President Dr Arif Alvi and outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for national unity and paying tribute to the hardships that earned Pakistan its freedom as the nation celebrates 76 years of independence on Monday.
The day started off with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute at the provincial capitals at dawn.
The national flag was hoisted in Islamabad where President Dr Arif Alvi was the chief guest. Similar flag hoisting ceremonies will also be held at provincial, divisional and district headquarters level throughout the country. Meanwhile, the president urged the nation to pledge today to uphold the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance, forgiveness, socio-economic justice, and moral and ethical values, as enunciated by Islam, as per a statement by the president posted on Twitter handle. “The stories of those people, who faced hardships, to reach Pakistan, serve as a source of inspiration for our future generations,” the president said. President Alvi said the nation should also remember their oppressed brothers and sisters in held Kashmir. “We stand with our Kashmiri brethren and assure them of unwavering and continuous political, diplomatic, and moral support for their legitimate right to self-determination,” he reiterated. Meanwhile, Shehbaz said this day saw an unprecedented freedom struggle culminating in the establishment of the State of Pakistan. Paying homage to the Quaid-i-Azam’s visionary leadership and other leaders, outgoing PM said that the nation needs to summon the spirit that marked the independence movement and employ the lesson of unity and self-belief to chart the way forward, as per Radio Pakistan. He also vowed to stand in complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and provide political, moral, and diplomatic support to them. In his message, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that August 14 symbolizes making the “impossible possible through peaceful political and democratic struggle.” “The day is also the occasion to ask ourselves whether today’s Pakistan has succeeded in achieving all the goals that our founding fathers had set and dreamed of at the time of its establishment. In the light of the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam, we still have a long way to go and work hard to establish a strong federal democratic state and a society based on tolerance and equality,“ Bilawal added. The Military leadership also extended heartfelt congratulations to the nation on this day, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement. This day reminds us of the vision, fortitude and countless sacrifices which our ancestors offered, to realise our elders and great Quaid’s dream of a free and independent country,“ the ISPR said. It said that thousands of sons’ of soil have laid down their lives for defence of the motherland and to preserve the cherished dream of freedom of our forefathers. “We should pledge on this day that irrespective of the challenges we face today, we will preserve and strengthen the peace, societal harmony and unity among the Nation. We will not let inimical forces to succeed, which are hell bent to create fissures and division among the Armed Forces and people of Pakistan.“ Armed Forces, the ISPR said, with the support of Nation, will always defend the territorial integrity and peace of the motherland and continue to serve the nation as per the aspirations of people of Pakistan. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also visited Mazar-e-Quaid where a change of Guards ceremony was held. On Sunday, Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said that Pakistan is determined to rise among the comity of the nation and urged the public to reject conspirators fomenting hopelessness. He made these remarks while addressing the ceremony of the Azadi Parade at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) on the eve of 14th August - aimed at reviving the pledge for total commitment and unflinching resolve for a bright future for the motherland. He said that Pakistan came into being as a result of the grand vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the sacrifices of our forefathers. The COAS said that the two-nation theory had been manifest in Muslims of the sub-continent and Pakistani nation.