The Sindh government, political parties, educational and cultural institutions along with the general public observed the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan on Sunday with enthusiasm as various buildings across Karachi were decorated with fairy lights as a mark of celebration.
Governor’s message
Hoisting the national flag on the premises of the Sindh Assembly, the acting Sindh governor, Agha Siraj Durrani, said political parties should leave their differences behind and work for the progress of the country.
Members of the Sindh Assembly Sharmila Farooqui, Mangala Sharma, Rana Ansar, Shahana Ashar, Zulfiqar Ali Shah and others were also present on the occasion.
Congratulating the nation, Durrani said our forefathers rendered countless sacrifices for the sake of the dear motherland. He added that the Sindh Assembly had been a prominent place in the freedom struggle. “I feel proud to conduct the session of this assembly because here the Quaid-e-Azam took the oath of the governor general and Liaquat Ali Khan hoisted the national flag,” he said.
“We are proud of the Sindh Assembly as it was the first assembly that passed the resolution for the creation of Pakistan. Freedom is a blessing and we should thank Allah for giving us a free state,” Durrani remarked.
He called for unity, harmony and equality in the country to achieve national goals. “We have to prove on the occasion of Independence Day that we are an organised, united and civilised nation.”
Tribute to Quaid
The governor also visited the mausoleum of the Quaid-e-Azam along with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to pay homage to the father of nation on the occasion of Independence Day.
The two laid a wreath on the grave of the Quaid-e-Azam and offered prayers for him. They also hoisted the national flag at the mausoleum. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah created Pakistan through his political wisdom and farsightedness and now as a responsible nation, we had to protect it and strengthen it politically and economically.
The CM said that some political orphans had tried to create unrest in the country by advancing their baseless narrative, but the people of this country were politically aware and united under the banner of the national flag. To a question, Shah said his government had worked hard to restore the storm water drains of the city and their proper desilting had enabled them to dispose of rainwater.
He added that climate change had caused heavy rains. “This year, we have received unprecedented heavy downpours in July and still the monsoon is in progress,” he remarked and explained that the drainage system in Karachi was not designed to deal with such heavy rains and now the government was planning to redesign or improve the overall drainage system.
Political parties
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh President Syed Ali Haider Zaidi said on Independence Day that Pakistan was the result of unforgettable struggle of the Muslims of Subcontinent.
Today, all Pakistanis were living in peace and unity under one flag without discrimination, he added. He claimed that the people of Karachi and Hyderabad were standing with PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the struggle for real freedom. “Imran Khan is a practical example of the teachings of Jinnah.”
He also announced that grand rallies of the PTI would be held in Karachi on August 19 and in Hyderabad on August 20, in which Khan would deliver a special address.
Sindh Assembly opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh in a statement said that people wanted true freedom in the country and the Lahore public gathering of the PTI had proved that it was not a political rally but a public referendum.
Addressing a public gathering at Five Star Chowrangi, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal said the country that came into being after countless sacrifices was still not free.
“The ‘white British’ went but left the ‘black British’. The British did not stop us from praying, fasting, Hajj, or going to mosques but did not give us powers and later, ‘black British’ also did not give us powers,” he said and explained that by ‘black British’, he meant landlords and capitalists who were oppressing the people.
He said the PSP would liberate the country in a real sense. He added that the goals of freedom need to be renewed because the nation had moved away from them.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said on Independence Day that a bunch of slave families who were loyal to their foreign masters had been imposed on the nation for the past 75 years.
During an Independence Day ceremony, he said the progress and development of the country was impossible without getting rid of these slaves as they always took turns to rule the nation but did nothing for national interests. The JI leader lamented that the people of Karachi came out of homes to celebrate independence but broken roads, stagnant rainwater, and garbage on roadsides welcomed them.
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen President Allama Baqir Abbas Zaidi also visited the Mazar-e-Quaid along with Ulema and Zakireen on the occasion of Independence Day. He paid homage to the Quaid e Azam and placed flowers on his grave.
He prayed for the well-being of Pakistan and said that reckless efforts of the Quaid-e-Azam resulted in the autonomous country. The great leader actualized the dream of Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal, he added.
He said we needed to follow in the footsteps of the Quaid-e-Azam to develop our country. Pakistan was not obtained just as a piece of land but as a laboratory for independent decision making, he remarked.
Police activities
The Sindh police chief, Ghulam Nabi Memon, visited the Mazar-e-Quaid where he laid flowers on the Quaid’s grave and offered Fateha. The additional IG operation, additional IG Karachi, additional IG CTD and additional IG Special Branch also accompanied IGP Memon on the occasion along with other senior officers.
During the media talk, the police chief said August 14 reminded us of enthusiasm and bravery of our great leaders who ensured the establishment of a free and independent country.
Meanwhile, a shooting competition was held on the occasion of Independence Day at the Security Division Headquarters. Diplomatic corps, law enforcement agencies’ personnel and SSU commandos, including female commandos, participated in the competition and exhibited their professional skills in the categories of precise shooting, rapid shooting and 9mm pistol shooting. Officials said that diplomatic corps from the United States, Russia, Britain, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Qatar participated in the competition.
Educational institutes
A ceremony was held at the University of Karachi (KU) on Sunday morning where Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said our beloved country was going through a difficult situation, as we had been facing internal and external challenges such as terrorism and economic issues. To solve our problems, we have to invest more in education, research and development sectors, as it was the only way to make Pakistan economically stable, the VC remarked.
During a ceremony at the Iqra University North Campus, scholar Dr Arfa Syeda Zahra spoke on video call and stated that the path to which education led was the bright path. She said that due to the efforts of Iqra University VC Dr Waseem Qazi and all the teachers, a large number of young students were studying.
Dr Syed Ali Raza said on the occasion that Pakistan came into existence due to the sacrifices of our elders.