ISLAMABAD: Nation is all set to celebrate the 70th Independence Day (August 14) on Sunday with great zeal through paying tribute to the national heroes for their sacrifices and pledging to work for the country’s prosperity.
The day will dawn with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and 21-gun salutes in all the provincial capitals.
The main event will be organized at Convention Center in Islamabad where President Mamnoon Hussain will hoist the National Flag and address the nation.
The ceremony of Change of Guards will be held at Allama Iqbal Mausoleum in Lahore and the citizens will then offer Fateha on his grave.
Special prayers will be arranged for the peace, prosperity and solidarity of the country while different functions and seminars organized by educational institutions will also be part of the celebrations.
All major public and private buildings, streets and avenues have been illuminated and decorated with national flags, banners and buntings to mark the day.
Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) under its week-long programmes organized an Azadi cultural and musical show on August 13, featuring a number of colourful performances by the artists belonging to all the provinces.
PNCA has also arranged a colourful puppets show portraying the history of the Pakistan Movement in the form of stories to attract the attention of the children and educate them about their history.
Besides depicting the culture and traditions of the country, such shows also educate the youth regarding the struggle of freedom fighters through soft expressions of art, said PNCA Director Tanveer Kiani.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has also devised a comprehensive plan to mark the Independence Day celebrations. A three-day Table Tennis Competition organized by the authority in this regard concluded here at Sports Complex on Saturday.
A three-day Mela continued here at F-9 Park on second day featuring different stalls carrying Jashan-i-Azadi accessories including dresses, flags, bunting and eatables. The Jashan-i-Azadi Mela started on Friday.
The CDA’s two-day birds show also concluded at Lakeview Park on Saturday. A painting exhibition, children singing and painting competition were also held at Art and Craft Village.
Meanwhile Azadi Train, which is one of the striking features of Independence Day celebrations, continued its country-wide one-month journey, which journey on Thursday from Margalla Station Islamabad.
The train, comprises over 17 coaches, is exhibiting different aspects of Pakistan’s culture, besides highlighting sacrifices of heroes of the Independence Movement and armed forces for the country’s defence.
Pakistan Post will issue a commemorative stamp on August 14 to pay tribute to great social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi, for his services. He died last month.
Lok Virsa’ Mandwa Film Club screened the famous film “Jinnah”on Saturday at its Virsa Media Centre.
An exhibition of Artisans-at-work featuring master crafts people in various craft areas such as truck art, mirror work, doll making, block printing, lacquer art, etc. also kicked off at Heritage Museum on Saturday.
Lok Virsa will hold the special Independence Day cake cutting ceremony at the Pakistan Monument Museum on August 14.
Talking to APP, she said screening of the film, `Jinnah’, exhibition, cultural show, and cake cutting ceremony were the main highlights of the Lok Virsa’s activities”.
