Dear Pakistan of 2023,

Dear Pakistan,

My heart sinks as I type this, my fingers heavy with a disappointment you know well. I left your soil almost two decades ago, seeking brighter horizons, yet a part of me will always bleed green and white. So, it’s with a heavy dose of hope and a growing dread that I embark on this mission – to find accomplishments of yours in 2023 that make your people raise their heads high.

I scoured news, devoured analyses, and spoke to friends back home. While Arshad's Silver was a historic milestone for a 'Pakistani Sports-man', it shone like a lone star in a vast sky. The football team's second-round WCQ qualification, though a step forward, offered only a fleeting glimpse of glory in a sport still grappling with inconsistency. And the UNWTO's praise for the reviving tourism industry brought cautious optimism, but the scars of economic turmoil remained etched deep. These glimmers, while welcome, felt like fragile flames battling a persistent wind of challenges.

But as I dug deeper, the shadows lengthened. The economic woes seemed etched deeper, casting an ever-growing darkness on lives and opportunities. The struggles of farmers, the ever-widening chasm between the haves and have-nots, the gnawing insecurity – these weren’t mere news reports, they were echoes of the familiar anxieties I carried with me all those years ago.

Pakistan, my motherland, where have the promises gone? The vibrant spirit, the boundless resilience, the dreams of a just, prosperous nation – do they still flicker beneath the weight of seemingly insurmountable challenges?

I see the protests, the cries for change, the tireless efforts of countless individuals and organizations fighting for progress. I see the doctors battling pandemics, the teachers lighting minds, the artists weaving narratives of hope, their resilience beacons in a landscape dimmed by institutional lethargy. The protectors often seem consumed by the pursuit of power, the stewards focused on headlines instead of solutions. It's like watching heroes tread water in a vast ocean of neglect, their efforts vital but ultimately fighting against a powerful current.

Is this truly all you can offer, Pakistan? Are these scattered struggles merely pyrotechnics against the backdrop of systemic struggles? Have you grown weary? Have you become tired? Are we so weary of unfulfilled hopes that our resolve has run dry? Have we traded passion for resignation, dreams for pragmatism?Have we traded passion for resignation, dreams for pragmatism?

No, I refuse to believe that. For deep within your heart, Pakistan, I know the embers of greatness still glow. You've overcome so much, defied expectations, bloomed against all odds. I won't let myself, or you, forget that.

So, here's my plea, my challenge. Let 2024 be the year the embers rekindle into a roaring inferno. Let the scattered successes become stepping stones to systemic change. Let the voices of dissent translate into a symphony of unity and purpose.

It won't be easy. It will demand sacrifice, collaboration, and an unwavering belief in the potential that lies within your people. But remember, Pakistan, you've faced daunting odds before and emerged stronger.

Perhaps the journey is the destination, Pakistan. Perhaps the truest measure of our strength lies not in reaching a pinnacle, but in rising again and again after each stumble.

Your prodigal son