-President, PM urges following Jinnah principles on Quaid Day
-Imran Khan stresses justice through Rule of Law to ensure equality for all citizens
-Floral wreath laid at Quaid Mausoleum, Fateha prayers offered
By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: As the nation celebrated the 146th birthday of the nation’s founder Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah on Sunday (yesterday), politicians reminded Pakistanis of the leader’s guiding principles.
The commemoration of the day began with a change of guards ceremony held at Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum in Karachi yesterday where the Pakistan Air Force cadets handed over the guards’ duties to the cadets of the Pakistan Military Academy. Major General Umer Aziz, the Chief Guest on the occasion, laid a floral wreath at the mausoleum and offered Fateha prayers.
President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate messages, have urged the nation to follow the guiding principles of the father of the nation to ensure the progress and prosperity of the country. President Arif Alvi expressed gratitude to Quaid-i-Azam for “carving out a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent where we are free to realise our dreams”.
In a message shared by the President’s office, Dr Alvi pledged to make the “right decisions at the right time and ensure the continuation of policies to create stability in the country by embracing Quaid’s advice to think a hundred times before you take a decision, but once that decision is taken, stand by it as one man”.
He also renewed Pakistan’s pledge to continue its moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in realising their dream of self-determination in line with the UN Security Council resolutions.
He reiterated his commitment to “always cherish and uphold Quaid’s vision for Pakistan where we mobilise all our resources in a systematic and organised way and tackle the grave issues that confront us with grim determination and discipline worthy of a great nation”.
Shehbaz Sharif in his message said the best way to pay tribute to Quaid-i-Azam is to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state, Radio Pakistan said.
It further said that the premier stressed the need to put an end to internal differences and work tirelessly for the progress of the country.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister asserted, “Quaid-i-Azam single-handedly changed the course of history through his sheer willpower, clarity of thought & unwavering struggle.”
He added that “commitment to constitutionalism marked his (Quaid-i-Azam’s) leadership” while remarking that the founder’s “motto of unity, faith & discipline continues to serve as a clarion call for the nation”.
Imran Khan said in a Twitter message on birth anniversary of the Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, “One of the main reasons we have been unable to realise our Quaid Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan is absence of Justice through Rule of Law which ensures equality before the law for all citizens. This leads to haqeeqi azadi, true freedom, & protection of citizens rights.”
“This in turn protects them from elite capture of the State & govt. Unfortunately in Pakistan bec Rule of Law was never allowed to be established, elite capture of the country has allowed powerful institutions & mafias to remain above the law as if it was their right,” he added.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the day “reminds us of Quaid’s vision of making Pakistan an Islamic welfare state where everyone gets equal rights” while pledging to “sacrifice everything for the integrity and development of Pakistan”.
A flag-hoisting ceremony was held at the Ziarat Residency in Ziarat, Quetta and was attended by the provincial minister Noor Mohammad Dummar. The PAF has released a national song to pay tribute to Quaid-e-Azam on the occasion along with a video highlighting the exemplary leader’s struggle for Pakistan.
