Abu Dhabi, August 15: A large number of Pakistani nationals, businessmen and families along with their children gathered at the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi on Friday morning and celebrated the 62nd Independence Day of their country.
Children in colourful attires and faces painted with the flag of Pakistan chanted slogans of Pakistan ‘zindabad’ (long live Pakistan), sang songs and enjoyed cakes and food served later.
There are around one million Pakistanis residing in the UAE.
The Pakistani Ambassador to the UAE, Khursheed Ahmed Junejo, unfurled the national flag in the presence of a huge gathering of the community. The ambassador congratulated them and urged them to be united without any feeling of caste, colour or creed for the better and prosperous future of Pakistan.
He asked the countrymen to abide by the UAE as it is home for us, which gave us all sorts of freedom to prosper here, so “we should walk with them shoulder by shoulder,” the envoy said.
He emphasised that the only thing distinguishing us here is, “We all are Pakistanis and this binds us together”.
While addressing the community at the embassy premises, he said, “The countrymen to cherish and safeguard their independence which was achieved through a long political struggle. As we did not wage a war we achieved our independence but our leaders accomplished it politically.”
“We have to make our country strong and implement the vision of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,” the envoy said.
Junejo praised the relations with the UAE and lauded its visionary leaders.
The ambassador said, “The Pakistan-UAE friendship is forever. When I met The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, he showed his love for our country.”
The ambassador later cut a cake to mark Independence Day.
A Pakistan choir presented the national anthem and national songs.
Faisal Tirmizi, counsellor at the Pakistan embassy, read out the message from Pakistan President, Asif Ali Zardari, while Salman Athar, first secretary at the embassy read out the message from Pakistan Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani.
In the president’s message, Tirmiza said, “We should rededicate ourselves to uphold the principles for which Pakistan was created. At the same time we should pause and ponder whether we have upheld those principles and values which we vow every year to uphold.”
“It was envisaged to be a country where there would be no discrimination on the basis of creed, gender and sect and where minorities would enjoy equal rights as citizens of the state and fully in the mainstream of national life,” Tirmizi added.
Pakistani national, Abdul Kareem, project manager who came to the mission to mark the Independence Day, said, “Brotherhood, harmony and respect to all regions can strengthen the nation. We need to nurture it.”
Mohammed Umar, workshop owner, said, “Education must be same for all in all private, government schools, colleges and universities. Education can bring real freedom to us.”
–Agencies