Multan
The 68th Independence Day was celebrated with national fervour in entire South Punjab on Thursday. The activists of different political and social parties as well as common citizens held flag hoisting functions, meetings, rallies and other activities in Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lodhran, Vehari, Layyah, Mailsi, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and other adjoining areas. The day dawned with special prayers for the progress, prosperity and security of the country.
In Multan, different chapters of PML-N and Young Pakistanis Organization held meetings, flag hoisting functions and rallies while Pakistan Patriot Forum arranged a candle light vigil and cake cutting ceremony. Flag hoisting functions were held at Lahore High Court Multan bench, District Courts, Bahauddin Zakariya University, District and High Court Bars, State Bank Building, DCO and Commissioner offices, Police Lines, RPO office, colleges and other educational institutions. 
The roads and streets were decorated with national flags and buntings while the buildings were beautifully illuminated in the night. The philanthropists distributed edibles among the poor at the shrines of saints at Qila Qasim Bagh. The District Coordination Offier Zahid Saleem Gondal visited different hospitals of Multan and distributed sweets among the patients and kids to engage them in celebrations.
The workers of PML-N brought out a rally from Raza Hall and marched up to Chowk Katchehri. Police band played national anthem on this occasion while the participants of the rally chanted slogans. The day past peacefully as no untoward incident took place in Multan. 
Earlier, addressing the functions the speakers said that Pakistan was our identity and our existence was subject to the existence of this country. They added that some elements played the role of foreign agents and posed serious threat to national security and solidarity. They said that our forefathers rendered tremendous sacrifices for the establishment of this country and only prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif could steer it out of crisis. They pointed out that problems like price hike, unemployment, loadshedding and lawlessness made the lives of people highly miserable. They added that over billing and high prices of edibles played a key role in increase in poverty and hunger. They asked the rulers to resign if they could not resolve the issues being faced by the poor people.
Security was beefed up on eve of Independence Day to thwart nefarious designs of terrorists. Cops in uniform and plain clothes were deployed at all important spots to keep eye on suspicious elements.