KARACHI: People across the country celebrated the 142nd birth anniversary of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, on Sunday with great enthusiasm and zeal.
The celebrations began with a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals, with the national flag hoisted at all provincial and national government buildings of Pakistan. A change of guards ceremony took place at Mazar-e-Quaid mausoleum, the resting place of Jinnah, in Karachi earlier today, Geo News reported.
The cadets of Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) assumed the ceremonial guard duties at the mausoleum.
Major General Akhtar Nawaz, the Commandant of PMA, who was the chief guest at the celebrations, laid a floral wreath at Jinnah's mausoleum.
The Governor and Chief Minister of Sindh also visited the mausoleum and paid their respects.
Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have stressed upon making collective efforts to achieve Jinnah's dream of a stronger and developed Pakistan.
"Throughout his life, Jinnah fought for religious, social and economic rights and identity of the Muslims of the sub-continent on the basis of solid arguments and democratic principles," Abbasi said.
"He not only gathered the Muslims on the platform of Muslim League, who had been subjugated by British rulers and faced Hindus’ conspiracies but also through his democratic struggle, he made the creation of a state possible, where all the citizens would have equal rights of life without any discrimination on the basis of colour, creed, religion etc," added the Prime Minister.
Several programmes have been organised across the country highlighting various aspects of Jinnah's life, vision and leadership.