- Mayor Akhtar announces to celebrate the day in a befitting manner
Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar has announced to celebrate 70th Independence Day of Pakistan in a befitting manner and gave it a name ‘Champions Ka Pakistan’ and it will be celebrated with joint collaboration of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Officers Welfare Association and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
This was announced by the Karachi mayor during a press conference held in the KMC Officers Club here, said a statement issued here Monday.
The former Olympian Islahuddin and former test cricketer Shoaib Mohammed and Deputy Mayor Dr Arshad Abdullah Vohra, District Metropolitan Corporation (DMC) East Chairman Moeed Anwer, DMC Central Chairman Rehan Hashmi, City Council leader of the house Aslam Shah Afridi, parliamentary leaders from opposition parties, president and general secretary of KMC Officers Welfare Association and officers of KMC were also present on the occasion.
“It is a tradition of KMC to celebrate Independence day every year and it is also the honour of KMC that first reception at KMC old building was given to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, father of the nation,” said the mayor.
The heroes invited to the ‘champions ka Pakistan’ include: Pakistan Cricket Team Captain Sarfraz Ahmed, former cricketers Javed Miandad, Sikandar Bakht and Iqbal Qasim, former world squash champion Jahangir Khan and others, said the mayor.
The celebrations will continue from August 1 to 14.
The Karachi mayor went on to say that “our country is not developing at a required pace as the country is in a grip of terrorism, corruption, and nepotism, but we should not lose hope.”
He said that there are a lot of issues to be resolved in the city like encroachments, garbage and nepotism but we have to look ahead and celebrate Independence Day in a befitting manner.
Replying to a question, he said we want to inculcate patriotism all over the country and want to see Pakistan move forward.
The city mayor said that 20,000 national flags will be hoisted all over the city and all the roundabouts of the city will be decorated.
The KMC old building will be illuminated and a huge national flag will be hoisted.
“We are celebrating this day with the help of people and no funds were taken from KMC, said Mayor Akhtar.
The Karachi mayor announced that on August 14 flag hoisting ceremony will take place at the Quaid-e Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum for which school children would also be invited.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS REVIEWED:
Elaborate arrangements are being made to celebrate the 70th Independence Day anniversary in Karachi on August 14 with fool proof security provision.
Karachi Commissioner Ejaz Ahmad Khan, while chairing a meeting on Monday to discuss the arrangements underway, said security coupled with traffic management must be accorded top priority during the day-long celebrations.
The day will begin with flag hoisting ceremony on the premises of Mazar-e-Quaid followed by floral wreath laying on the grave of Father of the Nation and his comrade, said the Karachi commissioner.
He said the ceremony will be attended by the Sindh governor, Sindh chief minister, members of the provincial cabinet and other dignitaries.
Students from different schools in the metropolis will be particularly invited to attend the programme, he said.
Keeping in view the sensitivity of the occasion, he said special security cards will be issued to all the guests.
It was agreed that the Sindh Press Department will issue the coverage pass to the media personnel and that concerned media houses, as well as bonafide reporters and photographers, can submit their request by August 10.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of Quaid-e-Azam Mausoleum Management Board, Karachi Police, KMC, Civil Defence, Education Department, Karachi Police, Pakistan Rangers – Sindh, Pakistan Navy along with Karachi Additional Commissioner Farhan Ghani and Karachi- East Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Abro.
It was decided that cleanliness around the vicinity of the mausoleum will be ensured coupled with adequate parking arrangements for vehicles enabling people to celebrate the occasion in a befitting manner.
Meanwhile, the preparations for the Independence Day have also started in Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Ghotki and other districts of northern Sindh.
Shops and stalls started selling, well before the start of August, the national flags, posters, badges, caps and t-shirts at various major markets and bazaars, including Clock Tower Chowk, Station Road, Ghareeb Ababd, Minara Market, Bandar Road, Shahi Bazar, Chamta Gali, etc.
The Sukkur education director has notified the schools to organise Independence Day celebrations in a befitting manner, so that the younger generation may come to know about the importance of this day, while headmasters and headmistresses of the schools are also directed to hoist national flags.
