Buoyed by the combat victory against pugnacious India during the five-day war in May this year, the people of Sindh celebrated in an upbeat manner on Thursday. The people organised rallies, attended musical events, participated in an array of activities taking place in the educational institutions and organised cake cutting events.
The people also pitched up tents on important roads and intersections in cities and towns and played national songs with the rapturous participants waving the country's flags and shouting patriotic slogans. Unfortunately, during the unbridled aerial firing, which started at the eve of the Independence Day past Wednesday midnight, at least 16 children, women and men were injured in Hyderabad district alone. The police appeared completely indifferent to the menace of firing volleys of gunshots in the air.
Meanwhile, the central flag hoisting ceremony in Hyderabad was organized on Thursday morning at the Circuit House. The Divisional Commissioner Fayaz Hussain Abbassi, DIG Tariq Razzak Dharejo, Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro, Deputy Commissioner Zainul Abedin Memon and SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio hoisted the national flag while a number of notable citizens, teachers and students attended.
The students made speeches with special reference to Marka-e-Haq, presented tableaux and sang national anthems. "The recent victory over India has instilled a new spirit in the independence day celebrations," the DIG said. He noted that an unseen enthusiasm among the people was conspicuous this year.
The mayor paid tribute to the armed force for their valiant defence of the country. The commissioner said the people are demonstrating their patriotism by boisterously celebrating the day. Separately, the city's roads and intersections brimmed with rallies throughout the day.
A national flag of 300 feet by 84 feet dimensions was hoisted on an 84 feet tall pole at a ceremony in Sukkur district. Divisional Commissioner of Sukkur Abid Ali Qureshi, DIG Faisal Abdullah Chachar, Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh and DC Nadir Shahzad Khan performed the hoisting.
"The nation is celebrating two important days," Qureshi observed. "One pertains to the independence and the other to the triumph over India." He believed that Pakistan can become a developed country if the rule of law is established and the educational and economic systems are improved in addition to engendering the national unity. The DIG Sukkur said the national unity and a sense of responsibility among the citizens can help bring peace, stability and prosperity.
MPA Suhail Anwar Siyal, Mayor Anwar Ali Lahar, Commissioner Tahir Hussain Sangi, DC Wajahat Ghafoor Mirani and SSP Ahmed Faisal Chaudhry raised the national flag at Municipal Stadium Larkana. An identical central event was held at the courtyard of DC office in Shaheed Benazirabad district where Commissioner Nadeem Ahmed Abro, DC Abdul Samad Nizamani, MPA Abdul Qadir Junejo and SSP Shabbir Ahmed Sethar hoisted the flag.
In Mirpurkhas, one of the five divisional headquarters in Sindh outside Karachi, saw the main event at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Sports Stadium, aka Gama Stadium, where Commissioner Faisal Ahmed Uqailui, DIG Zubair Ahmed Darishak and Chairman District Council M Anwar Talpur performed the flag raising. Besides the official events, the political and religious parties as well as different government and private organizations also organised separate activities to mark the day.
Azadi Train
Around a selected 100 tourists from Karachi and Hyderabad were taken for a tour of Umerkot and Tharparkar districts in the Azadi Train which started its journey from Karachi on Wednesday morning. The journey was organised by the Sindh Culture and Tourism Department in collaboration with the Pakistan Railways.
The train arrived in Hyderabad around noon on Wednesday after which it headed through the Chor Cantt in Umerkot via Mirpurkhas. On Thursday morning the journey resumed towards Khokharpar border in Tharparkar district. The tourists were also taken to the zero point which is close Khokharapar station. A cake cutting ceremony also took place at the Rangers facility in Khokharapar.
The train consisted of four bogies besides an engine. All the bogies as well as the engine were covered in penaflexes of national flavours as well as colourful buntings.
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