Pakistan From Progress to Peril

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: The two images, captured six decades apart, tell a poignant story of Pakistan’s journey from hope and prosperity to despair and struggle.

The first picture, from 1965 Karachi, shows an orderly line of well-dressed citizens waiting for a double-decker bus. The air of progress is palpable, as the people of Pakistan in this era were filled with ambition, pride, and a sense of purpose.

It was a time when Pakistan was extending loans to Germany, shipping rice to Japan in her time of need, and standing tall in the comity of nations. The country was admired for its care, compassion, and the bright future it promised its citizens.

Fast forward 60 years, and the second picture paints a stark contrast. Children, precariously perched on top of a dangerously overcrowded van, wearing worn school uniforms, are a stark representation of a nation that has lost its way.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/a-childs-note-on-policy-failures/

The scene is chaotic, the infrastructure crumbling, and the environment reflective of the deep malaise that has gripped the country. With nearly 25 million children out of school, rampant corruption in every sphere of life, and a judiciary ranked among the lowest in the world, Pakistan finds itself in a downward spiral.

This shift isn’t just about infrastructure or governance—it’s about the collective dreams of a nation that once stood on the brink of greatness but has now fallen into despair.

The heart-wrenching reality is that the prosperity and dignity once associated with the nation have been replaced by widespread poverty, sectarian strife, and a near-total financial collapse. The government’s claims of stability and development are hollow when viewed against the backdrop of these images.

What once was a nation full of promise, with disciplined queues and bright-eyed citizens, now grapples with broken systems, fragile hopes, and a generation fighting to survive rather than thrive. It is not just about lost infrastructure, but lost dreams.

Asem Mustafa Awan has extensive reporting experience with leading national and international media organizations. He has also contributed to reference books such as the Alpine Journal and the American Alpine Journal, among other international publications.