Pakistan’s social structure is filled with inadequacies, power struggle and identity crisis. In its short life of 75 years, Pakistan has gone from becoming one of the most promising economies of South Asia, to a country marred with unfathomable crises. It is at the brink of economic and social collapse.
Social collapse, also known as civilizational collapse, is the fall of a complex human society. It is characterised by loss of cultural or national identity, the ruination of government, and the rise of violence. Multiple factors cause the collapse of a society including calamities, wars, famine, economic stagnation, and mass migration. Virtually all societies have suffered such a fate, regardless of their size and power. Egypt that was once the hub of power, and home to several prophets has now reduced itself to a country driven by political corruption and gross human rights violations. Similarly, England whose crown ruled the entire world has now become limited to a small island.
Pakistan’s situation is much more complex than England’s. It is still a developed state, and Egypt still has a steady economy owing to its tourism industry. Inequality in Pakistan is continuously rising. Influential groups use their power to grab whatever can help increase their influence in the region. Gender discrimination and hatred is predominant, and government policies are abounding in loopholes that play down the chances of anyone getting justice in this country.
To top it all off, the torrential monsoon showers have wreaked havoc on more than 33 million people in the country. People have lost their homes, their crop, and cattle. The country on the other hand has suffered massive monetary losses, while millions of cubic tonnes of water has gone to waste. The water that could have been used to produce cheap electricity, and irrigate our fields.
It is a pity that our political leaders are failing us time and again since the country came into existence. They pay little to no heed to the societal fissures and challenges present in our society. Unless we take serious steps, the country will collapse and we might revert to a more primitive state, or get absorbed into a stronger society. Considering how the threat of India is constantly hovering above us, the possibility of the latter happening is quite high.
To avoid societal collapse we first need to provide a level playing field to everyone. We need to give opportunities based on merit, and rid ourselves of nepotism, red tape-ism and favouritism. We also need to dispense a politically stable environment to our youth. Most of us are travelling in useless political bickering. The supporters of one are unable to accept the strong points of the other party, and accept the mistakes their favoured political leadership made. This continuous tug of war keeps our youth away from things that really matter. They do not highlight social issues, and compromise on civics .
The leadership also needs to put their differences aside and work together to help the country grow. Projects based on human welfare must be promoted. Health and education sectors should be reformed to pull people out of poverty.
If we don’t learn from our mistakes, and make significant changes to our ways, Pakistan’s social collapse will become inevitable.
by Amna Sheikh
(sheikh_amna@outlook.com)
