Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: With only six days left in the celebrations of Pakistan Day, falling on March 23, the preparations have been started across the country including federal capital through planning a number of activities to pay tribute to our national heroes and pray for prosperity of the country. The whole nation showing the traditional enthusiasm and patriotism is gearing up to mark the day through decorating their houses and cars with national flags and bunting and educating their future generations about the struggle of our national heroes and forefathers for acquiring a separate homeland. Various organizations and departments, both public and private, have planned a number of activities including seminars, conferences and discussion programs to highlight the historical significance of Pakistan Day.

Various educational institutions have planned to hold declamation and national songs contests while cultural departments will hold art exhibitions and musical performances on national songs. Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) will arrange exhibitions, cultural show, patriotic songs competitions, tableaus, skits, and folk dances to mark the occasion while Lok Virsa would organize patriotic songs performances and special cake cutting ceremony. Pakistan Day Parade, which is the main feature of the celebrations, will be held on March 23 in Islamabad. There will be early morning military and civilian parades in Islamabad with gun salutes in the federal and provincial capitals. National Flag will be hoisted atop all government buildings and departments, while the many important ones will be decorated with lights and buntings.

The flag hoisting ceremonies will be held at different diplomatic missions of Pakistan abroad. It will be public holiday on Pakistan Day, which is celebrated annually to commemorate the ‘Lahore Resolution’ of 1940 that eventually led to the creation of Pakistan. Famous brands in the federal capital have started offering sales on dresses, shoes and other accessories to mark the day. Since the last few years, it has become a common practice for the brands, online retailers, eateries and even the cab-hailing and salon services to offer good discounts on different occasions and important days that get over-whelming response from the citizens. The trend of online shopping from the websites of famous brands was although already in vogue but boomed further during the rising cases of COVID-19. Youth and children have started buying national flags, badges, models and stickers at the stalls set up at different corners of the city to decorate their houses and vehicles.