FAISALABAD, Aug 15: The 55th Independence Day has been celebrated in a befitting manner, though, amid tight security throughout the province.

In Faisalabad, a magnificent flag-hoisting ceremony was held in the District Council compound under the chairmanship of district Nazim Chaudhry Zahid Nazir.

DCO Tahir Hussain, DPO Zafar Abbas, UC Nazimeen, Naibs, lady councillors, government officials and people belonging to different walks of life also attended the function.

Earlier, sirens were blown at 7.58 hours and the entire traffic came to a standstill.

The district Nazim hoisted the flag and all participants recited the national anthem. Police and civil defence squads took part in the march past. A music group also performed on the occasion.

Later, the district Nazim visited the SOS village and passed some time celebrating the day with the destitute children.

The people particularly thronged Iqbal Stadium, Canal Park, D-Ground, Chowk Ghanta Ghar and Kutchery Bazaar at night.

In Bahawalpur, all the main roads and bazaars were decorated with multi-coloured banners and flags by the tehsil council. The chief event was held at the Bahawalpur stadium where district Nazim Tariq Cheema unfurled the national flag in the presence of Nazimeen, government officials and school children.

The flag-hoisting ceremonies were also performed at the Bahawalpur bench of the LHC, Old University Campus and the BISE.

Bahawalpur DCO Imran Ahmed inaugurated an exhibition of rare newspapers, periodicals and pictures on the Pakistan Movement at the Central Library.

The district Nazim gave away prizes at the conclusion of sport festival in a local stadium. Public and private buildings were illuminated which attracted a large number of people, including women and children.

Meanwhile, the local police on Wednesday night arrested around 100 motorcyclists from different parts of the city on the charge of hooliganism.

In Sahiwal, a big ceremony was held at Zafar Ali Stadium where district Nazim Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan hoisted the flag.

A large number of people, government officers and officials of the district government were also present on the occasion. Basketball, kabaddi, wrestling, football and volleyball matches were also held.

Speech contest was held in Jinnah Public Library and the winner students were awarded prizes. A large number of people, including women and children, rushed to watch the illuminated government buildings at night.

The rickshaw union under the leadership of tehsil Nazim Rana Aamir Shahzad took out a rickshaw rally which marched through various city bazaars.

In Sheikhupura, the day began with prayers in mosques and churches for the solidarity, integrity and prosperity of the country.

The city wore festive look as all roads and streets were decorated with buntings, flags and arches. Private and government buildings were also illuminated with multi-colour lights.

In Sialkot, the main event was the flag-hoisting ceremony which was held at Jinnah Hall.

Special prayers were also offered in mosques for the prosperity and integrity of the country.

All bazaars and streets were decorated with national flags and colourful buntings. The people also distributed sweets to grace the occasion. A large number of people visited Iqbal Manzil, the birth place of Allama Iqbal, to pay tributes to the “Poet of the East” for his ideology of Pakistan.

Various NGOs also arranged debates, national songs contest, musical programmes and seminars.

In Okara, the flag-hoisting ceremony was performed by tehsil Nazim Nadeem Abbas Rubera in the lawns of the tehsil council office. Former provincial minister Rana Ikram Rabbani was the chief guest while district coordination officer Khalid Masood Chaudhry in the chair.

Students of various schools presented luddi, jhamars and other entertaining programmes. Na’at, hamd and speech contests were also held on the occasion.