In the quiet wisdom of ages past, friendship has always been understood as more than a mere exchange of pleasantries or fleeting alliances.It is not merely an arrangement of convenience but an attitude of the soul through which a profound and enduring relationship takes root and flourishes. Authentic friendship, at its finest, remains untouched by the calculations of personal gain or material advantage. It is selfless in its essence, free from the shadows of greed or fleeting self-interest.

The celebrated Punjabi Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh expressed this timeless truth with poetic clarity when he declared, “Dunya tay jo kumnaaayaaokhaysokhaywail’ay, ais bedardiyaar day kolobehtaryaarakalay.” In other words, if a so-called friend offers no support amid the trials and triumphs of life, then solitude itself is preferable to such hollow companionship. All else, he wisely noted, belongs to the superficial pageantry of prosperous days.

Regrettably, the standards of friendship have undergone a troubling transformation in our modern age. The pure and generous spirit that once defined it has too often been obscured by veils of expediency and mutual interest. What was once a bond of unwavering loyalty has, in many quarters, been reduced to a transaction governed by advantage. Yet, even amidst this shift, certain friendships—both personal and national—have........

© Pakistan Observer