Few days back, on the 14th of August, Pakistan celebrated its 70th independence day. I got the opportunity to visit the Pakistani embassy in Washignton DC, where the Ambassador reminded us of Pakistan’s long list of achievements. As a relatively new country on the globe, Pakistan enjoys a strategic geographical position that often make it an important player in the global politics. Being the only Muslim nuclear power, Pakistan has much to celebrate. It has one of the fasted growing middle class, one of the best agriculture sectors in the world and a rising economy. Pakistan is also one of the highest charity giving nations in the world. While Pakistan has much to celebrate, there is still much work left to be done. Pakistan still struggles to combat terrorism. Poverty numbers are still of the highest in the region. Political stability still continues to hamper economic development. The literacy rates are still high, and access to healthcare is minimal. The streets of Pakistan continue to be unsafe for the women and there is an alarming number of out-of-school children in the country. Minorities still struggle to fight for their basic rights. Transgender community is targeted every day. And the list goes on and on and on.
While Pakistan has gained independence from India, it still struggles to free itself from these problems. In the past 70 years, whether Pakistan has lost more or gained more is debatable. But it is definitely not a country its founders had hoped it would become.

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