ISLAMABAD: The chief spokesman of the Pakistani military on Wednesday confirmed that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will be the chief guest at the annual Pakistan Day parade on March 23.
The parade – which is held every year to mark the anniversary of historic Pakistan Resolution passed on March 23, 1940 – will also have Azerbaijan defence minister, Bahrain Army Chief and several contingents from China, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Turkey in attendance.
“Turkish and Chinese warplanes will also showcase an aerial performance,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Asif Ghafoor disclosed on his official Twitter handle.
PakDayParade. PM Malaysia Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad will be the Guest of Honour. Guests include Def Minister Azerbaijan, COAS Bahrain & govt officials from Oman. Various contingents from Azerbaijan,Bahrain,China, KSA, Sri Lanka & Turkey will participate in Parade.#PakDayParade2019 pic.twitter.com/MCY89ZfCQq
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) March 13, 2019
The ISPR DG further disclosed that the motto of the parade will be “Pakistan Zindabad” (Long live Pakistan).
Earlier, the Pakistani High Commissioner in Malaysia Mohammad Nafees Zakaria called on the Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad in November last and extended an invitation to attend Pakistan’s National Day on March 23 which was, subsequently, accepted by his office.
During the Pakistan Day parade in 2018, senior Indian military officials and diplomats posted in Islamabad attended the military parade.
Pakistan Day is celebrated on March 23 throughout the country to mark the signing of the Pakistan Resolution by the All India Muslim League in 1940 at Lahore’s Minto Park. The resolution demanded a separate homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims.
