Nation marks Pakistan Day without parade amid austerity measures

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Day was marked across the country on Monday with traditional zeal and patriotic fervour, albeit with simple ceremonies in line with austerity measures announced by the government in light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis.

Pakistan Day, observed on March 23 every year, commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire.

Last week, the federal government announced austerity measures to cope with the situation that emerged due to the US-Israel war on Iran, which has led to a global oil crisis affecting various countries, including Pakistan.

The day began with gun salutes in the federal and provincial capitals, while flag-hoisting ceremonies were held nationwide to commemorate the historic occasion.

In Lahore, a dignified change of guards ceremony was held at the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal, where a contingent of the Pakistan Air Force assumed ceremonial duties.

The day is being observed with renewed commitment to the ideals of the Pakistan Resolution, alongside adherence to broader austerity policies.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in their separate messages, extended heartfelt felicitations to the nation on the occasion of Pakistan Day.

In his message, President Zardari said Pakistan Day serves as a reminder that unity and solidarity are essential to transform national resolve into reality. He noted that the Pakistan Resolution of 1940 laid the foundation for a separate homeland, paying tribute to the sacrifices of the country’s founding leaders.

He said that despite early challenges after independence, Pakistan achieved remarkable progress through collective effort, including building strong institutions, attaining nuclear capability, and successfully combating terrorism.

Referring to recent developments, the president said the country had responded decisively to aggression during Marka-e-Haq, teaching the enemy a lesson it would remember. He added that operations such as Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos and Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq have yielded significant results in countering threats.

He reiterated that Pakistan would not allow any group, including Fitna al-Khawarij or other elements, to use foreign soil against it, vowing to eliminate terrorism and safeguard national security.

The president also highlighted ongoing challenges, including the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), terming it an unfinished agenda of partition, and called on the international community to ensure the right to self-determination for Kashmiris.

He further urged global efforts to end atrocities against Palestinians and stressed the need to resolve tensions in West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz, in his message, said Pakistan had steered its economy towards stability despite significant challenges, citing declining inflation and improved investor confidence as signs of progress.

He described March 23 as a historic milestone that united Muslims of the subcontinent, leading to the creation of Pakistan within seven years under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The prime minister praised the armed forces for their professionalism and sacrifices in defending the country, stating that recent operations had demonstrated Pakistan’s “impregnable defence and unshakable resolve”.

Separately, the armed forces’ leadership, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF)  and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, extended congratulations to the nation, describing March 23 as a defining moment that shaped Pakistan’s destiny.

“March 23rd 1940, stands out as a defining moment in our history as the day that crystallised our collective vision and set the course for the creation of an independent homeland,” stated a message issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Staff Report