Pakistani-American Community
Celebrates Pakistan Day
Washington,
DC: The Pakistani-American community celebrated the Pakistan
Day with traditional fervor and enthusiasm while remembering
the arduous struggle and sacrifices rendered by their founding
fathers. They renewed their pledge to make Pakistan a strong,
forward-looking and progressive country.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Jehangir
Karamat hoisted the national flag at a simple but impressive
ceremony at the Embassy. The ceremony began with the recitation
from the holy Quran followed by the flag hoisting ceremony
with the national anthem being played in the background. Ambassador
Karamat separately read out the Pakistan Day messages of President
Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. In their
messages the President and the Prime Minister called for national
cohesion, moderation and a forward-looking vision to meet
today’s challenges. They urged the people of Pakistan
to play their role in the progress of the country and the
welfare of the people.
President Musharraf in his message said: As a result of prudent
policies over the last seven years, we stand tall in the comity
of nations and have assumed a key role amongst the Muslim
Ummah. Pakistanis have also demonstrated to the world that
our people have the courage, fortitude and resolve to meet
all challenges of our times. This fact has been amply proven
by the people of Pakistan once again by the tremendous response
in the wake of the devastating earthquake of 8th October 2005.
Pakistan today is a country rapidly moving on the path of
progress and development. Reforms in all sectors have been
successfully introduced and are being implemented. A new direction
has been given to our nation’s destiny through enlightened
moderation.
The President expressed the confidence that if the nation
continued to tread this path the country will be transformed
into a truly Islamic welfare state as envisaged by the Quaid-i-Azam,
Allama Iqbal and the leaders of Pakistan movement.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his message said that his Government
was determined to make Pakistan an enlightened, tolerant and
moderate country that ensures social justice and equal opportunities
to its every citizen irrespective of caste, creed, color or
gender. He emphasized the need to fight the evils of corruption,
illiteracy, nepotism, parochialism, sectarianism and terrorism
that slow down the country’s march towards achieving
the goals set by its founding fathers. He reminded the nation
that in the present environment it was all the more imperative
to place national unity and integrity above any other consideration.
Flag-hoisting ceremonies were also held in the Consulates
General of Pakistan in New York, Los Angeles, Houston and
Chicago, where the Consuls General hoisted the national flag
and read out the messages of the President and the Prime Minister.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
