Nation celebrates Pakistan Day today

ISLAMABAD: The nation celebrates Pakistan Day today (Friday) with renewed commitment to work hard for the progress and stability of the country.

The day marks adoption of historic Lahore Resolution this day in 1940 that provided a framework for realisation of the goal of a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia. The Day will dawn with 31-gun salute in the federal capital and 21-gun salute in provincial capitals.

Special prayers will be offered in mosques after Fajr prayers for the progress, prosperity and solidarity of the country. It will be a public holiday. National flag will be hoisted on major government buildings.

The main feature of the day will be the spectacular military parade at the parade avenue in Islamabad where armed forces will conduct march-past and the fighter jets will present aerobatic maneuvers. On the occasion floats will also depict the culture of different regions.

President Mamnoon Hussain will be the chief guest while Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena will be the guest of honor on the occasion. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbassi and the services chiefs will also witness the parade.

An investiture ceremony will be held at Aiwan-e-Sadar in the evening where President Mamnoon Hussain would confer awards and medals to personalities for their outstanding contribution in different fields. This year a total of one hundred and forty one Pakistanis as well as foreign nationals will be conferred upon civil awards. Former Cuban President Dr Fidel Castro will be honored with posthumous Nishan-e-Pakistan while late human rights champion Asma Jahangir will be awarded a posthumous Nishan-e-Imtiaz for her undying services for the citizens of the country.

Various political, social, religious, educational and other organisations have arranged functions to highlight the importance of the Pakistan Resolution and different aspects of struggle for Pakistan besides progress made after independence.

Meanwhile special security arrangements have been put in place in the twin cities to avert any untoward incident. Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in their separate messages on the occasion of Pakistan Day said that Pakistan came into being consequent to a democratic struggle and its security, solidarity and prosperity was also linked with the democracy.

They urged their countrymen to follow the teachings of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal as a lively and determined nation for the stability and supremacy of the homeland.

They said the Day (March 23) reminded the great moment of 78 years ago when the Muslims of the Cub-continent had made a commitment to create an independent Muslim state by breaking the shackles of oppression.

They said on the very Day the Pakistan Muslim League had adopted a historic resolution in a meeting in Lahore chaired by Muhammad Ali Jinnah which was later named as the Resolution of Pakistan.

The president and prime minister opined that the resolution had created awareness among the Muslims about their destination and within seven years of the resolution, Pakistan came into being.

This was the destination, what Allama Iqbal had dreamt of, they added. They said while observing the Pakistan Day, the people should have a deep insight into our past besides pondering our past as well as the future. “We will have to review our successes as well as the shortcomings, both the leaders said.