KARACHI: As Pakistan officially commenced the Eidul Azha festivities on Tueday, various political leaders and statesmen extended their well wishes and prayers to the country and its people. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, in his message, hoped that the Almighty Allah accepted the prayers and sacrifices of the people on this auspicious occasion. “I congratulate the entire Pakistani nation on Eidul Azha,” he said while adding that the willingness to sacrifice holds universal significance. He further said that those nations that were devoid of the spirit of sacrifice could never progress and the real spirit of sacrifice was to give preference to national interests over personal wishes. Khan added that the sacrifice was not just to slaughter animals but to follow and be obedient to Allah, put behind the personal gains, priorities, and biases in order to work for the well being and collective welfare of Pakistan and its people. In his Eid message, the President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, said that the Eid was the day that commemorated the obedience, sacrifice, and unparalleled examples set by the great prophets of Islam. He said that in order to resolve our problems, the people of Pakistan should follow the lessons of the ‘Sunnat-e-Ibrahimi’, which teaches us to sacrifice our egos – the key factor behind numerous problems. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, also conveyed Eid wishes to the nation through the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), saying, “May Allah Almighty bless our motherland [with] peace and prosperity.” In his message on the Eid, the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Sardar Usman Buzdar, remarked that the Eidul Azha was a religious festival of sacrifice, love, and affection as our religion emphasised on sharing joy and happiness with penurious families. Buzdar congratulated the nation on the joyous occasion of Eidul Azha and the dawn of a new Pakistan. “Sharing our joy and happiness with the needy is the real philosophy of Eid festival and we are ethically bound to do so,” he added. The CM said that the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s defence must be remembered on this auspicious occasion.”We should also make a commitment to serve the ailing humanity on this happy occasion and this day also requires that we promote love and affection by forgetting our differences,” he said. The Governor Punjab nominee, Chaudry Sarwar, said that the people of Pakistan could overcome the challenges showing the spirit of brotherhood, love, harmony, and sacrifice. In his message, Sarwar urged people not to neglect the needy on the special occasion. He said that those nations which demonstrated the spirit of sacrifice, brotherhood, love, religious harmony, and unity always made progress and became prosperous. “On such auspicious occasions, we must not forget our Kashmiri brethren facing severe atrocities in their struggle for freedom,” he added. Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, the acting Governor of Punjab and the speaker of Punjab Assembly, said that the Eidul Azha teaches us the lesson of altruism and sacrifice as well as complete submission before the will of Almighty Allah. He said that the true spirit of the Eid festivities was to be attentive towards social and civic responsibilities and be ready for any sacrifice for the betterment of humanity. The Deputy Speaker of Punjab Assembly, Dost Muhammad Mazari, greeted the people of Punjab on the Eid and said that there was a need to play a responsive role with the spirit of sacrifice. “There is a need to work selflessly for the promotion of education, awareness and maintenance of peace and stability in the country,” he said. Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the former chief minister of Punjab, in his message, said that sacrifice was significantly important in every aspect of life. “Nawaz Sharif is also offering a sacrifice for the stability of democracy,” he added. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, wished all Muslims ‘Eid Mubarak’ and reminded the people to remember the poor and the destitute in Pakistan. He prayed for the country’s peace, development, and well-being. Ahsan Iqbal, a member of the PML-N and the former interior minister, in his Eid message, remarked that the real spirit of the Eid was to remember the poor and the destitute during the festivities of Eid. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, said that the deserving and needy people should not be ignored on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Azha and a pledge should be made to work jointly for the progress and prosperity of the country with more devotion and sincerity. “On this Eid, while recalling the selfless sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and his son Hazrat Ismail (AS), one should not forget those who sacrificed their lives for the protection and integrity of the country. Eid celebrations must include the family members of martyrs as well,” he added. Published in Daily Times, August 25th 2018.