The nation is celebrating the 70th Independence Anniversary of motherland with a renewed pledge to safeguard the country against any threat and make it a true Islamic welfare state as envisioned by the founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The day will dawn with thirty-one gun salute in the federal and twenty-one gun salute in the provincial capitals. After the Fajar prayers, special prayers will be offered for the prosperity, integrity and solidarity of the country and success of the long drawn struggle of Kashmiris. The main event of the day will be flag-hoisting ceremony at Parliament House. President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang will jointly unfurl the national flag at the ceremony. The President will address the nation on this occasion. Flag-hoisting ceremonies will also be held at provincial capitals, district headquarters and important national institutions. Radio Pakistan will broadcast a special day-long transmission on the Independence Anniversary. Meanwhile, all major public and private buildings, roads and avenues have been tactfully decorated with illuminations, national flags, portraits of the national leaders, banners and buntings to give a festive look. A host of events including seminars, conferences, lectures, debates, speech contests, exhibitions, quiz competitions, stage dramas and mushairas have been arranged by different organizations in connection with the day.
The President along with Prime Minister, Vice Premier of China, Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly will lay wreath at Monument of unsung heroes of democracy at the Parliament House on Monday. In Azad Kashmir, flag hoisting ceremonies will be held at all District and Tehsil headquarters of the liberated territory. In Muzaffarabad, the flag hoisting ceremony will be held at President House, where AJK President Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan will raise the national flag. All the three stations of Azad Kashmir Radio are broadcasting special programmes in connection with Independence Anniversary. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the main function in connection with Independence Anniversary will be held at Governor House in Peshawar on Sunday. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra will hoist the national flag. Different educational, cultural and literary organizations have chalked out special functions to mark the Anniversary. Functions to mark the 70th Anniversary of independence celebrations will also be held in FATA. In Karachi, the flag hoisting ceremony will be held at Mazar-e-Quaid-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The change of guard ceremony will also be held at Mazar of Quaid-e-Azam, where a contingent of Pakistan Navy will assume the guard duties. Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will attend the event. On this occasion, school children will present national songs and tableaus.