ISLAMABAD: The University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK) is set to mark Pakistan’s Independence Day with a series of grand celebrations, meticulously planned to honor the spirit of freedom and national pride.
Under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kaleem Abbasi, the university has finalized an impressive lineup of events for August 14, 2024, ensuring that the day will be commemorated with great enthusiasm and reverence.
The day’s festivities will commence with a major flag-hoisting ceremony at 9:30 AM in front of the Administration Block at UAJK’s Chehla Campus. This solemn occasion will be graced by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kaleem Abbasi, alongside faculty members, administrative officers, and the entire university staff. The flag-hoisting will be followed by special prayers, invoking blessings for the nation’s progress and stability, as well as for the liberation of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Following the ceremony, a grand rally led by the Vice-Chancellor will proceed from the Administration Block to the Education Hall, symbolizing the unity and collective spirit of the university community. In conjunction with the rally, the Department of Art and Design will unveil an Independence Day photo exhibition in the Education Hall, showcasing visual tributes to the nation’s journey.
The centerpiece of the day’s events will be a central seminar titled “Independence Day of Pakistan: A Message for the Freedom of Kashmir,” scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM in the Education Hall. The seminar will feature an illustrious panel of speakers, including former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider Khan, seasoned politician and former Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chief Justice (R) Syed Manzoor Hussain Gilani, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad, Minister for Government Mrs. Taqdees Gilani, Director of the Kashmir Policy Research Institute Dr. Raja Muhammad Sajjad Khan, and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kaleem Abbasi.
UAJK has spared no effort in organizing these celebrations, which are designed to reflect the deep significance of Independence Day. The events will not only highlight the unparalleled sacrifices made during the Pakistan Movement but also pay homage to the national heroes whose contributions were instrumental in shaping the nation.
Alongside these activities, a series of ongoing programs, including a tree plantation drive, will further enhance the university’s commitment to celebrating this historic occasion with zeal and purpose.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, while felicitating the Pakistani nation on its Independence Day, has said it was under to the wise and selfless leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that the world’s largest ideological Islamic state (Pakistan) came into being on 14 August 1947.
In his statement issued on the occasion of Independence Day, the AJK premier said that the establishment of a separate homeland for the Muslims in the shape of Pakistan was a vivid reflection of the aspirations of the South Asian Muslims.
Terming August 14, 1947 as a historic day, he said it was on this day when Allama Iqbal’s dream of a separate homeland on the basis of two nation theory came true. ” On this august day, we pay homage to the struggle and sacrifices of our ancestors who sacrificed everything for the sake of Pakistan”, the PM said.
Lauding the indomitable role Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had played in uniting Muslims of the subcontinent under the banner of Muslim League, he said, “Quaid-i-Azam organized the Muslim League on the basis of two nation theory propounded by the poet of East Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal”.Mr. Jinnah, he said, had unwavering faith and trust in his cause and his people.
“This is the reason that he fought a decisive constitutional battle that successfully culminated in the form of Pakistan despite the fiercest opposition by Hindus and Britishers”, he said. The AJK premier said that Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC celebrate Pakistan’s independence with joy and observe India’s Independence Day as a black day.
He said that the government of Pakistan, the Pakistani people and the Pakistan Army fully support Kashmiris in their struggle for right to self-determination. He said that India cannot suppress Kashmiris legitimate aspirations by the dent of force. Pakistan, he said, would continue its all-out political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiri people till they achieve their goal.
He said that the day was not far off when the people of Indian occupied Kashmir would achieve their long-cherished goal of freedom from India and the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir would become a part of Pakistan.
