From America, Pakistan seems like a totally different world full of cultural and religious differences, and political chaos. I have seen Pakistan with my own eyes. The most important lesson I have learned is that Pakistanis are ordinary people just like Americans. Why should anyone even care about Pakistan? I personally cannot stop caring about this important country. As a Pakistani-American student at Brandeis University, born and raised in Massachusetts, I would like to show you my Pakistan.

I have traveled to Pakistan many times throughout my life.The memories of my visits will always be very dear to me. I continue to stay in touch with my relatives who live in the province of Punjab in the northeast. My family has been quite active in the Pakistani Association of Greater Boston, Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America, and Human Development Foundation. In Massachusetts, there are literally thousands of Pakistanis, all who are a very special part of my life. My fascination and understanding of Pakistan has intensified through interactions with a range of people including professionals, prime ministers, diplomats, ordinary shop keepers, poor servants, and Pakistanis of all ages and views.

It would be naïve not to recognize that Pakistan is experiencing problems. But it would be equally foolish to think that everything in Pakistan is bad. The Pakistan that I know is full of children happily playing in fields, fragrant flowers, mango trees, people meeting friends at shops, families and friends celebrating weddings, holidays together, and ordinary people trying to live their lives in peace and happiness. Pakistanis have an immense love for any kind of music, singing, poetry, fashion, dancing, and parties. The culture is a vibrant celebration of love, family, and life.

Pakistanis are generally kind, hardworking, charitable people. My own grandmother has been actively involved in the Rotary Club, which travels throughout Pakistan and the world gathering donations for needy children, establishing schools and community centers for women and children, taking care of the sick, and helping families in need. I have seen many other similar compassionate acts in Pakistan and in America.

Pakistan desperately wants peace, prosperity, hope, democracy, freedom, safety, education, healthcare, elimination of poverty, and an end to terrorism. A vast majority of the people are moderate and progressive. They are totally against terrorism, religious fundamentalism and madrassas, all things which have caused them a great deal of suffering. Their wishes and goals are not any different from what America wants.

There are stories in American newspapers about the Taliban making inroads in the Northwestern Frontier privince of Pakistan.  This is the area of the country that shares a border with Afghanistan and also shares a lot of the same problems due to poverty, lack of educational opportunites and rural remoteness. Pakistan is a large and very diverse country. Most Pakistanis want a country that functions under constitutional guidelines and according to an established rule of law. 

As Americans, it is in our interests not to alienate the Pakistani people, a vast majority of whom want what Americans want; democratic rule and educational and economic opportunities for the people.  America can help to bring hope to the Pakistani people and develop friendship between our two countries. I hope to continue this discussion about Pakistan in some future blog posts.  Feel free to ask me any questions in comments to this post.  I will check back in and answer them regularly.

 Others articles in this series:

Hope within Pakistan -- July 5th, 2008

Education and Poverty in Pakistan-- July 13th, 2008 

Women of Pakistan-- July 28th, 2008

A Message of Hope and Determination-- August 12th, 2008

-Myra Chaudhary

Myra is a junior at Brandeis University. She is majoring in Economics and International and Global Studies.