Preparations for the 64th Independence Day of the country are in full swing in the federal capital. On Tuesday, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Amir Ahmed Ali held a meeting with officers of the departments concerned to review the arrangements of the annual flag hoisting ceremony.
It was decided at the meeting that the city government would rehearse for the flag hoisting ceremony at Jinnah Convention Centre on Thursday (today), while a full dress rehearsal would be held on August 12.
An ICT senior official told Pakistan Today that Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi would chair the flag hoisting ceremony. He added that officials from all departments concerned, including CDA, PTV, Radio Pakistan, the armed forces and the Foreign Office would take part in the rehearsal.
The flag hosting ceremony would be attended by representatives and diplomats of over 120 consulates, as well as federal ministers, parliamentarians, senior government officials and other notables.
According to the programme, special prayers will be offered in mosques at dawn on August 14 for the integrity, solidarity and development of the country. The day will be celebrated across the country with flags raising ceremonies, tributes to national heroes and the founder of the country, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. In Islamabad, the president and the prime minister will raise the national flag at the president and parliament houses.
While in the city, as August 14 is coming closer, national songs are heard blaring from speakers in the city’s markets and peoples’ cars. Youth have also started thronging the main markets of the city to buy national flags. Shopkeepers and petty tradesmen have established a number of stalls to sell Independence Day merchandise such as flags, stickers, tee-shirts cards and pins, while street vendors are hawking paper-made national flag and balloons in national colours.
During a survey of various markets, Pakistan Today observed that stall holders were not satisfied with people’s response in purchasing Independence Day merchandise. Talking to Pakistan Today, a stall holder at Aabpara Market, Muhammad Ramazan, said, “This year, I have been getting a cold response from buyers. Perhaps this is due to inflation; people have no extra money to purchase flags and other items as they are already struggling hard to meet ends.”
However, another shopkeeper at Jinnah Super Market, Jamil Khan, was of a different view, “The young ones are happily buying national flags, stickers, badges and buntings. Sales will accelerate as it gets closer to August 14,” he said.
