ISLAMABAD   -  The nation on Saturday celebrated the 146th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah across the country with a renewed pledge to follow his vision and work hard for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born on December 25,1876, in Karachi. His birthday is a public holiday and the national flag is hoisted on principal government buildings throughout the country. The day dawned with special prayers for the security, progress, and prosperity of the country. Special events had been arranged on the day to highlight and promote ideas and views of the Quaid-e-Azam.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a lawyer and politician and served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan’s independence on 14 August 1947, and then as Pakistan’s first Governor-General until his death on September 11, 1948.

To mark the day, the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) has organized various cultural events in connection with the birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

A painting exhibition, tableau, and speech competition were organized aimed to educate youth about Quaid’s vision and his ideology of Pakistan.

Various activities were held in government and private organizations across the country to shed light on Quaid-e-Azam’s lifelong political struggle and his guiding principles of unity, faith, and discipline.

A change of guard ceremony took place at the Mazar-e-Quaid.

Several people from all walks of life visited the tomb to pay tribute to Quaid-e-Azam for the services he rendered for the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent.

President, PM paid homage to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

President Dr. Arif Alvi in a message to the nation on the day urged countrymen to follow his great guiding principles to make Pakistan a great nation.

The president said the whole nation paid tribute to the father of the nation who made the utmost struggle for the independence of the Muslims of the subcontinent, a separate and independent state for them.

He said due to his tireless efforts, capabilities, determination, and extraordinary character, the great Quaid materialized his dream of the creation of Pakistan.

The president said that in order to cope with the prevailing challenges, the nation should follow Quaid’s golden principles of faith unity and discipline.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Quaid e Azam emphasized upon the youth to adopt Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s attributes of honesty, hard work, perseverance, and dedication.

He said, “On this day, I want to emphasize upon our youth that Jinnah’s attributes of honesty, hard work, perseverance, and dedication to a bigger cause made him the great leader.”

“We as a nation need to adopt these attributes to realize Quaid’s vision of a developed, progressive and tolerant Pakistan.”

It was a matter of privilege for our generation and our children to be born in an independent Pakistan that could not have been our destiny without the struggle of Quaid-e-Azam, he added.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain in his message said that the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah with his tireless hard work and principled political struggle gave the nation the gift of an independent state.

He said that the great leader made inevitable the formation of a state in the shape of Pakistan where all citizens enjoyed equal opportunities to live and progress without any discrimination of caste, creed, race, religion, and language.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that the life of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a beautiful combination of courage, hard work, honesty, determination, and truth.

In a tweet,  the minister said the life of the Quaid-e-Azam was a beacon of light for the young generation for making Pakistan a state as envisioned by the Quaid-e-Azam.

Armed Forces pay tribute to Father of the Nation

Meanwhile, Armed forces of Pakistan have paid tribute to Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on his 145th birth anniversary.

In a tweet, DG ISPR said, “Quaid’s vision of a peaceful and progressive Pakistan following principles of Unity, Faith & Discipline is imperative for our success as a nation”. In another tweet, he said that Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman and Services chiefs have also extended felicitations to Christian community in armed forces and across Pakistan on Christmas. “CJCSC and Services chiefs extend felicitations to Christian community in armed forces and across Pakistan on Christmas. From the creation of Pakistan to date, their sacrifices and contributions in service of Pakistan are phenomenal. Merry Christmas Christmas tree,” read the tweet.