August 14, 2005	Sunday	Rajab 8, 1426

ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: The nation is celebrating the 59th Independence Day on Sunday with a renewed pledge to work hard for making the country prosperous, moderate and an Islamic democratic welfare state.

The day will dawn with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in all the provincial capitals. Special prayers will be offered after morning prayers.

Silence will be observed at 7:58am Sunday morning after the sounding of sirens to herald the flag-hoisting ceremonies throughout the country. All traffic will stop for a minute.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who will be the chief guest, will unfurl the national flag at the flag-hoisting ceremony to be held at the Jinnah Convention Centre here at 8am.

Later, he will deliver his special message to the nation for the Day. School children will also present national songs on the occasion.

Flag-hoisting ceremonies will also be held in provincial capitals, district and tehsil headquarters, AJK and Northern Areas. Change of guard ceremonies will be held at the Mazar-i-Quaid and Allama Iqbal’s tomb.

Various social, cultural, religious, political and educational organizations have chalked out programmes to mark the day in a befitting manner and pay homage to the national heroes and martyrs of the independence movement.

SECURITY ENHANCED: Security levels had been raised in all the four provinces and the traditional flag-raising ceremony in the federal capital had been moved indoors, a security official said.

Mr Aziz would raise the national flag at the Jinnah Convention Centre rather than the usual venue, outside parliament, he said. “The flag-hoisting venue has been shifted partly due to security situation and also because of weather,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

“Security has been beefed up in all the four provinces to thwart any untoward incident,” he said.—Agencies

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