By Eeman Gul TWA _______ Introduction Under British rule, Muslims visualized the Mehfooz and Mazboot Pakistan. In August 1947, British India was divided into India and Pakistan. Both countries were divided based on religion. India became a majority Hindu religion and adopted a secular state, while Pakistan became a homeland for the Muslim majority. Since its independence Pakistan has faced external and internal issues to make it Pakistan Mehfooz and Mazboot. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan highlighted the importance of three key pillars: Unity, Faith, and Discipline for creating a Mehfooz and Mazboot Pakistan. The phrase “Mehfooz” Pakistan ensures the safety of its citizens. This phrase means the safety of people from internal and external threats. It marks the environment where people live peacefully without any fear. The second phrase used is “Mazboot” Pakistan which means it gives a guarantee to economic, social, and sustainable development. Over time, Pakistan adopted new policies to counter the new emerging issues such as Climate Change, Water Scarcity, Political Instability, and Advanced Technology to make the Mazboot Pakistan. These two concepts are interconnected without Mehfooz Pakistan the concept of Mazboot Pakistan cannot be nourished. And without Mazboot Pakistan the concept of Mehfooz Pakistan cannot be nourished. MAINTAINING NATIONAL SECURITY (MEHFOOZ PAKISTAN) Since independence, Pakistan fought its first war in 1947 with India over the Kashmir. The Line of Control LOC was drawn and called a ceasefire under the UN. In 1965, Pakistan launched Operational Gibraltar, following a 17-day war that ended with a ceasefire organized by the Soviet Union and the US. East Pakistan demanded a separate nation resulting in the 1971, Bangladesh Liberation War they gained independence, but this caused instability in the state. In addition, in 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan led to enormous fighting in the region. Along with this, they were involved in small skirmishes such as the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016-2018 Border skirmishes, and the Pulwama incident in 2019, and continued exchange of fire across the Line of Control, this exemplifies the rivalry between India and Pakistan. Pakistan also faces a significant external threat from Afghanistan mainly after the Taliban took control in 2021. TTP is the major group that causes problems for Pakistan. Due to the security tension between the two nations, their cooperation remains strained. Pakistan also faces internal issues such as the Shia-Sunni conflict, poverty, street crime rates, terrorist attacks, insurgency in Baluchistan and Parachinar, and tension in the FATA, South Waziristan, and North Waziristan, also political instability causes more issues. Despite all these challenges, the Pakistan army plays a big role in maintaining a Mahfooz Pakistan. The military of Pakistan is strong and their morale is always high. They are ready to counter all challenges even if it is an external or internal threats. They protect the borders and are always ready to defend Pakistan. They not only protect the border but also counter-terrorism from the complicated areas. To make Pakistan Mazboot, it is not only the duty of the intelligence or government but every single citizen needs to work together. Every citizen needs to follow the law and protect the national interest at any cost. ESTABLISHING A POWERFUL NATION (MEZBOOT PAKISTAN) Mazboot Pakistan means that Pakistan stands on its own feet and provides opportunities to the people for the good life. For this they need to grow the economy, so Pakistan has had no good relations with India since its independence in 1947 due to the conflict over the Kashmir region. In their efforts to make a mazboot Pakistan, they make good relations with the neighboring countries such as China, also maintaining good relations with the remaining countries internationally. Pakistan's geopolitical location makes it strategically dominant. Pakistan started projects such as CPEC with China, which created job opportunities for the people, improved infrastructures, built roads and railways also worked in the energy sector. This increases the GDP growth of Pakistan's economy. Now, Pakistan is known as a regional trade hub. Pakistan is taking further initiatives to make it more mazboot in the sector of education by providing scholarships and launching free IT courses for the students to become financially independent, they are also working in the agriculture sector to increase exports. They also adopt the tax reform policy which generates revenue. Transparency in government policies is essential for great leadership and good governance. Every decision must be based on merit and treat everyone equally. Pakistan is a diverse nation, consisting of numerous ethnic groups, different languages, religions, customs, and traditions. Sometimes conflict arises between the ethnic groups due to the unequal division of resources. People need to understand and respect each other variations and work together for the country’s success. CHALLENGES Pakistan faces numerous challenges in countering external and internal issues such as economic vulnerabilities, poverty, climate change, political instability, security concerns, and deficiency of technology revolution. The economy of Pakistan is lacking due to the weak currency, taking loans from the IMF, and rising debt. Due to the political instability, investors stopped investing in Pakistan which caused economic problems along with this when a new government came into power they stopped the projects of the previous government which were not only time but resources too. Pakistan is affected by climate change, and due to poor management, the problems get worse such as floods and water scarcity. These issues damage the economy of the country. Pakistan also faces internal and external security issues the government of Pakistan spends a lot of money on military operations instead of development in the other sectors. Due to political instability, the government switched off the service of internet in many cities. This not only caused resistance among the government and people but also caused economic loss. RECOMMENDATIONS In the era of digitalization, media literacy is very essential for everyone. Being a citizen of Pakistan we must use it effectively. Mazboot and Mehfooz Pakistan are interrelated, both elements move parallel. We need to understand never compromise the National Interest, it is important to prioritize national interest over any political affiliation and ethnic group. We have to strengthen our institutions rather than weaken them, for instance, in incidents like 9TH May. Such events need unity among the state and people. We need to work patiently and through cooperation to resolve the conflicts. Along with this, switching off the internet is not the solution to the problem, the government should adopt another strategy. Reforms in the education system are necessary, adopting a single curriculum for the whole nation. Last but not least, different seminars and conferences held in Pakistan promote the importance of national interest among the people, I believe, all political parties need to understand the national interest and promote it instead of their political agendas which hurt the national interest of the state. We can only achieve Mehfoos and Mazboot Pakistan through cooperation, transparency, and commitment to the national interest. CONCLUSION “Mehfooz” and “Mazboot” Pakistan ensure the safety of people and provide opportunities to the people. To achieve these goals Government and the People need to work together and counter all issues such as internal and external security threats, economic vulnerabilities, environmental issues, and lack of technological innovation. We should prioritize national interest over any issue. As a citizen of Pakistan, it is our responsibility to stay united accept the diversity of ethnic groups and promote peace and sustainability. By doing this, we realize the faithful dream of Mehfooz and Mazboot Pakistan, a state that promotes peace and prosperity within its territorial limits while proudly establishing itself on the international stage.

Guest Author

Eeman Gul The author of this article is a student of Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, who recently completed an internship at ISPR. Note: This article reflects the author's personal opinion, which is not necessarily endorsed by the TWA.