PATRIOTISM

PATRIOTISM

Patriotism is a feeling of love for one’s own country. It is a desire to serve it in all conditions. This love is so deep rooted that a man can easily sacrifice his life and all for the land of his birth. This love is not like the one that a man has for another. The love of one’s own country is unchangeable. It is one and the same throughout his life.

Patriotism is a great force. It. brings the people of a country closer. It-makes them have common aims. It makes them feel that they have and die together. Patriotism saves man from a life of bondage and disgrace. It is thus his life b1ood. It was for these patriotic feelings that Alexander, Napoleon and Hitler filed to conquer the whole world and make all the people their slaves. Inspire of their indomitable will and courage; unlimited resources and vast army, they failed to achieve their end. The patriotic feelings of the peoples were too strong for them.

Patriotism is a quality of high virtue. A man who has no love for his country who has no patriotism is a man without soul. Patriotism does not mean that one should be loyal to one’s country and do whatever he pleases for his selfish ends. A patriot sacrifices all his personal interest for the welfare of his country. Patriotism includes every effort for the welfare of people and name and glory of land.

A narrow concept of patriotism is dangerous. It leads to fatal wars and world wild tension. We should not think that our country is superior to others and has a right to dominate them. A number of wars have been the result of such an attitude. A healthy sense of patriotism will never permit the people to do for others what they do not want to be done to themselves. Nationalism is not patriotism.

Many political leaders excite the people just to have cheap popularity. Under the cover of nationalism they lead nation in the wrong direction. So we should be careful about the healthy growth of this feeling.

The man who has no love and regard for his country is as ignoble as an ungrateful son. Such men are called traitors. The Muslims ruled for several hundred years in this sub-continent. They would not have lost their empire and supremacy had it not been for the traitor Mir Jafar.

We groaned the heels of the British for about two hundred years. But we are now free. But we should not forget that there are greedy eyes all around. We should, therefore, love our hard earned Pakistan most ardently. We should be ever watchful to see that nobody may even cherish an iota of greed for her.