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Dubai's Burj Khalifa turns white and green to mark Pakistan Independence Day

Dubai's Burj Khalifa turns white and green to mark Pakistan Independence Day

Arab Newsa day ago
ISLAMABAD: Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa lit up with Pakistan's national flag on Thursday evening as the South Asian country marked its 79th Independence Day.
Pakistan achieved independence from British colonial rule on Aug. 14, 1947, after the British partitioned the Sub-continent into two independent dominions, Muslim Pakistan and Hindu-majority India.
On Thursday, the Pakistani embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shared on X a video of the world's tallest skyscraper turning green and white.
'Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, illuminated with the Pakistani flag on 14 August 2025 to mark Pakistan's Independence Day,' the embassy wrote on X.
The UAE is Pakistan's third-largest trading partner after China and the US. The Gulf state is also Pakistan's second-largest source of foreign remittances, after Saudi Arabia, with over 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates living and working there.
Separately, Pakistan's Consulate General in Dubai also hosted a flag-hoisting today to mark the 78th anniversary of Pakistan's independence, with a large number of Pakistani community members attending the event.
Pakistan's Consul General Hussain Muhammad warmly welcomed the community members and urged them to continue playing a constructive role in the development of both the UAE and Pakistan, according to the consulate.
Earlier this week, thousands of people attended Pakistan's Independence Day celebrations at the Dubai Exhibition Center.
The event, titled 'Emirates Loves Pakistan,' was organized in collaboration with the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) and supported by Dubai Police, and featured a colorful mix of music, dance, art, cuisine and community spirit.
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