PESHAWAR, Aug 19: The Afghan Consulate celebrated the 83rd Independence Day of Afghanistan here on Monday.

Afghan children, who sang their national anthem at the ceremony held at a local hotel in Peshawar, moved quite a few people to tears.

An Afghan orchestra played national songs, rekindling the memories of good old days when Afghanistan was at peace with itself and bringing back the dark times when the Taliban in their zeal to enforce their own brand of Islam banned the music.

NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, chief guest on the occasion, performed the ceremonial cake-cutting to celebrate the Independence Day.

A good number of Afghans attended the ceremony along with Iranian Consul General in Peshawar, Abbas Ali Abdulahi; former Afghan mujahideen leaders and commanders; political figures both from Pakistan and Afghanistan including Pakistan Human Rights Commission Chairman Afrasiab Khattak, ANP leader Haji Muhammad Adeel and NAP leader Ajmal Khattak.

Afghan Consul General Abdul Khaliq Farahi in his speech traced the history of Afghan struggle against foreign invaders right from Daryosh in 500BC to the Soviet invasion in 1979.

The continued war in Afghanistan, he said, had killed and maimed millions of people and forced million others to take refuge in the neighbouring countries.