Independence Day Starbytes
Desi…and proud of it!
Instep talks to some of Pakistan's biggest stars on moments that made them proud to be Pakistani this year.

Atif Aslam

"The proudest moment would be witnessing this nation cleanse itself of terrorism. Things are getting better and I'm happy to say that the music scene is back! On a personal note, I am proud that we touched the 500 gig mark this year. And I'm also proud that we didn't go to Dubai. For me that's a proud moment because it had become monotonous. I'm actually proud of the fact that we didn't go to perform in Dubai this year!"

Shaan

"There was really nothing to be proud of, to tell you honestly. But I'd have to say that the proudest moment for me is that despite everything that is happening around us - the lies, the political system, the way leaders are treating us - I am still in Pakistan. That's my proudest moment. Despite everything I have not left my country. I don't want to leave. I will not leave and this is who and what I want to be for the rest of my life. Good things are happening but they are not enough to celebrate. For the common man, life is getting worse. But I don't want to be pessimistic. For me the spirit of being a proud Pakistani is staying here and not leaving."

Shehzad Roy

"A proud moment for me was when a girl from one of the government schools we (The Zindagi Trust) have adopted went to Sri Lanka for a drawing competition and beat a kid from Lyceum. These kids never get this opportunity and if they would it would be such a paradigm shift! My message for August 14 is: Na bijli hai na paani hai, phir bhi dil Pakistani hai."

Ali Zafar

"1: This moment comes everyday after every hour during the special sauna treatment provided to me at home as to the whole nation via load shedding. 

2: This moment comes once or twice in a decade and this time it was when we won the Twenty20 World Cup . I almost got off at Liberty to dance with the others !

3: This moment has only came once in 60 years.It was when justice was revived.

4: This comes every fortnight, when I tune into Coke Studio.

5: This is about to come ! 

Vaneeza Ahmed:

"The girl I'm really proud of as a Pakistani is Laila Kasuri, who scored 9 As and was offered a full scholarship to Harvard. Not only that, they're paying for her flights home as well as giving her a stipend! We also have the youngest software programmer in the world who is also a Pakistani. It's so important that these kids are really representing Pakistan abroad and making us proud!"