Today (Monday) marks the 76th anniversary of the country’s independence, and the celebrations are in full swing.
At the start of the day, a 31-gun salute was fired at the national capital while a 21-gun salute was fired in the provincial capital.
For the sake of national unity, safety, and prosperity, special prayers were held in mosques.
At nine in the morning, sirens sounded across the country to mark the beginning of a minute of silence before the flag-raising ceremony.
The morning also featured a changing of the guard at Karachi’s Mazar-e-Quaid.
The helm was taken over by a group of well-dressed cadets from the Pakistan Naval Academy.
In a similar vein, the Punjab Rangers transferred security duties at Lahore’s Mazar-e-Iqbal to the Pakistan Army in a ceremony marked by a change of guard.
The President and Prime Minister extend their congratulations to the country.
In their respective speeches for Independence Day, President Dr. Arif Alvi and outgoing Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed their deepest condolences to the people of Pakistan.
The president called for a vow to be taken today to maintain Islamic values of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance, forgiveness, social and economic fairness, and moral and ethical standards.
The stories of individuals who overcame great odds to reach Pakistan, he said, should serve as an inspiration to the generations to come.
To quote Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: “The day holds a special significance in our hearts, for this historic day saw an unprecedented freedom struggle culminating in the establishment of the State of Pakistan.”
He paid tribute to the Quaid-i-Azam and other leaders who were instrumental in making Pakistan a reality.
President Obama and Prime Minister Harper Say That America Must Work Together and Believe in Itself to Succeed.
The prime minister has stated that on this, the 76th Independence Anniversary, the lessons of unity and self-belief that characterized the independence movement must be used to chart the road forward.
He promised to provide political, moral, and diplomatic support to the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
An American lawmaker offers his or her best wishes to Pakistan.
Sheila Jackson Lee, founder and chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus in the US House of Representatives, sent her best wishes to Pakistan.
In a video greeting, she declared, “It is with tremendous pride and honor that I recognize Pakistan’s Independence Day.” She went on to praise the country’s “resilience” in the face of adversity and severe natural disasters.
“As chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus in the US House, I have traveled to Pakistan many times and seen the devastation of last year’s monsoon rains, but I also saw the resilience of the Pakistani people in the wake of this devastation,” she said, before mentioning the aid and support her government has given to Pakistan.
She also praised the Pakistani community abroad for their aid to those impacted by the floods. She finally admitted, “Still,” that more work needs to be done. Many people have lost their homes, agricultural land is still recovering, and food and water supplies are running low, but we are dedicated to helping Pakistan through this crisis.
May God bless you all, she continued, because the friendship and collaboration between the United States and Pakistan are vital to ensuring stability in the region, bolstering democracy, and expanding economic, educational, and political possibilities for women. The people of Pakistan wish you a joyous Independence Day. Pakistan will rise again!
