The nation celebrated the 146th birthday of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, on Sunday.
The day dawned with special prayers for the security, progress and prosperity of the country. Meanwhile, special events have also been arranged on this day to highlight and promote the ideals and views of the father of the nation, particularly with regard to the rule of law, the supremacy of the constitution, and the upholding of democracy.
The change of guard ceremony was held at Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi, during which a smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Military Academy Kakul assumed the ceremonial guard duty from Pakistan Air Force cadet guards. Major General Umar Naseem was the chief guest on the occasion.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah visited the mausoleum to lay a floral wreath and offered their respect and gratitude to the great leader whose unerring efforts paved the way for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the nation to take guidance from the life of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and follow his principles to ensure the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.
In his message for the day, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam was against the idea of a majority usurping the rights of minorities on the basis of numerical superiority.
The PM said the efforts of Quaid e Azam were directed not only at the creation of a separate and independent state for the Muslims but also wanted a state in which the minorities lived without any fear or danger.
The prime minister pointed out that because of the rising religious animosity and the thinking of extremist Hindutva, India today as a state had failed to protect the rights of the minorities.
This situation made evident the farsightedness of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and proved right his arguments for the two-nation theory, he stressed.
On the occasion, President Dr Arif Alvi reminded the nation that due to the untiring efforts of Quaid-e-Azam, Muslims of the sub-continent were blessed with a country where they can live and breathe as free men and can develop it according to their own wishes and culture and uphold the principles of Islamic social justice.
“On this day, we express our gratitude for carving out a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent where we are free to realise our dreams as envisioned by the Quaid,” said Dr Alvi.