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ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi has urged the political leadership and the people to unite and take the country on the path of progress and development.
Addressing the main flag-hoisting ceremony held at Convention Centre in Islamabad, the president said it is the demand of time that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s message of Unity, Faith and Discipline is followed.
“It is the unity that makes a nation. The time has not yet passed and the path is open for Pakistan,” he said, while expressing confidence that Pakistan can become a developed country in a matter of few years.
The president urged the politicians and other stakeholders to embrace the path of forgiveness, drawing inspiration from the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
President Alvi stressed the importance of embracing the core values of Islam, stating that veering away from these principles would exacerbate the situation. He highlighted the necessity of breaking free from nepotism, promoting meritocracy, and ensuring comprehensive justice, particularly in the socio-economic sphere in order to achieve progress.
He said promoting education is of paramount importance to alleviate poverty. He regretted that 27 million children are out of school and urged the affluent class to come forward and support their education. Similarly, he said that ensuring better health is also pivotal to addressing the issue of poverty.
The president laid emphasis on the greater participation of women in economic activities. He said women constitute almost half of the population and their involvement is important to achieve progress. He paid glowing tributes to the sacrifices made by the ancestors for the creation of Pakistan.
He said Quaid-e-Azam was amongst the few leaders who changed the world’s map and created a nation. He said it is important to recall the sacrifices of our forefathers in order to understand the struggle aimed at strengthening Pakistan.
The president said the armed forces and people continue to render sacrifices even today for the nation. He said about 100,000 people lost their lives in the war on terrorism, reaffirming the commitment to continue the struggle against the menace.
Strongly lamenting the Islamophobic incidents in Western countries, the president said Islam is a religion of peace and the Muslims love their Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Holy Quran. He said at a time when humanity is in danger due threats such as global warming, we should promote harmony instead of hatred.
Turning to the situation in Indian-illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the president said Pakistan will always stand by the Kashmiris. He urged the international community to pay attention to the resolution of this dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.
The President also expressed his gratitude to the friendly countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, China, Iran and Turkey for supporting Pakistan in difficult times.
Earlier the President unfurled the national flag. The ceremony was attended amongst others by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani and Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
