JEDDAH, 24 March 2003 — Members of the Pakistani community in the Kingdom yesterday celebrated the National Day of Pakistan with simplicity. The celebrations began with flag-hoisting ceremonies held simultaneously at the Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah at 8:15 a.m.
Ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom Abdul Aziz Mirza hoisted the national flag at a largely-attended ceremony held in the chancery building in Riyadh. Messages from President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali were read out.
In Jeddah, the flag-hoisting ceremony was held at the consulate general. The ceremony began with a recitation from the Qur’an and the national anthem, attended by members of the Pakistani community and officials of the consulate, Haj Directorate, Pakistan International School and Pakistan International Airlines. Zahid Nasrullah Khan, acting consul general, performed the flag-hoisting ceremony, and messages from the president and the prime minister were read out.
Later, the participants prayed for the unity, integrity and progress of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In Islamabad, Pakistanis marked a low-key National Day yesterday after the day’s traditional military parade and other events were called off due to the ongoing US-led war in Iraq, officials said.
Pakistan canceled celebrations on Saturday, saying a large parade would have been inappropriate “in view of the sad and tragic developments in Iraq and the deep anguish caused to the people of Pakistan.”
A military parade and display of weaponry, including short and long-range missiles, was to be held in Islamabad to commemorates a March 23, 1940, resolution by Muslim leaders demanding a homeland for Muslims on the Indian subcontinent. Pakistan was created seven years later after the Indian subcontinent won its independence from Britain.
Despite the parade cancellation, soldiers conducted a 21-gun salute in all four of Pakistan’s provinces and authorities held simple flag-raising ceremonies at government buildings.