ON this day in 1947 the state of Pakistan was formed.



It evolved as a new country with an ancient history having been part of the Indian subcontinent.



It also drew on a rich cultural legacy, an ancient history and geographical borders that helped shape its ethnic composition.



From 1947 till present, the country has been through a lot: From the assassination of its first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, internal strife, military coup and the break up of its eastern wing into Bangladesh in 1971, the country has suffered to a degree of immeasurably.



Adding to the misery was the Soviet invasion of neighboring Afghanistan in 1971, which led to an influx of some six million Afghan refugees who brought with them their own set of problem.



The country that had been enjoying a semblance of peace during that time thus became a hotbed of conflict as foreign fighters used it as a conduit to fight Soviet aggression. A new cultural era came into being — that of the Kalashnikov and violence.



Rising extremism fueled by self appointed religious leaders who preached bigotry and hatred for all those who did not agree with them added to the cauldron.



All this did not go well with the majority of the people of Pakistan who saw once again peaceful cities become killing fields and battle zones.



They got together and after some tough political wrangling emerged with a democratic process where a government fulfilled its promise of holding elections and whose result saw another government run by a different political party take over.





Democracy and the people of Pakistan won — against tremendous forces.

Today an elected prime minister is at the helm of affairs and a government that knows it is answerable to the people in a ballot is present.



The people of Pakistan want to live in peace and strive for progress. They want a better future for their children.



They want to fight against ignorance, hunger and disease.



Let us, on this day, wish them good luck and pray that they will achieve their goals. Pakistan Zindabad.

Khaled Almaeena

Editor-in-Chief,

Saudi Gazette