Nation celebrates 75th Independence Day with zeal, zest; Country has potential to become a developed nation
Staff Reporter Islamabad
President Arif Alvi on Saturday said that Pakistan was an emerging nation which is on the course of rapid development and is all set to become a strong nation.
The President was addressing a flag-hoisting ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, where he was the chief guest. The President congratulated the nation on completing 74 years of independence.
Lauding Pakistan’s armed forces and the people for bravely fighting terrorism, President Dr Arif Alvi said that the country sacrificed over 100,000 lives in the war against terrorism and came out victorious.
President Alvi said that Pakistan is the only country in the world that has defeated terrorism. He paid glowing tribute to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Allam Iqbal, Syed Ahmad Khan, and to other founding leaders of Pakistan.
Pakistan came into being after immense sacrifices rendered by the Muslims of the sub-continent, he said, adding, “It is due to their sacrifices that we are here today.”
The President said that Pakistani nation had always faced challenges and ordeals with unmatched sacrifices, unity and determination, and on the basis of intellectual capabilities, it was fast emerging as one of the most successful nations in the world.
He said that owing to the string of successes achieved by the nation on different occasions, its future course was very bright ad promising.
“Our past, present and future will set course for the destination ahead,” he added.
The president felicitating the nation on the Independence Day, said that Pakistan was created after huge sacrifices and the untiring endeadvours of the dynamic leadership of Pakistan Movement led by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The ceremony was attended by Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaisar, Chairman Senate Sajid Sanjrani, Begum Samina Alvi, high civil and military authorities, parliamentarians, notable personalities, students and media.
Dilating upon the various significant historic moments in the history of Pakistan, he said in the past, three wars were imposed upon the country.
India conducted nuclear tests during 1974, but within seven years, Pakistan developed the nuclear deterrent on the basis of its intellectual capabilities, he added.
He mentioned that Pakistan was also becoming an industrial country and a hub of information and technology after meeting its agricultural requirements.
The president said after Afghan situation, Pakistan faced the menace of terrorism but it defeated it. Different superpowers failed to overcome this challenge.
Pakistan hosted about 3.5 million Afghan refugees on its soil for decades, he said, adding though different countries, assuming themselves as human rights champions, let the refugees drowned.
The president advised the nation not to hark to the negative elements or pay heed to fake news churned out by the enemies of the state, as its course was rightly set.
