Mark Fleming, Deputy Director, Office of Pakistan Affairs led our Fellow panel that discussed things about the US that surprised Fellows, what people to people experiences they had and the importance of their alumni network and how the U.S. Department of State can improve their impact inside Pakistan. hashtag#AtlasCorpsRepresenthashtag#diversityandinclusion
I am often touched by how so many international professionals are interested in working with and for Pakistan and I am often annoyed at our fellow Pakistanis who do not miss a chance at shaming Pakistan, of criticizing it, of defaming it and of devaluing it.
I ask you, what has Pakistan done to you so bad that you cannot stand up for it? You will not think twice if US or Canada or UK were to offer you citizenship and would just jump to the opportunity. So many of you do not want to go back and fix things.
I apologize for being so blunt here but this amazing opportunity at the US State Department also showed me a face of Pakistanis that I was denying to accept for a very long time. No country is perfect, we have our flaws and we are struggling, I know there are too many things wrong, the governments are always messed up, the people are corrupt and every system installed does not work but STILL, stay true to Pakistan. To your identity! Pakistan deserves this. And we deserve it.
Finish your work, your fellowships and your scholarships here in the US or anywhere else in the world, with dignity and go back and become the change you want to see 🙂 I have met some of you and trust me, there is no one more talented than us, so let us all join our powers together and make Pakistan great once again 😀
