This Pakistan Day, Karachi gets its own air show

Several events held across province to mark day with patriotic fervour

KARACHI/HYDERABAD/SUKKUR: Pakistan Day was observed on Thursday with different programmes organised across the province.

The day began with pre-dawn gun salutes in Karachi's Malir Cantonment. Public offices across Sindh remained closed and people organised rallies and walks and hoisted flags at their buildings.

Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, provincial ministers, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and representatives of the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) along with the Rangers director-general visited the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam. They offered Fateha and laid floral wreaths at the mausoleum. Talking to the media, Zubair said that March 23 is an unforgettable day and reminds the people of the principles that united the Muslims of the Subcontinent. "We are committed to focusing on progress and economic prosperity of the province and country," he said, adding that the government is making efforts to bring peace, which is essential for socio-economic development.

Karachiites were treated to the site of fighter jets performing aerobatics at Sea View. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

Air show in Karachi

This Pakistan Day, the people of Karachi were not glued to their TV screens and instead were able to experience the full extent of the day with an air show, which was organised by the PAF on Thursday and left viewers with goose bumps.

The clear blue sky at Sea View was dotted with squads of fighter jets, F-16s, Mirages and JF-17 Thunders flying low and with the pilots showing off their aerobatic skills.

The air show was open for public and officials such as the mayor, governor and a host of PAF officials marked their presence. As news of the air show spread among the residents of Karachi, many sped to the Sea View beach to witness the rare event.



Wearing a green cap, Sidra Khan came to watch the show with her children. She said the air show was a good use of the clear sky and breezy morning. Khan added that she had brought her children along to show them the importance of the day and unity, as they celebrated the event with other Pakistanis.

Hoardes of people turned up for the show in Karachi. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

Khawaja Haider, who came to witness the air show with his friends, said that people in Karachi were actually celebrating Pakistan Day, which was rare as the only source of entertainment for Karachiites was usually to watch the parades in Islamabad or at the Wagah Border on TV. He added that fighter planes flying at such low altitudes are a source of great excitement, especially for children who dream of becoming pilots.

Muhammad Nawaz, who visited Sea View with his family, termed the experience 'amazing' and laughingly said he could barely hear anything after the explosive sounds at the air show. His seven-year-old son, Ahsan, proudly declared that one day he would become a pilot and fly the same planes.

Hyderabad

In Hyderabad, small demonstrations and rallies were organised by political parties and civil society to mark the day. Residents organised a rally outside the Hyderabad Press Club, donned green clothes and hoisted the Pakistan flag high.

Sukkur

Pakistan Day was observed in Sukkur and other parts of upper Sindh with the resolve to work towards bringing prosperity to the country with utmost honesty and dedication.

People all over the province hoisted flags to mark Pakistan Day. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

In Sukkur, the main celebrations took place at Jinnah Municipal Stadium, where Sukkur Municipal Corporation Mayor Barrister Arsalan Shaikh hoisted the national flag. Participants of the event also sang the national anthem. A large number of government officials, students from different schools and other citizens participated in the celebrations.

During his speech, Mayor Shaikh extended his felicitations to the nation and urged the people to adhere to the message of the nation's heroes. He paid tribute to those who had laid down their lives for getting the creation of a separate motherland for Muslims.



Sukkur Deputy Commissioner Raheem Bux Maitlo lauded the efforts of national institutions, especially the Pakistan Army, Frontier Constabulary, Rangers and police for fighting terrorism and restoring peace as peace is the prerequisite for the smooth operation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. He also paid tribute to the jawans of law enforcement agencies who laid down their lives to bring lasting peace in the country. The DC urged the youth to pay attention to their studies as high-quality education is the only tool to cope with the challenges they will soon face.

Students from different government and private schools performed shows on the theme of Pakistan Day. Later, sweets and gifts were distributed among the children. Similar functions were also organised in other cities and towns across upper Sindh.