Explainer: Is Pakistan celebrating its 78th or 79th Independence Day?

The nation is celebrating Independence Day today with unmatched zeal and patriotic fervour, as the green flag flutters proudly in every street, market, and public square.

From bustling cities to remote villages, flag-hoisting ceremonies are being held, drawing crowds united in their love for the homeland.

Voices rise in unison to sing the national anthem and heartfelt patriotic songs, while citizens pay glowing tributes to the armed forces for their courage and dedication — particularly in light of their historic success in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos during the recent conflict with India in May.

But here’s a question: do you know which Independence Day we are celebrating — the 78th or the 79th? This confusion arises almost every year, and 2025 is no exception. To settle the debate, The Express Tribune has outlined a simple way to determine it.

The correct approach is to count August 14, 1947 as the first Independence Day. Following that logic, August 14, 2025 marks the 79th Independence Day. One year after independence, in 1948, Pakistan celebrated its 1st anniversary of independence — but that was its 2nd Independence Day.

Here’s the calculation in simpler terms:

1947 → 1st Independence Day
1948 → 2nd Independence Day
1949 → 3rd Independence Day
1950 → 4th Independence Day
...

2022 → 76th Independence Day
2023 → 77th Independence Day
2024 → 78th Independence Day
2025 → 79th Independence Day

Another quick method is to subtract the year of independence from the current year. This will give you the number of years since independence — that is, the anniversary year. If you then add one to this number, you get the exact Independence Day count.

Formula:
Current Year – 1947 = Anniversary year
Example: 2025 – 1947 = 78 (78th anniversary of independence)

Current Year – 1947 + 1 = Independence Day number
Example: 2025 – 1947 + 1 = 79 (79th Independence Day)

So, today, the nation proudly celebrates its 79th Independence Day, a moment that not only honours the historic birth of Pakistan in 1947 but also reflects on 78 years of resilience, progress, and unity.