Whole nation demonstrates high spirit for country’s integration, economic prosperity n Armed Forces resolve to make Pakistan’s defence impregnable n PAF releases song n Kashmiris to observe India’s I-Day as Black Day.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday celebrated its diamond jubilee, completion of 75 years of independence, with great national enthusiasm and traditional zeal.
The day dawned with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and 21-gun salute in the provincial headquarters.
Special prayers were offered in mosques at dawn for peace, solidarity and prosperity of the country. The national flag was hoisted at all important public and private buildings as well as streets, bazaars and markets were profusely illuminated.
National flags, buntings, portraits of founding fathers, posters and banners were seen everywhere as part of the celebration of Independence Day. National television and radio channels highlighted the services of Pakistan Movement heroes’ on the day and paid rich tributes to their extra ordinary
contributions for making Pakistan a reality. The change of guards’ ceremony was held at Mazaar-e-Quaid in Karachi, and the cadets of Pakistan Naval Academy assumed the guards duties. A big national flag was hoisted with tomb of Quaid-e-Azam in background amid Independence Day celebrations in Karachi.
The main feature of the celebrations every year is the national flag-hoisting ceremony in Islamabad. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif hoisted the national flag during a ceremony at Convention Centre, Islamabad to mark the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan. Similar flag-hoisting ceremonies were also held at provincial, divisional and district headquarters levels throughout the country. While celebrating the Day, President Dr Arif Alvi urged the nation to remain steadfast and work wholeheartedly for the development, progress and prosperity of the country.
“We need to remain united to overcome financial, economic and security challenges faced by the country. Let us pledge that we will remain steadfast to render any sacrifice for the dignity and self-respect of our people and greatness and glory of our beloved homeland,” the president said in a message on the 75th anniversary of Independence of Pakistan.
He stressed that we should not forget our oppressed Kashmiri brothers and sisters of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message on Independence Day, said that nothing is more dangerous for a nation than internal division, disruption and chaos which undermine the solidarity and integrity of the country and rob societies of their national purpose. He said that Independence Day is a watershed moment in our nation’s history.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi conferred Pakistan civil awards on 253 Pakistani citizens as well as foreign nationals on the occasion of 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of the country. The citizens were bestowed with awards for showing excellence and courage in different fields.
The investiture ceremony of these awards will take place on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2023.
Prominent among those who received the awards included Sartaj Aziz, late Hasil Bizenjo, late Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, late Justice ® Bhagwandas, late Ghulam Ali Chagla and late Sufi Ghulam Tabassum for their services to Pakistan.
Muhammad Qavi Khan (performing arts), Jahangir Khan (Squash), Amjad Islam Amjad (Poetry), Ahmad Arif Nizami (journalism), Mujibur Rehman Shami (journalism), Altaf Hassan Qureshi (journalism), Bilquis Bano Edhi (social services), Muhammad Chipa (social services), Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera (public service) and others were also among the awardees. Moreover, Flag hoisting ceremony was also held at President House in Muzaffarabad where AJK President Barrister Sultan Mehmood and Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas hoisted the national flag. Addressing the ceremony, the AJK president said time is not too far when the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir would be freed from Indian clutches and people from both sides of Line of Control would celebrate Independence Day together.
Pakistan Air Force’s public relations department has released a song on the occasion of Diamond Jubilee of Pakistan’s Independence Day.
This song is a tribute to the courage and bravery of the soldiers of the Pakistan Air Force who created stories of bravery in air battles with the enemy and raised the prestige of the country and the nation. The journey of increasing operational capabilities, innovation and self-reliance of Pakistan Air Force is also a feature of the song. This song has also reiterated the determination that the Pakistan armed forces are always ready to fulfil the sacred duty of defending the country with the strength of the nation.
The Kashmir people, while expressing the extreme hatred against India to mark strong protest over New Delhi’s forced August, 5, 2019 nefarious action of scrapping special status of Jammu and Kashmir state, would observe India’s independence day on August 15 as Black Day.
Every year Kashmiris observe, India’s all national days including the independence day as black day to condemn her constantly denying Kashmiris right to self determination besides to apprise the external world of the India’s ongoing worst reign of state terrorism making people of occupied Jammu Kashmir state besieged, at gun point of over two million of her military and para military troops.
India has unleashed history’s worst atrocities and state terrorism against the people in occupied Jammu and Kashmir fighting for liberation of the motherland from the forced Indian rule since past 75 years.
The observance of the scheduled Indian Independence day as black day is also aimed at to express indignation against the Indian imperialism for forcibly keeping bulk part of the State in her unlawful and forcible occupation for past 75 years, organizers said.
“Anti-India rallies followed by protest demonstrations in all small and major cities and towns at both sides of the LoC, will be hallmark of the day”, an AJK govt. spokesman told APP here Friday.
“Participants of the protest rallies will wear black bands around their arms as a sign of hatred against India, according to the organizers of the special black day programs. Black flags will be hoisted atop the private and buildings by the protesting Kashmiris at both sides of the LoC”, according to the reports.
In Azad Jammu & Kashmir, anti-India rallies will be staged and processions will be brought out in all small and major cities including AJK’s capital city of Muzafferabad and all other nine district headquarters of Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, Bhimbher, Palandri, Rawalakot, Haveili, Jhelum Valley and Neelam valley by the people belonging to walks of life to reiterate severe hatred against the Indian imperialism
