ISLAMABAD, March 23: An spectacular and impressive parade of marching as well as mechanized columns of defence forces and civil organizations was held here on Wednesday to mark the 65th Pakistan Day.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf was the chief guest while Afghan President Hamid Karzai was the guest of honour of the parade, held at Shahra-i-Quaid-e-Azam.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Minister of Defence Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Ihsanul Haq, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ahsan Saleem Hayat, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Shahid Karimullah and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat were also present.

Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro, National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain and a large number of dignitaries, including ministers, ambassadors, parliamentarians, bureaucrats and thousands of people also witnessed the event.

The parade had attained importance as it was being held after a pause of three years.

The president reviewed the parade and took the salute from the marching columns.

The important feature of the event was the display of indigenously developed Shaheen-II (Hatf-6) surface-to-surface missile. The successful test of the missile having 2000km range was conducted recently.

Other missiles which were also part of the mechanized march included Ghauri (Hatf-V) with range of 1500Km, Shaheen-I (Hatf-IV) with range of 700km, Ghaznvi (Hatf-III) with 290Km range, and Abdali (Hatf-II) with range of 180km.

Thousands of people from twin cities came to witness the spectacular celebrations.

The people representing various walks of life witnessed various programmes, including armed forces parades, march past of boys scouts, helicopters of Army Aviation, fly-past of the Air Force, heart throbbing display of freefall from a height of 10,000 feet.

Among the floats participating in the parade were those of four provinces, Ministry of Science and Technology, Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas.

The spectacular flypast of the PAF combat aircraft and a thrilling air display of acrobatics was held infront of the Parliament House.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Sadaat led the fly past by flying F-16 fighter plane. The aeroplanes, which took part in the fly past included F-16, F-7, A-5 K-8 and T-37.

The planes flying in different shape flew the saluting base at a speed of 800 miles per hour and were at 300 metres height. After the flypast, a Chinese-Pakistan joint built K-8 aircraft enthralled the spectators by its acrobatics demonstrating the high standard of ability. An F-16 aircraft also demonstrated similar air display and steep climbing and earned peoples appreciation.

A group of nine T-37 aircraft flying in formation with coloured smoke delighted the people by their manoeuvrable in the sky.

At the end of the parade a group of parachute jumpers from army, navy and airforce gave a performance of free fall and later landed in front of the saluting dais where President Musharraf and President Karzai shook hands with them and appreciated their performance.—PPI/APP