14th August, the memorable day that marked the creation of a new country, Pakistan. It is a day when the British-India achieved independence from the Britishers, and was broken up into three sovereign, independent countries, one of which was Pakistan.
On 14th August 2020, we are to celebrate seventy-three years of independence, but a global pandemic has installed fears into our minds and we are unable to go out to celebrate the independence. Today, we are locked into our homes, with our tables and pockets congested with sanitizers, masks and gloves. Today, we are celebrating freedom in captivity.
This year’s Independence Day stands out for its uniqueness, with regard to the annum’s overwhelming history. It is our first independence with masks on our faces, gloves on our hands and sanitizers in our pockets. An independence where we must avoid hugging or shaking hands. An independence where we might not witness roads jam-packed with celebrators brandishing flags and blowing trumpets. An independence where we might not see markets decorated in green and white. An independence where we might not see bazaars filled with joy and buzz. Therefore, it is to be a historic Independence Day for us!
But on the other side of the story, it might also seem biased to rejoice at a time when the entire world is undergoing massive crisis. We should instead observe solemnity and grieve and play our part to make the day a landmark for anti-COVID efforts. An inspiration can be sought from India’s biotechnology firm, Bharat Biotech, who is to unveil its COVID-19 vaccine on the Indian Independence Day to free the nation from the virus. The company claims its vaccine to be at the final phase of human testing which is to complete before the Indian independence.
We are also witnessing mind-blowing COVID-19 statistics, with about twenty million confirmed cases worldwide incorporated with a daily surge of at least 200,000 infects. Schools and universities are closed, millions are left jobless, many businesses have shattered and many economics have been devastated. With all these financial and economic catastrophes, the virus has led to more than 700,000 casualties worldwide. Therefore, the real Independence Day will be the one when this disease will be eradicated.
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