'Azadi Train' departs Karachi for Tharparkar
A special Azadi Train adorned with national flags, banners and pictorial history of the Pakistan Movement chugged out of the Cantt Station Karachi for Tharparkar on the eve of the Independence Day and the Marka-e-Haq celebrations.
The Desert Safari Train, decorated by the Sindh Culture and Tourism Department, has around 100 passengers on board including celebrities who will celebrated the Independence Day at the Parchi Ji Verri Railway Station in Tharparkar around seven kilometers from the Indian border.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Culture and Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah green-flagged the train at a ceremony that opened with the national anthem.
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On the occasion, local artists showcased their talents, and a 78-pound cake was cut to mark the 78th Independence Day. Zulfiqar Ali Shah told the media that more than a hundred passengers, including showbiz personalities, political and social leaders, and media representatives, are travelling on the Azadi Train.
On the first day, it will journey from Karachi Cantt to Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Chhor, reaching Zero Point in Tharparkar the following day. Participants will distribute national flags at each station.
Memon said a crushing defeat to India delivered by Pakistan's armed forces has compounded the celebrations this year. He added that a free musical concert for the public would be held at the National Stadium in Karachi today, featuring Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and other renowned singers.
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