Active participation in environmental initiatives, construction projects, and the establishment of schools or public facilities, these are the true reflections of Independence Day. 

If celebrations are necessary, the day can be observed at the official level with simplicity and transparency. Instead of extravagant fireworks and expensive concerts, we can hold gratitude gatherings, community service programs, welfare initiatives, small business stalls for civil society, awareness walks, additional prayers like during Ramadan, charity, short supplications, literary and wisdom-based poetry sessions, events in schools for children with disabilities, and skill-development programs involving government officials and civil society.

On the other hand, what happens in the name of celebration often results in chaos, bikes without silencers roaring on the streets, alcohol consumption, noise, concerts causing economic loss, moral ambiguity, and social unrest. Is this the real purpose of independence? Or is it just a fleeting pleasure and temporary excitement?

If millions of rupees can be spent on lights and fireworks, why not invest that money in the country’s roads, drainage systems, schools, hospitals, healthcare facilities, pensions, and the rights of orphans and widows?

Are we willing to keep increasing our debt by approximately Rs800 billion every year, surviving on grants and loans, just so we can celebrate for a single day? Absolutely not.

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True independence for Pakistan and its people means:

International freedom: Liberation from foreign loans and debts.

Social freedom: Eradication of poverty, illiteracy, and lack of healthcare.

Moral freedom: Protection from indulgence, alcohol, immorality, and unlawful acts.

And this should not be confined to a single day. Throughout the year, both public and private sectors should launch programs where each district dedicates certain days for volunteer activities, supporting orphanages, mosques, drainage maintenance, educational institutions, pensioners’ welfare, and rural-urban infrastructure. Children should be taught historical facts, introduced to the lives of national heroes, and encouraged to participate in campaigns against pollution. Clean-up drives, tree plantations, waste disposal management, water conservation, and job creation should become part of this national spirit.

Independence Day is not just about lights, fireworks, flags, or concerts. It is a reminder of the sacrifices made by the founders, laborers, scholars, and martyrs who freed this land. If you can build a new school, arrange a health camp, provide food to an orphan, or a shelter for a deserving family, you are helping thousands of lives, not just lighting up a few hours of the night.

Let us pledge that each of us will contribute in whatever way possible to the country’s progress. Only then will the true essence of celebration come alive. This year, let us celebrate Independence Day with awareness, responsibility, and the resolve to build the Pakistan envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.

Note: The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the organization.