NEW YORK, Mar 23 (APP): The national flag on Thursday was unfurled at the Pakistan House, which houses the country’s Mission to the United Nations and the Consulate General in New York, at a simple ceremony to celebrate the 83rd Pakistan day.
The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, and, as Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram hoisted the green crescent and star, the national anthem was played.
Consul General Ayesha Ali then read out the message of President Arif Alvi, and Ambassador Aamir Khan, the deputy permanent representative to the UN, delivered the message of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Jibran Durrani of the Pakistan Mission moderated the ceremony, which was attended by members of the mission and the consulate general.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Akram highlighted the importance of the Lahore Resolution which led to the establishment of Pakistan. He paid tributes to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the sacrifices made by the Muslims of the sub-continent for the freedom movement.
“On Pakistan Day, we cannot forget the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. “As we witness the suffering of our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, living under Indian occupation, as we see the officially sanctioned discrimination and violence against the 200 million Muslims of India, we cannot but express our gratitude, and the gratitude of our children and their children, for the freedoms that we – Pakistanis – enjoy in our sovereign and independent state.”
Ambassador Akram expressed his appreciation for the work being done by officials of the Pakistan Mission and the Consulate General New York, saying, “I will say with all modesty that we have established a standard of performance, which does credit to Pakistan, and I thank all of you and to the hard work that all of you put in every day”.
Pakistan, he said, enjoys huge respect at the United Nations, for the positive role it plays in all its fora.
