It’s time to invest in creativity, innovation

Arshad Nadeem's win necessitates the need for radical rethink of our mindset — one that has for far too long limited our objectives to a small set of fields. In our pursuit of safe futures, we have evolved into a nation that places priority on degrees in engineering, computer science, law and medical. While these occupations are vital, they only cover a small portion of what our people are capable of.

This narrow outlook underlines the economic challenges that many people confront, with financial stability viewed as solely achievable through traditional careers. However, this strategy has hampered the creativity, innovation, and different abilities that may move our country forward in a variety of other sectors.

Sports, arts, and other similar fields frequently receive little to no funding and attention. This is painfully clear in how we performed on the international stage. Pakistan has only won one gold medal in the Olympics, and that accomplishment occurred just on August 8, 2024 when Arshad Nadeem made the nation proud by achieving gold medal in the javelin throw contest in the ongoing Paris Olympics. His success is because of individual determination rather than systemic support, underlining the critical need for further investment in our sports sector.

As we celebrated our 77th anniversary of independence, let us be inspired by Arshad Nadeem's achievement. It serves as a striking reminder that Pakistan's potential goes far beyond traditional occupations. To really celebrate our country's independence, we must extend our views and invest in all forms of talent, including athletics, the arts, and innovation. Only then will we be able to realize our nation's full potential and shine on the global stage in ways that exceed our current expectations.