Independence Day resolve: CM says August 14 occasion for reflection on performance

Sharif says flag hoisted at Lahore Fort is the biggest ever hoisted in the country .

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday that Independence Day ceremonies should not be taken as an opportunity to only deliver speeches. He said these should serve as an occasion to review the progress made by the country over the outgoing year.

He was speaking a flag hoisting ceremony at the Hazoori Bagh compound.

He said the national flag hoisted at the Lahore Fort was the biggest ever national flag to be hoisted in the country. He urged government officials to reflect on their performance and determine if they were honouring the national flag and the principles laid down for them by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

The chief minister said it was lamentable that a majority of the country’s population was still deprived of basic amenities of life. He said the country had yet to be cleansed of corruption and nepotism and made self reliant in management of its finances.

The chief minister praised the services of Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorist outfits. He said after its success in the war against terrorism, the country now needed to wage wars against illiteracy, injustice, corruption and nepotism.

Further, Sharif said he was grateful to Allah Almighty that there had been no complaints about corruption in the development projects initiated by his government. He urged the affluent to invest their savings in the country instead of keeping it in foreign bank accounts. He asked them to invest in energy generation projects in the country. He hoped that the government would be successful in ending energy crisis by 2017.

About the Kasur child pornography reports, the chief minister assured the gathering that a transparent inquiry would be conducted and severe punishments would be given to those found responsible for the tragedy.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafiq briefed the gathering about education projects launched by the government.

In his welcome address, DCO Capt (r) Muhammad Usman urged the gathering to remember the sacrifices of thousands of people for the establishment of the country.

Later, the chief minister attended a change of guards ceremony at the mausoleum of Allama Muhammad Iqbal where a contingent from Pakistan Army took over the duties from Pakistan Rangers. He offered prayers for the soul of the national poet and laid a floral wreath at his grave. Students from several schools of the city performed on national songs.

The chief minister was accompanied at the ceremony by Lahore Garrison Commander Major General Sardar Tariq Aman. Major roads and markets in the city were decorated with national flags, posters and banners. A large number of cars were seen on road with national flag painted on their bonnets.

Other flag hoisting ceremonies

Flag-hoisting ceremonies also were held at the Lahore Garrison and Army formations and units in the province to celebrate the day. The flag hoisting ceremony at the Corps Headquarters was attended by Brigadier Mazhar Kayani who read out Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif’s order of the day. A gun salute ceremony was held at Lahore Cantonment.

Independence Day stalls were set up at all toll plazas at the National Highway from Lahore to Rahim Yar Khan by the National Highways and Motorway Police N-5 Central to celebrate the day. The NHMP officials at the stalls distributed national flags, bouquets and sweets among road users. The national flag was hoisted at the NH&MP N-5 Central Line Headquarters by SSP Masroor Alam Kalachi. A ceremony was held for school children at the NH&MP theme park.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2015.