The Pakastani Crisis

For generations Pakistan has been looked down upon by the international audience. Ever since their fight for independence in British controlled India, they have taken the appearance of a hostile, militant, radical Islamic image. However, little do people educate themselves in the rich history and culture of Pakistan.

Pakistan is sandwiched between two major nations in the Middle Eastern-Asian world: Afghanistan and India. It has a large Sunni population mixed with Buddhists from the North and Hindi in the West. Not only that, but Pakistan is a rich nation brimming to the top with cash crops such as tobacco and cotton farmed by poor peasants, as well as many other agricultural necessities consumed around the world for granted. Of course when I say "peasants," automatically I am signaling that Pakistan is a destitute nation relying of the aid given by the American government as well as the Taliban, who offer services such as protection, food and sheltering in exchange for fresh patriotic recruits. This is major reason why Pakistan is looked upon as a hostile, anti-American country. However, are the people to blame? All I'm saying is that if I lived in a destitute, isolated region with a large family purely relying on relief workers and yearly harvests, I would too be persuaded to find a way out of my personal hell. not only for the betterment of myself, but for my family and close friends. But.. where are these opportunities? If I hailed from a bourgeois family, I could get away by moving to England, France, or America. But that isn't the case with 99% of all Pakistani citizens. Most of these desperate people look either towards the "sit and wait" tactic of relief supplies; others turn to drastic measures by turning to the Taliban. Therefore, it is not the people's fault, regardless of their religion. If your home was destroyed in a flood or mudslide, or if your family was tragically ill or hurt, you would indeed turn to drastic measures. Couldn't the average Pakastani just turn to the government? WRONG. The government of Pakistan is as corrupt and weak as Afghanistan's and is just holding by the skin of their teeth.

The fact that a major river flows through Pakistan does not help their situation either (as in today). Look at the current crisis that struck Pakistan. The Taliban are holding guns to the government's head and are themselves providing aid to the people of Pakistan while the UN take their sweet, precious bureaucratic time. America is hoping to ease anti-American emotions flowing through Pakistan by providing aid themselves. While this has been affective in turning people away from militant factions, it still isn't enough to cope with the severity of the still-flowing river. Casualties and the missing stack upon one another in fat, printed paper as the blistering heat of the summer passes through Pakistan. Hospitals are low on supplies and flies constantly swarm on children, passing deadly bacteria and infections. Pakistan is a nation of deep heritage and history, however it will be quite a while before views of radical extremism disapear from the hearts of Pakistanis as their situation dives even deeper and that they are being pushed towards the bottom of the world's list. We as an international community must come to understandings what the world does not revolve around only terrorist threats, Iran, and Afghanistan. The Taliban and other militant groups thrive on situations such as Pakistan's. So next time we decide to pick up a gun, let's pick up a bowl instead.