IN 2025, as tensions flare once again between India and Pakistan, our region finds itself trapped in an all-too-familiar loop.
Fighter jets take off, politicians posture, headlines scream and the public braces itself for uncertainty.
However, something is different this time.
Amid the military manoeuvres and diplomatic deadlock, another kind of battle is being fought, one of memes, sarcasm and sheer psychological brilliance and in this battle, the Pakistani spirit has emerged as an undeniable victor.
Pakistanis, it turns out, are doing what they do best: laughing in the face of adversity.
Our social media feeds are not full of panic, but punchlines.
There is a meme war underway and Pakistanis, with their trademark humour, linguistic agility and creative defiance — are leading the charge.
In a world consumed by 24/7 news cycles and inflated egos, we have weaponized wit and it is working.
This is not mere escapism.
This is cultural strength.
As Epictetus said, “The man who angers you controls you.
” and while our neighbours across the border have reacted with visible agitation, Pakistanis have turned tension into satire.
Our calm is not weakness it is control.
Our laughter is not recklessness it is resolve.
Behind this national sense of humour lies something deeper: the unshakable professionalism and maturity of our armed forces.
They do not seek the spotlight; they earn it through composure and courage.
They do not boast; they act.
While others beat the drums of war, Pakistan’s defense forces exude calm and their people echo that poise through wit, irony and remarkable emotional intelligence.
Let us not be misunderstood.
We are not trivializing conflict.
As Lao Tzu wisely wrote, “When you win a war, you celebrate by mourning.
” We know the human cost of war, we’ve paid it too often.
This generation of Pakistanis has weathered terrorism, instability, natural disasters, pandemics and poverty.
We have buried friends, rebuilt cities and rebooted economies.
We understand loss.
That is precisely why we choose laughter because we have earned it.
Ours is a faith that teaches humility and a culture that values justice.
We do not celebrate the suffering of any human being.
However, if war is imposed upon us, we will face it with wisdom, with resolve and with humour.
We will show the world that a nation that can joke in the darkest hour is a nation that will never be broken.
That a smile is not a sign of surrender it is a sign of unshaken dignity.
Now is also the time to look inward.
Let this moment serve as a reminder that unity must begin at home.
We must swiftly heal internal rifts, reject toxic divisions and remember that our greatest strength lies in our togetherness.
Our humour is powerful but our unity, our resolve and our wisdom are what will carry us forward.
So let them know.
Let the warmongers hear our laughter and feel unsettled.
Let our memes mock their madness.
Let our calmness reveal their chaos.
In war, in peace and in the space between Pakistan’s spirit endures and we endure with wit, with wisdom and with love for our land.
—The writer is Associate Professor, Health Services Academy, Islamabad. (drahmedabdullah83@gmail.com)
