ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has expressed confidence that Pakistan has the ability to overcome the challenges it faced today and said that working with unity, faith, and discipline would make the country strong and prosperous.
In his message to the nation on Pakistan Day, he mentioned that the country established state institutions, made its defence impregnable, achieved nuclear deterrence, curbed terrorism, overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, and displayed the spirit of sacrifice and cooperation in the face of natural calamities. However, he said, “We still have a long way to go to ensure the rule of law, strengthen democracy, reduce inequalities in our society, empower women, provide the rights of persons with disabilities, eradicate terrorism and extremism, ensure the political and economic stability of the country, and protect the human rights of our citizens.” He felicitated the entire Pakistani nation on the occasion of Pakistan Day and said it was on this day in 1940 that Muslims of the sub-continent passed the Pakistan Resolution and made the demand for a separate homeland where they could freely lead their lives in accordance with Islamic ideals.
“Today, we pay tribute to the founding fathers of our nation whose struggles and sacrifices led to the creation of Pakistan,” he said. The president said the persecution of minorities, especially the Muslims in India, the rising wave of Hindutva and violence against Muslims, violation of human rights, and brutalities being committed by the Indian security forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) proved that the Muslim leadership of that time made a prudent decision. He said the also serves as a reminder to take stock of our successes and failures as a nation. He recalled that at the time of independence, the country faced many challenges such as the settlement and rehabilitation of refugees, constitutional and administrative problems of the nascent state, security threats, laying solid social, economic, and industrial foundations, and the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite these challenges, he said, the country made tremendous achievements in every field through continuous hard work and ability.
