14 August 2017 is coming By:MUAVIA-AMIR-HUSSAINI Independence Day یوم آزادی observed annually on 14 August, following its first observance on that day in 1947 (the day before the partition of India officially took effect), is a national holiday in Pakistan. It commemorates the occasion of Pakistan's creation and was declared a sovereign nation following the partition of India on 15 August 1947. Pakistan came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement which aimed for the creation of a separate Muslim state by partition of the north-western and north-eastern regions of undivided India. The movement was led by the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This was facilitated by the British parliament passing the Indian Independence Act 1947, thereby giving recognition to the new Dominion of Pakistan (later the Islamic Republic of Pakistan) which comprised West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In the Islamic calendar, the day of independence coincided with Ramadan 27, the eve of which, being Laylat al-Qadr, is regarded as sacred by Muslims.
The main Independence Day ceremony takes place in Islamabad and Karachi, where the national flag is hoisted at the Presidential and Parliament buildings. It is followed by the national anthem and live televised speeches by leaders. Usual celebratory events and festivities for the day include flag-raising ceremonies, parades, cultural events, and the playing of patriotic songs. A number of award ceremonies are often held on this day and also a few days after the celebration. Citizens often hoist the national flag atop their homes or display it prominently on their vehicles and attire.
The independence day is one of the six public holidays observed in Pakistan and is celebrated all across the country.To prepare and finalise the plans for independence day celebrations, meetings are held in the provincial capitals by local governments which are attended by government officials, diplomats, and politicians. As the month of August begins, special stalls and shops are set up across the country for the sale of national flags, buntings, banners and posters, pictures of national heroes, and other celebratory items. Vehicles, private buildings, homes, and streets are decorated with the national flag and buntings.Leading designer fashion outlets also stock independence-themed clothing.Various organisations, educational institutions, and government departments organise seminars, sports competitions, and social and cultural activities leading up to the independence day. In Karachi, drives are initiated to clean and prepare the Mazar-e-Quaid (Jinnah Mausoleum) for the celebration.
The day begins with special prayers for integrity, solidarity, and development of Pakistan in mosques and religious places across the country.The official festivities take place in Islamabad and commence with the raising of the national flag on the Parliament House and the Presidency followed by a 31-gun salute in the capitaland a 21-gun salute in provincial capitals.The President and Prime Minister of Pakistan address the nation in live telecasts. Government officials and other political leaders deliver speeches during various rallies, ceremonies and events, highlighting Pakistani achievements, goals set for the future, and praise the sacrifices and efforts of national heroes.International governments and leaders also send their greetings on the occasion.National flags are displayed on major roads and avenues such as Shahrah-e-Faisal, Shahara-e-Quaideen, and Mazar-e-Quaid Road, leading up to Jinnah's mausoleum in Karachi. Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, where Pakistan Resolution was passed in 1940, is fully illuminated on the eve of the independence day to signify its importance in the creation of Pakistan.
