Pakistani expatriates celebrated Youm-e-Pakistan, or National Day, here recently with praise for the country’s pioneering leaders, and a commitment to advance the nation’s development.

Several guests who had come from all across the Kingdom took the opportunity to read out excerpts from books on Pakistan’s history to remember the Pakistan movement.

Organized by Halqa-e-Danish, participants remembered the country’s highly respected heroes Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam.

About 100 expatriates from Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Taif, Rabigh, Yanbu, and Riyadh participated in the four-hour event.

Tahseem-ul-Haq Haqqi, Pakistan’s welfare consul, presided over the function. Abu Ahmed Akif, the director general for Haj, and Rohail Khan, a senior banker and philanthropist, served as guests of honor.

Ashfaq Badayuni, president of Halqa-e-Danish, initiated the proceedings, followed by a recitation from the Qur’an, naat (poetry praising Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), and a recital of Iqbal’s poetry.

Emotions ran high when everyone stood up and collectively recited the Qaumi Tarana, Pakistan’s national anthem. Haqqi pinned the Pakistan flag on everyone at the event. He is the grandson of Urdu scholar and poet, Shaan-ul-Haq Haqqi, who authored the 22-volume Urdu dictionary.

Mukhtar Ali and Anwar Hussain recited the tarana: “Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai, Tum ho Pasbaan Iss Kay.”

Guests present included Mukhtar Ali, Tauqir Haider, Zawwar Abedi, Mahmud Iqbal, Mohsin Alvi, Khalid Kathoriya, Hamid Islam Khan, Riyaz Bukhari, Mohammad Bilal, Abu Ahmed Akif and Rohail Khan.

Other who participated included Muhammad Bilal, principal of the Pakistan International School; Riyaz Bukhari, president of the Pakistan People’s Party; Chaudhry Iftikhar, president of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf; Sheeraz Abbasi, a youth ambassador; Mutahir Rizvi, president of the Pakistan Executives Group; Mansur Shivani, vice president of MASA; Tayyab Moosani, general secretary of the Memon Welfare Society; Nawaz Janjua, general secretary of the Pakistan Welfare Society; Mubassir Azam from the Islamic Development Bank; Ahmed Farooqi, chairman of Farooqi Media Group; Jawad Shah, partner at Microsoft; Asim Zia from BDM, Rajab Silsilah Group; Shaikh Luqman; Aziz Ahmed; Mujeeb Hasan; Qari Asif; Amanatullah; Rasheed Kashmiri; Ahmed Mehroom; Amin Najmi; Aseem Hanif; Shariq Islam; Abdulrahman Baig; Musarrat Khalil; and Chaudhry Yusuf Ibrahim, chairman of the CCO Group.

The participants made a collective dua for the progress, stability, and prosperity of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.