The nation celebrated Pakistan Day on Wednesday with traditional zeal and fervour.
The day dawned with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute in all the four provincial capitals, followed by change-of-guards ceremonies at the mausoleums of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi, and the mausoleum of Muhammad Iqbal, the national poet, in Lahore.
On the occasion, the United States Embassy in Islamabad, while extending its “best wishes to the Pakistani people”, announced the launch of a year-long joint campaign to celebrate the 75th year of the two countries bilateral relations.
“The United States and Pakistan have enjoyed a strong partnership since we recognized your independence, and we want to highlight the depth and breadth of that partnership throughout the year”, said the US Chargé d’affaires Angela Aggeler.
A statement from the US Embassy stated that Pakistan and the US cooperated on “many shared priorities, including the environment, education, public health, trade, and cultural preservation”, and that the two countries’ relationship was sustained by “robust people-to-people ties”.
The Russian Embassy in Pakistan took to their official Twitter to state that President Vladimir Putin congratulates President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan on the occasion of Pakistan Day.
“Friendly state of Russia-Pakistan relations and productive bilateral cooperation are particularly noted in the message”, the enclave said.
The British High Commissioner to Pakistan on “the 75th anniversary year” of Pakistan sent good wishes to the nation and stated that he looks forward to the next 75 years of Britain and Pakistan relations.
The Australian High Commission in Pakistan also tweeted on the occasion and wished a “Happy Pakistan Day to all Pakistanis”.
It further said that Australia had been a steadfast friend to Pakistan since independence and that the countries’ cooperation on education, trade, development and transnational security continued to grow, “along with close sporting links & warm people-to-people ties”.
The Embassy of Kazakhstan to Pakistan wished all Pakistanis “a very happy national day”.
The Embassy of Sweden in Pakistan the country and its people across the globe a “happy Pakistan Day”.
The European Union Delegation to Pakistan congratulated the government and people of the country on the occasion.
It stated that the EU and Pakistan would have 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2022, nurturing a bond for “progress, prosperity and peace for everyone in Pakistan”.
Switzerland’s Ambassador to Pakistan Bénédict de Cerjat also wished Pakistan.
