The Pakistani Spectator

“There is a real national mood change on the part of the Pakistani people that we are watching and obviously encouraged by”

– Hillary Rodham Clinton, at Senate Foreign Relations Committee, May 20, 2009.

What Mrs. Clinton is referring to are growing signs of Pakistanis showing support for their country and speaking out on the issues surrounding the country these days.

This phenomenon started with a large number of people started speaking out against government’s decision to sign an agreement with the Taliban. So huge was the response from people living in the country as well from Pakistani’s abroad that it prompted an immediate backtracking of government’s decision and prompting the army into action.

With the influx of internal refugees fleeing fighting, there was again an immediate response from the people showing support for these IDP’s. Now the relief collection camps have sprung up in every corner of Karachi with many people giving donations despite very grave economic conditions. The future is yet to show how well these IPD’s were rehabilitated in refugee camps but there seems to a genuine coordination amongst the various NGO’s working for the relief effort. The government announcement that it has so far registered 2.5 million people in refugee camps so far also shows its efforts in this gigantic task.

The media has also joined the nationalistic fervor with its increased coverage of the relief effort and by showing support for the army battling the Taliban.

The young generation seems to be at the spearhead of this “mood change” with increasing number of youngsters voicing their support for their country and feeling proud to be a Pakistani. Similar activity can also be noticed on social networking websites and blogs.

For the first time in Pakistan, a political party has hoisted Pakistan’s national flags instead of their own party flags on many intersections and traffic signals. And for the first time, a Chief Justice is pushing for reforms in the judiciary.

By Ibrahim Mahmood