Preparations for the Independence Day to be celebrated Tuesday are in full swing in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. People from various walks of life have decorated their houses with national flags and the buildings, city shopping centres, bazaars and all the main roads are also being adorned with flags and fancy lights.
Vendors have set up stalls for the sale of colourful buntings, national flags, banners and pictures of the national heroes who struggled day and night to achieve the common goal.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has also finalised comprehensive programmes to celebrate the Independence Day of the country. The authority would organise a colourful event in the Fatima Jinnah F-9 Park marked with display of fireworks, which is expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of people from Islamabad and other areas of the country. The most enthusiastic are children who are busy collecting stickers, badges and also beautifying their bicycles with special stickers inscribed with messages of the Independence Day.
Strict security measures would also be adopted in the federal capital. In this regard, the police have chalked out a comprehensive plan under which more than 500 policemen would be performing their duties.
The traffic police would also be deployed at various places to avoid traffic mess and ensure smooth flow. Special teams of anti-car lifting cell have also been constituted. Strict security would be in place at all exit and entry points of the federal capital.
Lok Virsa chalks outs I-Day programmes
Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage) will hold special programmes to mark the Independence Day celebrations in a befitting manner falling on August 14 (today).
Talking to APP, Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid Javaid informed that the day would start with a flag hoisting ceremony in the morning. “A special exhibition of artisans-at-work featuring master craftsmen/women in the specialized fields of Kashmiri shawl, Namda/gabba, papier mache, truck art, wax printing, Multani embroidery, traditional doll making and Zari work will be on display at the Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology, popularly known as Heritage Museum, at Garden Avenue, Shakaparian,” he remarked.
Khalid Javed further said that a group of traditional drummers (Dholis) attired in colourful costumes will also perform throughout the day at the Lok Virsa premises.” He added that in order to attract maximum number of visitors/ public in the special activities arranged marking the occasion, Lok Virsa has also offered a special rebate of fifty percent on entry tickets for Pakistani adults at the National Heritage Museum and Pakistan Monument Museum, adjacent to National Monument, Shakaparian. The celebrations would start from 10am and conclude at 4pm, he said.
‘Jinnah’ screened to mark Independence Day
Jinnah, a film based on life of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah was screened here Monday at the auditorium of Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in connection with the Independence Day.
The movie served the fun lovers as informative entertainment through visual narration of historical moments of the Pakistan Movement and the struggle of freedom fighters. The film show was part of week long colorful cultural activities arranged by PNCA in collaboration with Ministry of National Heritage and Integration.
The cultural activities included song, speech, dance and painting competitions, puppet shows, children art programmes and a daylong cultural show besides screening of film ‘Azadi Ki Kirnain’ on daily basis. National songs and melodies highlighted themes of freedom movement and national heroes while the youth shared their ideas to recall the historical moments that led to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of Subcontinent. The main event of the cultural week is daylong colorful cultural show for children and youth on August 14 (today) in which students will showcase their talent in singing, acting and dancing.
Tableau, skits, national songs and folk dances will be presented for children as part of cultural show while the National Puppet Theatre of PNCA will colour the show on the theme of the Independence Day. Colourful puppets will portray the history of the Pakistan Movement in the form of stories to grab the attention of the children and educate them about their history.
The week-long programmes would focus on the freedom movement, heroes of the Pakistan Movement and the rich culture and traditions of Pakistan through performing art. Besides depicting the culture and traditions of the country, such shows also educate the youth regarding the struggle of freedom fighters through soft expressions of art, said an official of PNCA.
National Archives to hold exhibition
National Archives of Pakistan will hold an exhibition on Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to mark the Independence Day.
Rare pictures and documents regarding the Independence Movement and the Quied-e-Azam will be displayed on this occasion at Allama Iqbal Open University, said a news release issued here.