Father’s Day was celebrated with zeal and zest in most part of the world including Pakistan on Sunday. Children expressed their affection by giving gifts and chocolates to their fathers and spending time with them. Civil society and non-governmental organisations arranged seminars and walks to celebrate the day. Different TV channels telecast programmes in connection with the day, some asking children to send greeting SMSs which were run on the messaging slides. A shopkeeper Ijaz at Liberty told Pakistan Today that he had set up a special Father’s Day stall in his shop three days ago. Ijaz said he had initially gotten a lukewarm response, but on Sunday many people visited the stall and purchased a variety of items including greeting cards.
A citizen Humayon while purchasing a gift at Moon Market said, “I was not aware of Father’s Day up until today. I came to know of it from the television. It is a pity that we tend to ignore fathers despite their countless contributions towards making us successful humans.” He said the common man was facing so many problems, most importantly inflation, and it left him with little time to pay attention to the softer side of life.
Umer, a student, whose father died three years ago said, “I miss my father a lot. He was a very simple man. He used to advise me that if I want to be respect, I must work honestly and avoid jealousy.” Sana Khalid, 11, said the celebration of Father’s Day started some years. She said, compared to Mother’s Day, Father’s Day received a lukewarm response, so much so that majority of people did not even know about the day and its celebration. She said Father’s Day celebrations were a way to express gratitude and love for fathers. “We must make this day so special that the past year’s ups and downs don’t leave any scars,” she added.
In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought out the idea to celebrate Father’s Day. Sonora’s father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910. Thereafter, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.
