Pakistan National Day celebrations took place in the Capital on Sunday.

Hundreds of community members celebrated Pakistan National Day and also paid tribute to Mohammad Ali Jinnah, father of their nation, at an event in the Capital on Sunday.

The 79th ‘Pakistan Day’ reception was hosted by the embassy was also attended by a large number of diplomats from various countries and officials of the UAE Government. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, was the chief guest at the event.

Pakistani ambassador to the UAE, Moazzam Ahmad Khan congratulated the Pakistani community living in the UAE on the occasion, and paid tribute to the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who “planted saplings of friendship with Pakistani leadership” which has grown further under the leadership of the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“Drawing upon its inherent strengths and resilience, Pakistan has not only successfully weathered challenges, but also continued to grow and evolve,” said Khan. “To achieve freedom, our forefathers rendered enormous sacrifices; to safeguard it, calls for even greater efforts.”

He added that the unity and maturity displayed by Pakistan during the recent unprovoked air violations committed against Pakistan by the Indian forces was a reflection of the unwavering belief the Pakistani people have in their country and its institutions. “It also showed their readiness to render the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of their country,” said Khan.

The ambassador called on all Pakistanis to always remember the unparalleled sacrifices made by the country’s armed forces and the people in the fight against terrorism. “It’s because of these sacrifices that today Pakistan has turned the corner in the fight against extremism and terrorism. We have wiped out the forces of evil from our soil,” said Khan

Pakistani expats speak about the National Day
Samia Sheikh, 33-year-old Pakistani principal of a private school in Abu Dhabi, who attended the celebrations said seeking an independent Pakistan was a huge decision taken by the founding fathers. “The steps of freedom leading to the actual independence involved a lot of sacrifice and courage,” she said. “It took relentless efforts and courage by people to leave and establish own identity with new roots. This is really a day worth celebrating.”