LAHORE - President Dr Arif Alvi has said Pakistan came into being due to struggle and a strong conviction of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
“Our forefathers rendered sacrifices to get Pakistan, therefore, we should protect it. Pakistanis are a democratic nation. Islamabad sends a message of peace during the recent tension with India and proved that we are peace loving country,” he said while addressing the 27th gold medal award ceremony at Aiwan-i-Karkunan-i-Tehreek-i-Pakistan on Friday.
The Tehreek-i-Pakistan Workers Trust in collaboration with the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust orgaised the event to give award to Pakistan movement workers. President Alvi conferred gold medals upon the Pakistan Movement workers on the occasion.
He congratulated them and expressed his gratitude, saying that Pakistan could only be achieved through their hard work.
He recalled: “My father was the president of UP Muslim League and an activist of Pakistan Movement. I have spent my childhood with his friends, including Ch Khaliquz Zaman, Hussain Imam and ZA Sulehiri who had worked for Pakistan Movement.” He said Jinnah had urged Nawab Ismail to stay in India and keep contact with Indian Muslims.
He said his maternal aunt, maternal uncle and many other relatives could not migrate to Pakistan at the time of Partition. “Muslims rendered sacrifices and they used to complain that we had forgotten them. We should stabilise our economy in order to protect the rights of the Muslims in India,” he stressed. He said: “Hindus in India use to suggest Muslims that they should migrate to Pakistan. Therefore, we should be aware of their miseries.” He urged the youth to have knowledge of the history their forefathers made. He pointed out Pakistanis have rendered 70,000 sacrifices in war against terrorism.
He said more research work on Pakistan Movement should be ensured and their memoirs should be preserved for the upcoming generations.
In his welcome address, former CJ Mian Mahboob Ahmed eulogised Muhammad Ali Jinnah for his dynamic leadership. He said the participants being conferred with gold medals had played an impressive role in Pakistan Movement.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Waleed Iqbal welcomed the president on behalf of the trust and apprised him of its aims and objectives. He said hundreds of students visit the trust under the Pakistan Awareness Programme while five mobile units also operate throughout Pakistan. He said the trust has spread this message to 3.4 million students over the last 11 years. Earlier, NPT Secretary General Shahid Rasheed welcomed the guests and read out the agenda of the ceremony.
