THERE has been a wave of terrorism and the occasional call for independence by separatist organisations active in Pakistan. Every nation and region deserves dignity, justice, equal rights and meaningful political participation. However, secession is rarely the best solution to longstanding political grievances. This should also be understood by one and all in Pakistan.

History has repeatedly shown that the creation of a new state does not automa- tically resolve economic, political and security challenges. In many cases, new countries continue to face serious internal and external pressures for many decades.

As a Bangladeshi national, I believe our own history demonstrates that indepen-dence alone does not guarantee lasting stability or prosperity. The experiences of any nation should encourage us to carefully consider the long-term consequences of territorial division rather than assuming that separation would solve all problems. Independence actually does not necessarily mean freedom. It may apparently look tempting, but does not actually always serve the purpose.

Pakistan is an important country in South Asia and a nuclear-armed state with significant strategic importance. At a time of growing geopolitical competition, I believe, preserving Pakistan’s unity through constitutional reforms, dialogue, greater provincial autonomy, economic develop-ment and respect for the rights of all communities would contribute more to regional peace and stability than further fragmentation. The people of Pakistan deserve development, security, justice and equal opportunities regardless of the province or the region they belong to.

These objectives, in my opinion, should be pursued within a peaceful and united Pakistan through democratic engagement and sincere national reconciliation efforts.

Borhan Uddin
Chittagong, Bangladesh

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2026