Pakistani nation will celebrate 75th Independence Day today with traditional zeal and enthusiasm through a number of activities to highlight the struggle of our forefathers and national heroes for acquiring a separate homeland.
The day will dawn with special prayers and a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and 21-gun salute at all provincial capitals. There will be a dramatic pause at 8.58 am throughout the country with sounding of sirens to herald the flag hoisting ceremony at 9 am.
While special prayers will be offered in mosques at dawn for peace, solidarity and prosperity of the country. Different public and private departments will hold special functions and activities including seminars, discussion programmes, photographic exhibitions, painting, poetry, national songs and debate competitions with the focus on acknowledging the contribution of leaders of the Pakistan Movement and sacrifices of national heroes. All the major roads and avenues of the federal capital, like other cities, will be decorated with flags, banners and buntings to present a festive look. The major public and private buildings in the city will also be illuminated to mark this important occasion. Pakistan observes ‘Independence Day’ as ‘National Day’ every year on August 14th with patriotic spirit and devotion to commemorate the day when the country was declared an independent state after a long indigenous struggle against the British colonial rule (British Raj) for a separate Muslim state in the subcontinent. The country came into existence after a long struggle of the All-India Muslim League under the visionary leadership of the founding father of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam. The partition and creation of a sovereign Muslim state was the dream of millions of Muslims of the subcontinent. For the purpose of a separate homeland, the Muslims had rendered matchless sacrifices, faced hardships, migration, and left a long trail of heroic struggle for the generations to come. The partition had also witnessed a huge migration in human history: Muslims from India to Pakistan and Hindus from Pakistan to India.
The beginning of the journey is always tough and in the case of the newly established state of Pakistan, it was full of challenges due to getting an unjust share in the resources from India. It was like starting life from scratch but the dreams were high to make the impossible journey possible with consistent efforts of the forefathers. As the day gets closer, celebratory items such as flags, green and white independence balloons, Pakistan Zindabad wristbands, 14 August hats, customize mugs, green masks, paper flag banners, and Pakistan flag badges, etc are being displayed on roadsides and shops to attract citizens.
