LAHORE: Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday hoisted a national flag at Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort on the Independence Day.

The national anthem was played after the flag-hoisting ceremony.

The governor and the chief minister also visited Mazar-i-Iqbal at Hazoori Bagh, laid floral wreath and offered fateha. They prayed for the progress, prosperity and stability of the country and also prayed for the independence of the people of Kashmir.

The chief minister congratulated the nation on the auspicious occasion. He said this Independence Day was of great importance in view of Indian oppression in Kashmir. By revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, he said, the Modi government had shown obduracy.

“We attribute our Independence Day to the exemplary freedom struggle of our oppressed Kashmiri brothers and sisters,” he said and added that Kashmir was not complete without Pakistan.

He said officers and jawans of the Pakistan Army were standing steadfast and guarding the frontiers of the country with utmost bravery. He said the officers and jawans of the police force were also winning laurels in the war against terrorism and apprehending the terrorists and criminals.

Governor Sarwar and Lahore Commissioner Asif Bilal Lodhi also spoke on the occasion.

Provincial ministers, MPAs, the consul general of Iran and China, the chief secretary, the IGP, the principal secretary to chief minister, the secretary information as well as other civil and military officers attended the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2019