western societies, much of which is also built on religious moral standards, primarily from Christianity, similar to those of other Abrahamic religions. In Europe, many do not accept the historical fact that religion has been a positive force towards equality and solidarity, though at times it has also delayed equality in several fields, particularly those related to reproductive health, family planning, abortion, LGBTQ issues, and more. Regarding environmental issues, climate change, and the protection of the resources God gave us to be good custodians of, religion can be harnessed more positively.
Towards the end of this article, I would like to underline the importance of moral conviction and having the right goals in politics. It is essential that politicians know where they want to go, what kind of society they want to create—yes, it should be a kinder, safer, more equal, and inclusive society where children and youth can look forward to a better world in their lifetime. If politicians can create optimism and hope, the youth will stand behind their leaders on the path to prosperity.
When Pakistan became independent 77 years ago, there was hope and optimism, articulated in prose and poetry by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and others. But the concrete plans for how to realise those dreams and implement the necessary changes were few and not always clearly understood. Then, as now, the need for international change is crucial; the former colonial powers and the West, in general, must be willing to accept a new, more equitable world order, where the West has fewer privileges in trade and other areas. Development aid was, and still is, a token gesture, even obscuring the realities of power and privilege.
In recent years, we have witnessed growing inequalities between and within countries. This is unworthy of a world that has never been richer, more informed, or better educated about problems and solutions than today. These differences are allowed to persist before our eyes, even though we know it is wrong. The terrible wars raging in Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere should not have begun if the international community and the countries directly involved had done their work properly, guided by the right visions and values of equality, peace, and prosperity. In our time, it seems that all countries, particularly developing ones like Pakistan, are struggling on their way up the hill, often quite alone and against many odds, rather than benefitting from genuine help and support through good North-South and South-South cooperation.
Atle Hetland
The writer is a senior Norwegian social scientist with experience from university, diplomacy and development aid. He can be reached at atlehetland@yahoo.com
