Preparations in full swing to celebrate Independence Day in befitting manner

Rawalpindi : Like other parts of the country, preparations for the 75th Independence Day are in full swing in Rawalpindi division as the national flags, bun­tings and badges are selling like hot cake.

The printers and makers of buntings, flags, banners and badges are fully engaged in their business as ‘Jashan-e-Azadi’ preparations are at its peak and the citizens are getting ready to celebrate the Independence Day on Sunday with great enthusiasm and national zeal.

According to roadside vendors, the most enthusiastic are the children who are busy in collecting badges and also beautifying their bicycles with special stickers inscribed with messages of Independence Day.

A vendor, Arif near Shamsabad Park while talking to APP said the demand for the national flag and badges was on the rise as August 14 is getting nearer, adding that most of the motorists were buying flags to hoist on their vehicles.

Another seller in Sadiqabad area namely Mushtaq said that like every year, this year too, the vendors at their stalls on footpaths were doing a roaring business and trying to sell whatever they had as the entire inventory would go waste on August 15. The shopkeepers and footpath vendors had set up their temporary stalls in almost all areas of the town with the start of August where people are seen busy in buying things at cheaper rates.

As just two days left to celebrate the Independence Day, azadi festivities are gaining momentum.

A buyer said, "We are coming to footpath stalls for Independence Day shopping as the prices of items are cheap here as compared to shops and malls.

"A large number of stalls with buntings, flags, badges and other items were established in several city markets including Tench Bhatta, Lalkurti, Saddar, Moti, Raja and Urdu Bazaars, Benazir Bhutto Road, Bunni Market, Satellite Town, Sadiqabad and other areas of the city. Nowadays, national songs are in the air which gives the message that whole the nation is united.

The national flags are being hoisted at the important buildings to celebrate the day with befitting manner. Special prizes on this occasion are awarded to those who decorate and illuminate their buildings beautifully.

Decorative items are in high demand these days including national flags, multi-coloured garlands, badges, ‘Minar-e-Pakistan’ models and portraits of the Quaid-i-Azam and national heroes.