Independence Day: President Zardari, PM Shehbaz urge national unity for a just, equal Pakistan
The day dawned with 31-gun salute at the Federal Capital and 21-gun salute at provincial headquarters. Prime Minister Shehbaz unfurled the national flag at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad.
In his message, the president said that the nation celebrate this Independence Day with a sense of renewed pride and hope as the nation has reaffirmed its strength and unity in the face of external aggression in May this year, as per Radio Pakistan.
'Our success in Marka-i-Haq and Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos is a landmark moment in our history,' he said.
Independence Day today
'It was a demonstration of unshakable national will, professional excellence, and united purpose.'
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Pakistan's freedom.
He also paid tribute to Jinnah and national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who along with other resolute leaders and workers of the Independence Movement, united the nation under one vision, one mission and one goal.
'The past 78 years tell a tale of resilience, strong faith and a hope of a bright future when as a nation, we braved several difficult challenges', he said.
'Despite this, Pakistan achieved a series of milestones of success and achievements in every field.'
He also paid tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Pakistan's freedom, saying Marka-i-Haq was not just a military conquest, but also the victory of validation of the Two-Nation Theory.
Moreover, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, on behalf of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, also extended heartfelt felicitations to the nation.
In their separate messages, they said as we pay homage to our founding fathers, we honor their indomitable spirit, resolute determination, and unparalleled sacrifices under the visionary leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah sacrifices that paved the way for independence.
The Armed Forces pay solemn tribute to the visionaries, statesmen, and soldiers who laid our nation's foundations, cherishing their legacy with deep reverence and gratitude.
As guardians of national security, we reaffirm our unwavering resolve to safeguard Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, uphold the Constitution, and protect the values that define our national identity.
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