Independence Day 2025: A Call For Green Patriotism -By Dr. Muhammad Mumtaz

On the 78th Independence Day of Pakistan, August 14, 2025, the green and white flags wave proudly in cities and villages alike. Streets are illuminated, national songs echo through the air, and patriotic sentiments rise to their peak. The festivities this year are charged with an added intensity, unfolding against the backdrop of a recent aerial showdown with India, an event celebrated as a reaffirmation of the Pakistan Air Force’s skill and the Armed Forces’ preparedness. Yet, as the roar of jet engines fades and the skies return to calm, it is time to look inward. In the modern world, sovereignty is no longer measured solely by the capacity to defend borders, but by the ability to protect the land, water, and air that define our homeland.

As the nation rejoices in a military success, an unrelenting threat silently undermines our security: the climate crisis. Flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern regions, record heatwaves in Sindh and Punjab, and a multi-year drought in Balochistan remind us that these are not isolated disasters, but symptoms of a systemic challenge. These environmental shocks are already reshaping the conditions of life in Pakistan, eroding livelihoods, and threatening long-term stability. In moments of celebration, we must not only honour the sacrifices of the past but also confront the environmental realities that jeopardise the future.

Pakistan’s birth in 1947 was the triumph of political will, vision, and unity in the face of immense adversity. Millions endured unimaginable suffering in the hope of building a better life in an independent nation. Today, we stand at the edge of another monumental challenge, one not caused by partition, ideology, or armed conflict, but by rising temperatures, recurring floods, worsening droughts, and degraded ecosystems. Pakistan now ranks among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. The destructive floods of 2022, the more recent floods of 2025, the record-breaking drought in Balochistan, and the deadly heatwaves in Sindh are not forecasts, they are our present reality. A 2024 UNDP report estimates that climate-related disasters cost Pakistan around 3.5% of GDP annually, with the poorest bearing the heaviest burden.

This calls for a reimagining of independence itself. In the 21st century, sovereignty must also mean environmental independence, the freedom to breathe clean air, drink safe water, and live on healthy soil. Can a nation truly claim freedom if its rivers run dry, its glaciers retreat, and its forests vanish? Patriotism today must embrace environmental stewardship as a core duty. The spirit of Azadi now demands climate action, mobilising youth, enacting concrete policies, ensuring climate justice, and fostering partnerships between government, academia, and civil society.

Pakistan’s demographic advantage offers a rare opportunity. With over 60% of the population under 30, the youth can be the vanguard of a green transformation. Already, student-led tree plantations, grassroots clean-up campaigns, and solar-powered start-ups are emerging across the country. This Independence Day could mark the launch of a “Green Youth Corps,” uniting young Pakistanis in a mission to restore ecosystems and adopt sustainable practices, just as their forefathers once rallied for political freedom.

But inspiration alone will not suffice; governance and policy must rise to match the scale of the threat. While initiatives like the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami, the revised National Climate Change Policy (2021), and the National Adaptation Plan (2023) mark important steps, gaps in implementation remain glaring. Too many adaptation projects are stalled, poorly coordinated, or mismatched to the rapid pace of environmental change. Climate change must be treated not as a sectoral issue for one ministry, but as a national emergency embedded in every arm of governance from agriculture and water to energy, transport, and finance.

Given the localised nature of climate impacts, power and resources must also be devolved to the grassroots. Municipalities and union councils should be equipped to develop location-specific adaptation measures, supported by data, funding, and technical expertise. To back these actions, Pakistan needs significant investment through dedicated budget allocations, international climate finance, green bonds, reforestation drives, and climate-smart infrastructure. Early warning systems, disaster risk reduction tools, and sustainable management of water and land are not luxuries; they are prerequisites for resilience. Political leadership must shed short-term calculations and adopt a long-term vision for a climate-secure Pakistan.

Internationally, Pakistan’s position is one of moral clarity. We contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bear a disproportionate share of the damage. This must be leveraged in diplomatic forums to secure climate finance, demand loss-and-damage compensation, and access technology transfers from developed nations. But climate justice also begins at home, ensuring that vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, and the elderly, are protected and included in climate planning. The ethos of Jinnah’s words, faith, discipline, and selfless dedication demands that environmental protection be pursued with the same resolve as the struggle for independence.

Symbols of national pride can evolve to reflect this new patriotism. Alongside the flag and anthem, imagine each household marking Independence Day by planting a tree, installing a solar panel, or pledging to reduce waste. The beauty of Pakistan from the mangroves of Karachi to the glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan is our shared inheritance. Protecting it is as patriotic as defending our borders, and it is within every citizen’s power to contribute. Academia and civil society have a pivotal role to play in shaping this national consciousness. Universities and research centres must advance climate science, develop locally adapted solutions, and integrate environmental ethics into curricula. Civil society organisations can bridge the gap between policy and practice, empowering communities to take ownership of climate action. Together, these forces can create a social contract that recognises the environment not as a backdrop to our national story, but as its foundation.

As the fireworks fade and the national anthem’s last notes linger in the air, the meaning of independence in 2025 must expand beyond the political to embrace the ecological. Climate change threatens not only our economy and health but also the very continuity of life in Pakistan. Yet within this crisis lies an opportunity to unite across political divides, to innovate, and to act decisively. Real independence in our century will be measured by climate resilience. Let this 78th Independence Day be remembered not only for what happened in the skies, but for what we resolved to do on the ground. The war on climate change will not be fought with guns, but with will, wisdom, and unity. May our patriotism be defined not by the volume of slogans, but by the depth of our commitment to safeguarding Pakistan’s natural heritage for generations to come. 

The writer is working as Assistant Professor and climate change policy researcher at the Department of Public Administration, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He can be reached at mumtaz86@hotmail.com