Pakistan Day was celebrated across the country with patriotic zeal and fervor on Sunday, with the President House (Aiwan-e-Sadr) in Islamabad hosting the iconic military parade to commemorate the 1940 Lahore Resolution, which provided a framework for achieving the goal of a separate homeland for Muslims of South Asia in August 1947.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, along with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, witnessed the Pakistan Day parade. Speaking at the military parade, President Zardari said that Pakistan is facing geopolitical challenges, while the brave armed forces, with the support of the nation, have been making unprecedented sacrifices.
The Prime Minister, Service Chiefs, top military officials, Federal Ministers, parliamentarians, and members of the Pakistan-based diplomatic corps attended the ceremony. This day commemorates the Lahore Resolution passed on March 23, 1940, and the adoption of the first Constitution of Pakistan on March 23, 1956.
The President said that millions of Muslims who sacrificed their lives for the creation of Pakistan turned the dream into reality. Paying tribute to the martyrs, the President emphasized that the objective behind Pakistan’s creation was to establish a modern welfare country based on the principles of equality, justice, and the rule of law.
The President reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue raising its voice at all global forums for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and urged the international community to ensure the implementation of UN resolutions for resolving the Kashmir dispute. He also expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinians and called on the international community to take decisive action to stop the genocide of Palestinians.
During the ceremony, a spectacular flypast was performed by formations of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). On this occasion, the President reviewed the smartly turned-out contingents of the armed forces participating in the parade. Earlier, the day began with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in the provinces.
