JEDDAH, 24 March 2008 — The Pakistani community in the Kingdom yesterday celebrated Pakistan’s National Day with simplicity, zeal and fervor. Flag-raising ceremonies were held simultaneously at the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh and at the residence of the consul general in Jeddah.

Pakistan Ambassador Shahid Karimullah unfurled the flag at the embassy building. Messages from the president and the prime minister were read out.

The ambassador in his address exhorted the Pakistani community to forge unity in their ranks and work hard for the uplift and welfare of their fellow citizens and the country. The consul general, in his address, reminded the community of their commitment to make Pakistan prosperous and progressive.

PRC Celebrations

The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) held a function to mark the day at Mehran restaurant. Abdullah Omar Naseef, president of World Muslim Congress and recipient of the Hilal-e-Pakistan award, congratulated Pakistanis on this momentous day.

He said every Saudi and Muslim prays for Pakistan’s solidarity and integrity since it is the shield of Islam. He praised PRC for highlighting the issues of Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis.

On the issue of stranded Pakistanis, he said he was not conversant with Pakistan People’s Party stand but was confident of the commitment of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who tried to implement the Rabita Trust’s agreement.

Mohammad Jamil Rathore, general secretary of Pakistan Journalists Forum, appreciated PRC for organizing the event and recalled that the leaders who opposed the resolution of 1940 could not demoralize Quaid-e-Azam, who in a short period of seven years established Pakistan. Ghulam Nabi Butt, chairman of Jammu Kashmir Community, said that “this day reminds us of the great struggle under the dynamic leadership of Quaid. However, the tragic war of 1971 dismembered the country.”

Mohammad Ashfaque Badiouni, a social leader, said the country was passing through a difficult phase and the new government would inherit a lot of problems and challenges, which could only be resolved by determination. He urged the resolution of the Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis issues. He also criticized the Danish papers for publishing the offending cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Abu Farhan Siddiqui of the Muslim Welfare and Development organization gave details of welfare activities currently in force for stranded Pakistanis in camps in Bangladesh.

Convener Ehsanul Haque thanked Nasseef, other speakers, poets and guests for participating in the event. He also thanked journalists, poets and speakers for highlighting the issue of stranded Pakistanis along with the Kashmir issue. He said: “Pakistan is not the name of a state but of an ideology, which will lead to nationhood if we adhere to the teaching of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah.”

Poets Naseem Sehar, Athar Nafees Abbasi, Syed Mohsin Alavi, Abdul Qayyum Waseq, Zamurrad Khan Saifi, read out poetries on Pakistan and tributes to the Prophet.