Mid-August Independence Poem by Akhtar Jawad

At the age of only five or six years
I saw that old woman who I think was in her teens
during the first war of independence in 1857.
I suppose her age was more than hundred years
in the early fifties of the last century.
She narrated a few painful stories.
What happened to the fighters of freedom
and how cruelly the British Imperialists
hanged them by neck till death on the tall trees.
But no woman was raped and no child was killed.

The mid-August independence stories
I read in books and heard from my seniors.
I am shocked how men became beasts
at the eve of independence!
When English rulers decided to quit India
though power was not yet transferred to the native leaders
millions of men including children were killed
women were raped and their breasts were cut.
The old woman commented
during the rule of white English men
law was enforced,
but in the rule of black native English men
humanity suffered more than what it suffered
in the days of slavery.
So I always welcome and celebrate 14th of August,
the day on which Pakistan was created,
with a mixed feelings.
I forget Bharat
but what happened in Pakistan
it was created to form an Islamic republic
and a welfare state.
Neither democracy could flourish in Pakistan
Nor Islam could become the law of the state.
During last seventy years almost half of the period
the nation was ruled by dictators.
No doubt in it
the country was industrially developed
economy was better
than that in the period of so called democratic leaders
and law remain enforced.
But isn't it an irony that no elected Prime Minister
could complete his term in Pakistan.
In the early forties Muslims of this continent
were looking for a nation.
God blessed them with Pakistan
but now Pakistan is looking for Pakistanis.
Where are Pakistanis?
I see Pathans, Baluchis, Punjabis and Sindhis.
I want to congratulate a Pakistani on 14th of august,2017
for this great day of independence.
I went before a mirror to congratulate myself
my image in the mirror said, "Think twice
before you congratulate yourself,
are you a sincere and true Pakistani? "
Still I am hopeful
when I saw my grandchildren
decorating the front of their house
with green flags of Pakistan.
I smiled.
By the grace of Almighty,
I have found Pakistanis
Happy Independence Day to the children of Pakistan.
I hope you'll do that what we could not do.