JEDDAH/RIYADH — The Pakistani community in the Kingdom celebrated the country's 75th National Day with patriotic zeal and fervor. Flag hoisting ceremonies were held simultaneously at the Pakistan Embassy premises in Riyadh and at the residence of Consul General Aftab Ahmed Khokher in Jeddah.
A large number of prominent members from the community and their families attended the ceremonies.
In Jeddah, the program started with recitation of the Holy Qur'an by Abdul Haseeb. Renowned poet Syed Mohsin Alvi presented a poem on Qaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Pakistan.
Head of Chancery (HoC) in the Pakistani Consulate, Junaid Wazir, as master of the ceremony, welcomed all the guests and families.
Consul General Khokher addressed the gathering and read out messages of President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Students from Pakistan International School Jeddah (PISJ) Aziziyah and well-known local singer Mohammed Shahzad sang national songs. Noted music artist and recipient of Pride of Performance award, Rais Ahmed, also presented the famous national song "Sohni dherty Allah Rakhay".
In Riyadh, Ambassador Manzoor ul Haq unfurled the national flag at a largely attended ceremony. Messages of the president and the prime minister were read out.
Speaking on the importance of the occasion, the ambassador said on March 23, 1940, a historic resolution was adopted at a meeting in Lahore where the Muslims of the subcontinent demanded a separate homeland for themselves where they could lead their lives according to their faith and aspirations. The Muslims under the dynamic leadership of Jinnah were able to achieve this goal in a short span of seven years. Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947.
Pakistan now, he said, is home to around 180 million people. It is a modern, moderate and democratic state. It has an active parliament, independent judiciary, free media and a vibrant society. The national economy, he said, has shown an upward trend in the recent past. Economic growth has accelerated, per capita income increased, foreign exchange reserves doubled in the past year, inflation has dropped and stock market has shown a positive trend. The country's exports have increased and international trade expanded, he said.
