KARACHI: People across the province celebrated Pakistan Day with traditional zeal and fervour on Saturday.

In Karachi, the day dawned with 21-gun salute and the national flag was hoisted on major government installations.

Governor Kamran Khan Tessori said on Saturday that people should forget all political differences and become one nation.

Speaking to the media after paying his respects at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, he said that independence could only be valued by those who lived in a free and independent country.

“This day will be remembered till the end of the world because today the idea of an independent state was presented. The dream came true and we are living our lives with freedom,” he added.

The governor said that the country was facing internal and external conspiracies and, therefore, urged all stakeholders to come on the same page.

“The nation will no more forgive those who are hindering the progress of the country,” he added.

Earlier, the governor offered fateha and laid a wreath at the grave of the founder of the nation and prayed for the progress of the country on the occasion of Pakistan Day.

Earlier, provincial minister Sharjeel Memon received the governor at the Quaid’s mausoleum.

Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that March 23 was the most important day in the history of Pakistan. “The Resolution of Pakistan became the foundation for our beloved homeland,” he added.

“Inshaallah we will fulfill the dream that the workers of Tehreek-i-Pakistan had seen,” he vowed.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party had good relations with China and the relation between the two countries would be further strengthened under his leadership.

He was talking to the media after laying a floral wreath at Mazar-i-Quaid and reciting fateha along with Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad. Municipal Commissioner SM Afzal Zaidi, PPP Deputy Parliamentary Leader in City Council Dil Muhammad and others were also present.

In Jamshoro, teachers and students of the Sindh University, took out a big rally, which was led by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro.

The participants carrying the national flag and raising slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ marched from SU’s Arts Faculty Building to its central library.

Addressing them, VC Kalhoro highlighted importance of the March 23, 1940 Resolution, which eventually led the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent to win freedom from colonial rulers and have their own homeland.

SU Registrar Prof Dr Mushtaque Ali Jariko said that Muslims faced numerous threats under the colonial rule but despite suffering all sorts of atrocities, they continued their struggle for their homeland.

In Sukkur, a number of rallies were taken out and various celebratory programmes were held at schools, colleges and universities as well as government departments in many cities and towns of Sukkur, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Khairpur and Kandhkot-Kashmore districts to mark Pakistan Day.

Flag-hoisting ceremonies were held at the offices of deputy commissioners of the upper Sindh districts.

Students took part in a declamation contest at Govt Al-Falah High School, Sukkur, by making speeches in English, Urdu and Sindhi languages. Groups of students also performed on national anthem and songs.

Thousands of people took part in the rallies taken out in almost all cities and towns of the districts.

In Nawabshah, Pakistan Day rallies and programmes were held in various cities and towns of Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze and Sanghar districts on Saturday.

The main event in Nawabshah was held at DC office, where Deputy Commissioner Zahid Hussain Rind hoisted the national flag at a ceremony attended by members of Pakistan Ex-servicemen Society and Pakistan Zindabad Movement. They along with people from all walks of life took part in a rally from Golwala Complex that culminated at the local press club.A similar ceremony was held at the office of the Naushahro Feroze deputy commissioner, who hoisted the national flag and addressed the participants to highlight significance of the 1940 Resolution.

The ceremony was attended by officials of various departments, students, scouts and members of the general public.

In Badin, a grand ceremony was held at the Thar Foundation Primary School, Thario Halipoto, on Saturday to mark the Pakistan Day.

Students of the school participated in a declamation contest, performed on national anthem and songs and presented tableaux after a flag-hoisting ceremony performed by Lt-Col. Zafar of the Pakistan Army along with the foundation’s CSR department officer Imam Ali Detho and senior education officer Sonia Chachar. Later, a big rally organised by Defenders of Pakistan Movement (DOPM), Badin, was taken out from the school to the local press club. It was led by the organisation’s leaders Gul Hussain Mallah, Khamiso Ansari and others.

Another rally was held in Matli which was led by Assistant Commissioner Syed Noor Hussain and chief officer of the Matli municipal committee.

Students, revenue officers as well as employees of other departments along with people from all walks of life participated in the rally.

In Mirpurkhas, several rallies were taken out in different cities and towns of this district to mark Pakistan Day on Saturday.

One of the rallies was led by leaders of Pakistan Meghwar Ittehad Narain Das Jaipal, Dileep Kumar and others. The participants started the rally from Station Chowk and ended it outside the local press club.

Another rally was taken out from Gulistan-i-Baldia Lawns to the press club. It was organised by the ‘Mirpurkhas Zindabad Movement’, led by Mohammad Ali Panhwer.

A Pakistan Day programme was held at the Govt Boys Higher Secondary School, Digri.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2024