Islamabad: Today, Pakistan Day will be celebrated across the country with national enthusiasm and fervor. The day will begin with salutes in the federal capital as well as in the provincial capitals with 21 cannons. The main ceremony of Pakistan Day will be held at Shakarparian Parade Ground, where the armed forces will display their full strength and discipline.
Special President Asif Ali Zardari will be the chief guest at the Pakistan Day parade, along with foreign dignitaries including the Saudi Arabian Minister of Defense. Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Services Chiefs will also be present at the ceremony, along with federal ministers, parliamentarians, and foreign ambassadors in Pakistan.
Various units of the Pakistan Army will present salutes, while modern aircraft including JF-17, F-16, and Mirage planes of the Pakistan Air Force will showcase their flypast. The President of the country will review the parade and address the ceremony, with special cultural shows by provinces and a flute performance. The progress of Pakistan in the defense sector and a display of modern weapons will also be part of the event.
Additionally, a ceremony for the changing of the guards at the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal will be held. Special prayers for the safety and security of the nation and its people will be offered in Fajr congregations, and special prayer ceremonies will be organized in places of worship for followers of other religions.
Seminars, conferences, and rallies will be organized under the auspices of political and religious groups to mark the occasion of Pakistan Day.
What is Pakistan Day?
Pakistan Day is commemorated on March 23 to honor the resolution passed in 1940 during the All-India Muslim League meeting, in which the Muslims of British India envisioned a separate homeland for themselves. This resolution, known as the Lahore Resolution, was presented at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, where the monument was built in its memory.