ISLAMABAD
\nAs Pakistan celebrates another year of independence, the streets will once again echo with the roar of engines, the blare of horns, and the crackle of fireworks. Flags will flutter from rooftops, vehicles, and streetlights, serving as symbols of pride, unity, and freedom. But while we paint our cities in green and white, our homeland in quite agony asks: \u201cWhat are you truly celebrating, when your soil is soaked in suffering?
\nThis year, nature\u2019s fury has reminded us of our negligence. Torrential rains and catastrophic floods have displaced thousands, destroyed livelihoods, and exposed the fragility of our infrastructure. Crops lie ruined, homes washed away, and families face an uncertain future, all while we continue to celebrate independence with reckless abandon.
\n\u201cPatriotism is not a noise we make once a year. It is the silence of a tree planted, the quiet act of reducing waste, the thoughtful decision to conserve water, and the courage to call out environmental abuse. Real love for our country means protecting its rivers, healing its forests, and preserving its skies,\u201d said Assistant Professor Mehwish Haider of Air University, Islamabad while speaking to media.\u201d
\nRiaz Ahmad, a private company employee and lifelong resident of Swat, witnessed climate devastation firsthand. He recalls the horror of the late-June flash floods that swept through the valley and shared with media his eyewitness account with a heavy heart. \u201cIt was like qiyamat , the end of the world,\u201d he says, his voice filled with pain. \u201cPeople were drowning; entire families, even tourists from other cities, were swept away. It was heartbreaking.\u201d
\nReflecting on what patriotism means in such times, he adds:\u201cYour country is like your mother. Respecting her means taking care of her. That\u2019s what real love for the land looks like.\u201d From Larkana, in Sindh, where summers grow hotter and drier each year, Ghulam Sakina, a student at Shah Abdul Latif University, explains how climate change disrupts even the most basic aspects of life.
\n\u201cEvery summer brings intense heat and severe water shortages. Just cooking meals or waiting in line at wells becomes a struggle,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s why I believe patriotism today must include protecting Pakistan from climate change. If we love our country, we must care about its future.\u201d
\nSpeaking to media about the connection between patriotism and climate responsibility, climate change and water governance expert Naseer Memon stressed the urgent need to revamp Pakistan\u2019s infrastructure and tourism sectors to adapt to emerging climate challenges. \u201cThe lives of Pakistani citizens must remain our top priority,\u201d he said.
\nDr. Masood Arshad, Senior Director Programmes at WWF-Pakistan, echoed this sentiment, stating, \u201cProtecting our rivers, forests, and wildlife is not just environmental stewardship, it\u2019s a true act of patriotism and a commitment to securing Pakistan\u2019s future.\u201d In Islamabad, Azka Irfan, a university student at NUST, connects national pride with environmental responsibility.
\n\u201c14 August reminds me of the sacrifices that created Pakistan,\u201d she says. \u201cBut it also challenges us, are we protecting what was built with so much struggle? Patriotism can\u2019t just be about waving flags. It has to mean taking real action to protect the environment, so the next generation has a future to inherit.\u201d From the corridors of the Mayo Hospital Lahore, a young house officer shares a perspective shaped by daily exposure to the health consequences of environmental neglect.
\n\u201cEvery winter, smog, often called the silent killer, fills our emergency rooms with patients suffering from breathing problems and heart issues,\u201d he explains. \u201cOur healthcare system is under pressure, and the environment is directly to blame. To me, patriotism means supporting real, urgent efforts to combat pollution and climate change so we can protect our people\u2019s health.\u201d
\nA director at the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency told media that poor vehicle maintenance and shrinking green spaces are major contributors to worsening air quality and the resulting health crisis. He called on both authorities and citizens to take responsibility, emphasizing that true patriotism today means actively protecting our environment to safeguard the health and future of our communities.
\nIn the farming town of Isakhel, Mianwali, Javed Azmat, a local farmer, describes to media how erratic weather is endangering Pakistan\u2019s food security. \u201cWe rely on predictable seasons and stable weather to grow our crops. But now, heavy rainfall, long dry spells, and shifting temperatures are destroying fields and livelihoods,\u201d he says. \u201cProtecting the land that feeds us isn\u2019t just a farmer\u2019s problem anymore, it\u2019s a national responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD As Pakistan celebrates another year of independence, the streets will once again echo with the roar of engines, the blare of horns, and the crackle of fireworks. Flags will flutter from rooftops, vehicles, and streetlights, serving as symbols of pride, unity, and freedom. But while we paint our cities in green and white, our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":489576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n