Pakistan Day passes quietly in capital this year
All events to mark Pakistan Resolution Day cancelled amid COVID-19 pandemic
Islamabad. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
For the first time in the history of the federal capital, no ceremony was held in the city to celebrate Pakistan Resolution Day owing to social distancing and a lockdown announced by the district administration because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Normally, the month of March sees a host of cultural and artistic events take place in the federal capital which portray the patriotic spirit of the nation as they commemorate the day in 1940 when Muslims of South Asia resolved to demand a separate homeland under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah at a huge rally held in Lahore.
Two major events are held every year to mark March 23, including a parade of the armed forces and a grand investiture ceremony. However, both ceremonies were cancelled. These are accompanied by a host of other events such as photographic and art exhibitions, seminars, lectures and stage performances at cultural centres and educational institutions.
But the imposition of social distancing has seen events at educational institutions get cancelled.
Meanwhile, officials of the Rescue 1122 in Rawalpindi distributed free facemasks to people.
“Today, our dear country, Pakistan, along with rest of the world is facing the challenge of a pandemic,” Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Dr Abdul Rahman said, adding, “Our Task Force and our staff members are working hard day and night to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Former Punjab provincial assembly member Arif Abbasi said that at such a critical time, all political and religious parties are on one page.
“We will the defeat coronavirus,” he asserted.
Art auction to raise funds
As events were cancelled across the federal capital in wake of Section 144 imposed by the district administration, an online auction of artwork by the welfare organisation, ArtAid, was held to raise funds for helping those underprivileged segments of society which have been the hardest hit by the lockdown.
“ArtAid has been reactivated to provide much-needed assistance to the low-income families affected in the testing time,” said renowned artist Jamal Shah.
A former director-general fo the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Shah said that scores of people are facing a loss of income owing to the lockdown.
The platform had originally been launched in 2005 to support victims of the massive earthquake, Shah recalled. That auction, he said, had been held in collaboration with Pakistan Television (PTV) to raise funds for the quake-hit people.
ArtAid, the veteran artist said, will allow them to engage all support networks to reach out to the needy such as daily wagers and other downtrodden communities exposed to COVID-19.
From the money raised by the auction, Shah said ArtAid will collect necessities such as grocery items, tea, cooking oil, sugar, medicines, sanitizers, soaps and detergents which will then be distributed free of cost.
Apart from auctioning art for cash to raise funds, Shah said that ArtAid will also allow barter for supplies.
"We will also collect funds or supplies through online music concerts,” he said. He said that he was looking for volunteers and will also employ jobless young boys and girls for the delivery of support packages to the needy.
"We are mobilising teams of willing contributors and establishing a network dedicated to helping the most vulnerable segment of society."
With additional input by APP
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2020.
For the first time in the history of the federal capital, no ceremony was held in the city to celebrate Pakistan Resolution Day owing to social distancing and a lockdown announced by the district administration because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Normally, the month of March sees a host of cultural and artistic events take place in the federal capital which portray the patriotic spirit of the nation as they commemorate the day in 1940 when Muslims of South Asia resolved to demand a separate homeland under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah at a huge rally held in Lahore.
Two major events are held every year to mark March 23, including a parade of the armed forces and a grand investiture ceremony. However, both ceremonies were cancelled. These are accompanied by a host of other events such as photographic and art exhibitions, seminars, lectures and stage performances at cultural centres and educational institutions.
But the imposition of social distancing has seen events at educational institutions get cancelled.
Meanwhile, officials of the Rescue 1122 in Rawalpindi distributed free facemasks to people.
“Today, our dear country, Pakistan, along with rest of the world is facing the challenge of a pandemic,” Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Dr Abdul Rahman said, adding, “Our Task Force and our staff members are working hard day and night to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Former Punjab provincial assembly member Arif Abbasi said that at such a critical time, all political and religious parties are on one page.
“We will the defeat coronavirus,” he asserted.
Art auction to raise funds
As events were cancelled across the federal capital in wake of Section 144 imposed by the district administration, an online auction of artwork by the welfare organisation, ArtAid, was held to raise funds for helping those underprivileged segments of society which have been the hardest hit by the lockdown.
“ArtAid has been reactivated to provide much-needed assistance to the low-income families affected in the testing time,” said renowned artist Jamal Shah.
A former director-general fo the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Shah said that scores of people are facing a loss of income owing to the lockdown.
The platform had originally been launched in 2005 to support victims of the massive earthquake, Shah recalled. That auction, he said, had been held in collaboration with Pakistan Television (PTV) to raise funds for the quake-hit people.
ArtAid, the veteran artist said, will allow them to engage all support networks to reach out to the needy such as daily wagers and other downtrodden communities exposed to COVID-19.
From the money raised by the auction, Shah said ArtAid will collect necessities such as grocery items, tea, cooking oil, sugar, medicines, sanitizers, soaps and detergents which will then be distributed free of cost.
Apart from auctioning art for cash to raise funds, Shah said that ArtAid will also allow barter for supplies.
"We will also collect funds or supplies through online music concerts,” he said. He said that he was looking for volunteers and will also employ jobless young boys and girls for the delivery of support packages to the needy.
"We are mobilising teams of willing contributors and establishing a network dedicated to helping the most vulnerable segment of society."
With additional input by APP
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2020.