69th anniversary: Residents of twin cities gear up for celebrations

Buildings, houses, streets, avenues have been decorated with national flag festoons

ISLAMABAD: Residents of the twin cities are all set to celebrate the 70th Independence Day today (Sunday) with great zeal and fervour.

Preparations to celebrate the day are in full swing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi as major public and private buildings, streets and avenues have been decorated with national flags, banners and buntings.

Some buildings in the twin cities have also been illuminated with colourful fairy lights.

Houses have been decorated with national flag festoons.

Numerous stalls have been established by vendors on roadsides, bazaars and markets selling national flags, badges and other insignia of different sizes.

The residents have hoisted national flags on their rooftops, while motorists, motorcyclists and public transporters could be seen plying on roads with national flags mounted on their vehicles.

All government and private departments have finalised special programmes in respect of the Independence Day. The day will dawn with a thirty-one gun salute in Islamabad and a twenty-one gun salute in other provincial capitals.

The main event will be organised at the Convention Centre in Islamabad where President Mamnoon Hussain will hoist the national flag and will also address the nation.

Special prayers will be held at mosques for peace, prosperity and solidarity of the country. Different functions and seminars were also being organised by educational institutes to mark the day.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has arranged an Azadi Mela at Fatima Jinnah Park.

During the three-day Azadi Mela, musical and cultural shows will be held, while stalls will also be set up at the venue.

An Azadi Tourist Train set off from F-9 Park at 5pm on Saturday taking people to and from the Lake View Park.

The special train reached the Lake View Park through Jinnah Avenue, Kashmir Highway, Murree Road.

The CDA has also planned to run the Azadi Tourist Train on August 14th.

Moreover, the civic body has also arranged a birds show at the Lake View Park on August 13 and 14th.

A two-day cultural show has also been organised at the Arts and Craft Village Shahkarparian where folk artists from across the country will perform.

On the eve of the Independence Day, folk artists from across Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will perform national songs.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz had also organised a fireworks show on the night of August 13th to be held at Parade Ground.

Different singers will perform national songs at the venue.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.