A historic milestone of the celebration was the unveiling at the embassy of a statue of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah to mark his upcoming 150th birth anniversary
Strong Pakistan-US Ties Essential for Regional, Global Stability
By Elaine Pasquini
Washington, DC: The Embassy of Pakistan in Washington honored the 79th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence with an inspiring flag-hoisting ceremony, celebrating the nation’s resilient journey, honoring its founding father and reaffirming the time-tested strength of the Pakistan-US partnership.
Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, hoisted the iconic Pakistani green flag with a stylized tilted white crescent moon and five-pointed star in its center to the strains of the national anthem, QaumiTarana, before an audience of Pakistani-American community members, diplomatic officials and media representatives.
The ceremony commenced with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, followed by official messages from Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar emphasizing national unity and a shared commitment to progress.
In his keynote address, Ambassador Sheikh described Pakistan as a “miracle of history” forged through the heroic freedom struggle of its founding generation.
“Pakistan is a reality today because of the sacrifices rendered by our forefathers during that seven-year struggle—by those who migrated to Pakistan, leaving behind their homes, businesses and families to build a new homeland,” he said.
A historic milestone of the celebration was the unveiling at the embassy of a statue of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah to mark his upcoming 150th birth anniversary. Expressing gratitude to the Quaid-i-Azam Foundation of Houston for donating the statue, Ambassador Sheikh paid tribute to the founder’s visionary leadership.
“Today, on the completion of 79 years of independence, the entire nation is grateful to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah whose constitutional struggle and tireless work made the dream of Pakistan a reality,” the ambassador said. “The inspiring leadership of Quaid-i-Azam united the Muslims of the subcontinent under one flag and blessed us with freedom.” He urged the Pakistani diaspora to embody Ali Jinnah’s foundational principles of unity, faith and discipline to ensure a prosperous future.
Turning to domestic affairs, Ambassador Sheikh highlighted key economic turnarounds achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Sharif. “Pakistan’s economic outlook is clearly improving,” the ambassador stated.
Ambassador Sheikh also acknowledged the sacrifices of the nation’s security institutions in maintaining national stability. “On this Independence Day, we pay rich tribute to our armed forces, law enforcement agencies and police, who make selfless sacrifices every day for the protection of the motherland.”
Addressing bilateral relations, the ambassador reaffirmed that ties between Islamabad and Washington remain on a positive, ascendant trajectory, also noting the structural importance of Pakistan on the global stage.
“Pakistan is important to the world,” he stressed. “Our history is important, our geography is important, our stability is important, our defense is important and our diplomacy is important.”
Emphasizing the shared strategic and economic objectives between the two countries, the ambassador recalled Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement that the US wants “a strategic partnership with Pakistan entrenched in economic ties.” The ambassador also noted that each time the two countries have come together, “we have produced success not only for ourselves, but for the wider world.”
During the event, an elegant investiture ceremony was also held to confer the prestigious President’s Award for Pride of Performance upon Waqar Ali Khan for his outstanding service to Pakistan. Over four decades, Mr Khan has served as a dynamic community leader and cultural ambassador across the United States.
Concluding his address, Ambassador Sheikh praised the Pakistani-American diaspora as the nation's “true strength” and extended an open call for collaborative diplomacy. “Let’s team up for Pakistan,” he urged. “Each Pakistani here in the United States is an ambassador. I delegate full power to you to work for strengthening our bilateral ties. Long live Pak-America friendship; long live Pakistan.”
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
