Short Story submitted by Zoay Iman for 14th August 2026

True Patriotism

Afternoon sun filtered through the dusty streets of Lahore, creating a warm glow over a small park that had long been forgotten. Plastic wrappers tumbled across the dry grass like tumbleweeds, and a faint haze hung over the skyline.

Eighteen year old Dua stood at the edge of the park, holding a single young sapling in her hands. Next to her was her younger brother, Tahoor, who was impatiently tossing a plastic water bottle from hand to hand.

“Everyone’s at the Independence Month rally downtown, Dua,” Tahoor said, checking his phone. “They’re waving flags and singing national songs. Why are we standing in a dirty empty lot?”

Dua smiled, taking the plastic bottle gently from his hands and slipping it into her canvas bag. “Celebrating our history is important, Tahoor. But loving our country isn’t just about honoring its past, it’s about protecting its future. True independence means having the freedom to breathe clean air, drink pure water, and live in harmony with nature.”

Tahoor looked around at the faded dry grass and the trash piled near the benches. “How does two people planting a single tree change any of this?”

“Because securing and protecting our nation starts right here, with the soil beneath our feet,” Dua replied, kneeling down to dig into the earth. “Every plastic bag we refuse, every drop of water we save, and every tree we plant is an act of true patriotism. It’s easy to speak proud words, but patriotism is what we do.”

Tahoor watched as she carefully placed the sapling into the fresh dirt. He looked down at the plastic bottle in her bag, then at the hazy horizon above the city. The connection suddenly clicked. The freedom to live well meant keeping the land alive.

Kneeling beside her, Tahoor reached for the watering can. “Then let’s turn our words into action,” he said, pouring just enough water to nourish the roots without wasting a single drop.

Over the next few weeks, the small act grew. Inspired by Dua and Tahoor, local youth joined in, replacing unsustainable habits with daily habits and actions organizing cleanups, swapping single use plastics for cloth bags, and planting rows of native trees along the street.

As August drew to a close, the once forgotten park was thriving, a vibrant patch of green under a clearer sky. Standing together among the new leaves, Dua and Tahoor knew this was only the beginning of building a climate resilient nation.

Together, hand in hand with the youth of their community, they raised their voices not just in celebration, but in purpose:

Clean Pakistan!
Green Pakistan!

Written By:
Zoay Iman
Undergraduate Law
Rashid Latif Khan University Lahore