Pakistan’s Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah celebrated the 86th National Day with traditional fervor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
A large number of people from the Pakistani community attended the ceremony.
In Riyadh, Ambassador of Pakistan Ahmed Farooq welcomed the foreign ambassadors and military attaches in the ceremony. Under-Secretary of the Riyadh region Governorate, Dr. Faisal bin Abdul Aziz, attended as the chief guest. Commander of the Islamic Military Alliance General Retired Raheel Sharif also attended the ceremony.
Ambassador of Pakistan Ahmed Farooq said that Pakistan is a great state whose dream was seen on March 23, 1940, and Pakistan came into existence in a short period of seven years under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said that Pakistan is playing an important role in the world and is progressing. Live performances on the stage also created a lot of excitement in the ceremony, and the musical band entertained the participants. The Pakistani community and foreign guests appreciated the ceremony and said that Pakistan is the most important country in the world, which is moving forward with utmost responsibility while promoting peace and security.
In Jeddah, Pakistan’s National flag was raised at the newly constructed, graceful building of the Consulate General of Pakistan, as the national anthem played in the background. Special messages from the President, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister of Pakistan were read to commemorate this significant day. Syed Mustafa Rabbani, Consul General of Pakistan in Jeddah, said in his remarks on the occasion that underlined the significance of this day and spoke about the strong bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, describing it as a brotherly relationship that is deeply rooted in faith and history.
Emphasizing the importance of this day, Syed Rabbani said, “This day is a reminder of the sacrifices made by the founding fathers of Pakistan to secure a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent. It is a day to reflect on the ideals of unity, faith, and discipline that were espoused by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
The Consul General also expressed his deep admiration for the Pakistani community living in Jeddah and their contribution towards promoting the economic development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the brotherly relationship between the two countries. Consul General emphasized that Pak-Saudi friendship has stood the test of time, and we will continue to stand together as all-weather friends. A cross-section of the Pakistani diaspora and representatives of ethnic media attended the event. 23rd March marks a historic occasion in the history of Pakistan as it was on this day that the Lahore Resolution was passed in 1940. This resolution declared that Muslims in India were a separate nation and demanded a separate homeland for themselves. This resolution paved the way for the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The Pakistani community in Jeddah expressed deep interest and great zeal in this event, as it was the first National Day event held at the newly opened Consulate General premises. The event concluded with a collective prayer and supplications for the peace, welfare, and prosperity of Pakistan and the Muslim Ummah.