Pakistan Day marked abroad

By Sibte Arif

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Day was celebrated in Pakistani embassies in different countries of the world on Tuesday.

The National Day of Pakistan was marked in Turkey at an impressive ceremony at Pakistan Embassy in Ankara. Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey, Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, raised the Pakistan flag to the tune of the national anthem in the presence of the embassy officials and media. Messages of the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan were read out on the occasion.

Ambassador Syrus Qazi in his remarks stated that 23 March was an important milestone in the heroic struggle of the Muslims of South Asia when our forefathers made the historic decision to have a separate homeland. The Ambassador expressed gratitude to Turkey for sending Turkish band ‘Mehter’ (Ottoman Janissary Band) as well as aerial aerobatic team ‘Solo Turk,’ that will participate in the Pakistan Day celebrations on March 25.

Ambassador Syrus Qazi and Mayor of Keçiören Municipality of Ankara Turgut Altinok jointly unveiled the plaque of a renovated memorial forest for 2014 APS Peshawar terrorist attack victims.

Pakistan Day celebrated in Sri Lanka: The High Commission of Pakistan and the Pakistani community based in Sri Lanka celebrated the 81st National Day with traditional fervor and resolve to make Pakistan a strong, vibrant, progressive, democratic and welfare state.

High Commissioner of Pakistan, Maj. Gen.(R) Muhammad Saad Khattak unfurled the Pakistani flag to the tune of Pakistan’s national anthem in a ceremony held at the Pakistan High Commission on Tuesday morning.

Special messages by the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan were read-out, in which both the leaders highlighted the importance of the day and paid tributes to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal and other leaders of the Pakistan Movement.

At the end of ceremony, a cake commemorating the Pakistan’s National Day was cut by the High Commissioner. Pakistan Day celebrated in Hong Kong: The Consulate General of Pakistan and the Pakistani community based in Hong Kong celebrated the 81st Pakistan Day with traditional fervour and resolve to make the country a strong, vibrant, progressive, democratic and welfare state.

Consul General of Pakistan Bilal Ahmad Butt unfurled the Pakistani flag to the tune of Pakistan’s national anthem in a ceremony held at the Pakistan Club, Hong Kong.

Special messages by the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan were readout. At the end of ceremony, a cake commemorating the Pakistan’s National Day was cut by the Consul General along with Consul Generals of Indonesia, Qatar, Turkey and Consul of Iran.

Embassy in Brussels holds National Day ceremony: A flag hoisting ceremony was held at the Embassy of Pakistan, Brussels to commemorate the National Day of Pakistan on Tuesday.

Ambassador of Pakistan to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg Zaheer A. Janjua hoisted the national flag at the Chancery building. The messages of President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan were read out on the occasion.

In his message, Ambassador Janjua paid homage to the historic struggle of the Muslims of the Sub-Continent for an independent homeland, where they could live their lives with complete religious, cultural and social freedoms. He stressed the importance of the vision of Poet-Philosopher, Allama Muhammad Iqbal and ideals of Quaid-i-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who envisaged Pakistan to be a progressive, moderate and democratic country. He encouraged the Pakistani diaspora in Belgium and Luxembourg to continue to play their role in the development and prosperity of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the 81st Pakistan Day was celebrated in the United Arab Emirates with zeal and fervour at the Embassy of Pakistan, Abu Dhabi and Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai.

The ceremony at Abu Dhabi was inaugurated with flag hoisting by Ambassador Afzaal Mahmood and playing of the national anthem.

While acknowledging the contribution made by Pakistanis residing in the UAE, the Ambassador Afzaal Mahmood said that the community are a bridge between two brotherly countries. He pointed out that both countries can explore more joint ventures in the field of tourism and investment.

The ceremony in Dubai was also held with much zeal and the Consul General of Pakistan to Dubai Ahmed Amjad Ali hoisted the National Flag at the consulate.

Talking to media, Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali said that our overseas community must remember the eternal sacrifices of our elders, forget all our differences and work for the development of the country.

Deputy Consul General Giyan Chand also congratulated the community on Pakistan Day and said that every Pakistani in UAE was an “ambassador of Pakistan.” He conveyed the message that we are all one and united under one flag.

Moreover, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest and most famous skyscraper in the world, lit up with the national flag of Pakistan on Tuesday evening to celebrate the country’s Resolution Day.

The spectacular LED illumination of Pakistan National flag on Burj Al Khalifa mesmerized people when they gathered to watch it in the breezy night.

Pakistan’s flag is illuminated on the tallest skyscraper in Dubai every year to mark the country’s Independence Day and Resolution day since 2017.

Meanwhile, the iconic landmark of China’s Guangzhou “Canton Tower” lit up in green lights to display the congratulatory message on the Pakistan Day, which was celebrated on Tuesday.

This is the first time that the national day message of a foreign country is displayed at a prominent public building in Guangzhou, which reflects the close and cordial ties between Pakistan and China, according to Consulate General of Pakistan, Guangzhou.

A parallel message commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China was also displayed simultaneously in the national color of China.