Exuberance: Sindh marks Independence Day with fervour

SUKKUR/HYDERABAD:

As Pakistan turned 67 on Thursday, Sindh saw renewed pledges, along with exuberant celebrations, for all-out efforts to make the country prosperous and strong.

Karachi

In the city the father of the nation was born, a flag hoisting ceremony took place at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum with the Governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad present as chief guest. The governor was accompanied by the chief minister of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah, and members of his cabinet. They offered prayers and laid floral wreaths on Jinnah’s grave. Students from several schools in the city also visited the Quaid’s mausoleum and recited the national anthem with the military band.

Cadets from the Pakistan Naval Academy assumed their responsibility to guard the mausoleum. Commodore Navaid Ashraf laid a floral wreath on the grave and was there for the change of guard. As per tradition cadets of the academy take their duties to guard the mausoleum every year on August 14.

A flag hoisting ceremony was also held at the Sindh Madressatul Islam University, the Quaid’s alma mater.

Upper Sindh

The major event in upper Sindh was held at the Jinnah Municipal Stadium, Sukkur, where commissioner Muhammad Abbas Baloch hoisted the national flag. Deputy commissioner Shahzad Tahir Tahheem, lawmakers Dewan Chand Chawla and Saleem Bandhani, DIG Javed Alam Odho and others were present. A large number of schoolchildren and scouts attended the ceremony.

Similar ceremonies were held in IBA Sukkur, Sukkur Electric Power Company head office, and different public and private schools. Children sporting colourful attire performed various tableaus and skits and sung national songs. Sweets were later distributed among them.

Other cities and towns of upper Sindh comprising Ghotki, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Larkana, Kamber-Shahdadkot and Dadu also saw patriotic celebrations.

Many young boys rode on motorcycles without silencers carrying national flags around the cities. Others resorted to playing national songs in blasting volume to express their love for the country.

A large number of people from the outskirts of Sukkur thronged the city, visiting public spots such as the Lab-e-Mehran Park, the Mir Masoom Shah Minaret, the Muhammad Bin Qasim Park, the Navy Park and others.

Lower Sindh

Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Bhanbore and Nawabshah divisions, had their own share of official celebrations on Thursday.

Government functionaries hoisted national flags, political and social groups held rallies and cut cakes and young citizens jubilated via aerial firing.

Hyderabad commissioner Jamal Mustafa Syed hoisted the national flag at a ceremony held at the former Zila Nazim secretariat. The local notables and officials from various government departments attended the event. Dozens of rallies were organised all over the Hyderabad district by political and religious groups alongside youth to mark the day. The Sunni Tehreek cut a 68-pound cake at Hyder Chowk before commencing with their rally.

In Mirpurkhas, the divisional commissioner Sajid Jamal Abro hoisted the national flag at his office to commence the celebrations. Local political groups held rallies in all the tehsils of the district.

The Sindh University, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in the Jamshoro district also marked the day by holding celebratory events.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th,2014.