State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Saturday said the PTI government under dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan was striving hard to transform Pakistan into a strong, developed and prosperous state as per vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was addressing a flag hoisting ceremony at the Commissioner Complex on the Independence Day while Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance Faizullah Kamoka, MNA Khurram Shehzad, Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Labour Shakeel Shahid, MPA Chaudhry Lateef Nazar, MPA Mian Waris Aziz, MPA Firdous Rae, Commissioner Saqib Mannan and others were also present. The state minister said: “Pakistan is an atomic power and now it is in safe and strong hands,” adding that the Pak Army had also made its defence invincible. He said on the Independence Day the entire nation should reaffirm its pledge to play an active role for development and prosperity of the homeland. He also paid tributes to the struggle of Kashmiri people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) for their independence and said that blood of Kashmiri martyrs would surely bring about a revolution and Kashmiris would get freedom from India soon. He condemned the act of Modi government who made the IIOJ&K the largest prison in the world where eight million Kashmiris were living like prisoners. The minister said: “Our forefathers under great leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had achieved a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Sub-continent and now we are duty bound to protect it at all forums.” He said Allah, The Almighty, has blessed Pakistan with innumerable blessings. The world’s highest mountain peaks are present in the country besides 650 kilometers of coastal area and fields, he added. The state minister said nine million Pakistanis living in different countries of the world were sending their hard earned money to Pakistan through remittances, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team was striving hard for welfare of the people besides making the homeland prosperous. He said PM Imran Khan was struggling hard to transform the country into a welfare state, therefore, the government was taking effective steps to raise living standard of the people. Earlier, the state minister with parliamentarians hoisted the national flag while the police,civil defence, the Rescue 1122 and Dolphin Force presented march past and saluted thenational flag. The students also presented national songs in the ceremony. Meanwhile, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Saturday distributed free plants among people at Zila Council Chowk here on the Independence Day. Talking to APP, the state minister said thousands of saplings had been planted by the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) and the Independence Day had also been associated with 10 billion tsunami tree plantation campaign. He said the UN had issued a warning that global warming would increase, therefore, Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice in time and launched 10 billion tsunami tree plantation campaign in the country, adding that the nation also responded positively and joined it after considering a national responsibility. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had emerged as a world leader regarding working on climate change, therefore, all international organizations, including the World Economic Forum, were appreciating Pakistan’s efforts. The world leaders also appreciated the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan on climate change and the hosting of the UN World Environment Day was also handed over to Pakistan this year, he added. The state minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan himself was supervising and leading the tsunami tree plantation campaign and now this campaign had become a regular movement. Every citizen had become a part of the tree plantation drive to make the country more green besides protecting the earth from global warming, he added. The PHA had planted thousands of trees in Faisalabad and now it was providing saplings to the general public free of cost so that people could participate in the government’s tree plantation campaign at the maximum level, he said.