HYDERABAD: Like other parts of the country the 75th Independence Day was celebrated here on Saturday with traditional zeal, patriotism and national fervour. The main flag-hoisting ceremony was held at the premises of Hyderabad Development Authority’s (HDA) Secretariat where Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad Muhammad Abbas Baloch, DIG Hyderabad Sharjeel Kharal and Deputy Commissioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro spoke. The commissioner said every Pakistani had to play their roles for the development and prosperity of the country. He observed that Pakistan got independence with the great sacrifices of the forefathers and that the people should value that independence. Paying homage to the martyrs of Pakistan Army, Rangers and Police, the the commissioner said that they were the nation’s heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country and that the nation was proud on them. He appealed to the people to support the administration in its efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and to ensure strict implementation of the SOPs including wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

Baloch emphasized on the need of getting vaccinated against the virus. The DIG Hyderabad Kharal also paid tribute to the martyrs and heroes of Pakistan Movement and said that the purpose of celebrating the Independence Day was not only to express patriotism but also to learn from the sacrifices of the forefathers. “If any difficult time came on the country, we will not hesitate to sacrifice our lives as independence was a blessing,” he vowed. Deputy Commissioner Hyderabad Soomro in his address congratulated the Pakistanis on the Independence. He said that as a Pakistani we should work hard for the development of our city, province and the country. Soomro also appealed to the people to get vaccinated against Coronavirus. Earlier, Baloch, Kharal and Soomro raised the national flag at the HDA’s Secretariat. On the occasion a cake was cut to mark the day while the Commissioner also inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation campaign by planting saplings in the premises of HDA’s Secretariat. Later, the 3 officers also attended the Independence Day ceremony at Public School Hyderabad where after hoisting the flag they planted saplings on the school premises. They also distributed sweets and other gifts among patients in Sir CJ Hospital, inmates of Central Jail and women and orphans in Darul Aman.