Iss parcham k saye talay hum ik hain? (We are one under this flag)

We have different skin tones, we are different body types, we practice different faiths, we have different beliefs, we have different lifestyles, we have different occupations, we have different challenges, we have different circumstances, we follow different theories, we have different status, we have different hobbies, we speak different dialects, we belong to different sects, we speak different languages; we are different. But we are one.

That oneness is our unity. The oneness of our hospitality, the ones of norms, the oneness of our piece of land, the oneness of our traditions, the oneness of our songs, the oneness of our sports, the ones of our identity, the oneness of our society, the oneness of our systems, the oneness of our economy, the oneness of our people, the oneness of our language, the oneness of our love for the society, the oneness of our pride, the oneness of our air. We are indeed one.

We are different but we are united under our flag, our land, our identity.

Our identity is composed of all the differences that exist in our society. A Muslim economist, a Hindu lawyer, a Christian farmer, a Zoroastrian teacher, a Jewish doctor, an agnostic engineer, a Sikh solider are all Pakistanis. We are one with all these differences. Our identity is inclusive of us all.

We are stronger as one.

We cannot afford intolerance. We cannot afford classism. We cannot afford sectarianism. We cannot afford sexism. We cannot afford racism. We cannot! It hurts everything; it effects us all. It impacts our security, economy, society, politics, development, environment.

Whether we like it or not; Pakistan is not one niche of our society but it us all. We cannot sustain on not employing the minorities, we cannot sustain on making exceptions favoring the elite. We cannot sustain by behaving above the law. We cannot sustain by misusing our privilege.

Its about time we start owning to our oneness. It is about time we forgo our differences and celebrate our similarities. It is about time we play our part to create that balance that provides an equal footing for us all. It is about time; we embrace our differences.