President General Pervez Musharraf has said Pakistan today had strategic direction in all spheres of governance and called upon the nation to join hands in defeating obscurantism existing on fringes of society and strive for making Pakistan a progressive democratic Islamic welfare state.
Greeting the nation on the 59th Independence Day, the President also reaffirmed the Government's resolve to providing basic health and education facilities to people by 2007 on the back of strong economic growth achieved in the last six years, which had been watershed in the history of the country.
"It is my proud privilege to greet all Pakistanis, my brothers and sisters living in Pakistan and abroad on the auspicious occasion of our 59th Independence Day," he said in his message.
He asked people to have pride in them as Pakistanis and come forward with their due role in addressing obscurantism.
"On this occasion, I appeal to every Pakistani to come forward and join hands to defeat the forces of obscurantism and negativism, which exist on the fringes of society. Have pride in yourselves as Pakistanis. The country needs you to stand up and be counted," he said.
President Musharraf also urged people to pledge anew to adhere to the guiding principles of 'Unity, Faith and Discipline' and strive for making Pakistan a truly modern, dynamic, progressive and democratic Islamic welfare state in accordance with the aspirations of the Muslims of South Asia.
Pakistan, he said, came into being as a result of a long and arduous struggle by the Muslims of South Asia under the dynamic and unmatched leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The guiding principles in this struggle were unswerving faith in Allah, discipline in the ranks and unity in the face of adversity, he recalled.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has urged the people to renew their pledge on the Independence Day to do every thing possible to achieve the objectives of independence.
In his message on the occasion of 58th anniversary of Independence being celebrated on Sunday, the Prime Minister said every one should resolve to learn from past mistakes and work ceaselessly to build the homeland worthy of the ideals for which it was created.
He conveyed his heartiest felicitations to all the fellow citizens living in Pakistan and abroad on this auspicious occasion of the Independence Day of Pakistan.
He said 58 years ago, under the able leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslims of the subcontinent won a separate homeland after innumerable hardships and sacrifices.
The Prime Minister said, "on this day, we express our gratitude to Almighty Allah who blessed us with a separate homeland and pay homage to the Quaid-e-Azam, who led us to our destiny. We also recall, with thanks and appreciation, those countless individuals, known and unknown, who laid their lives in the struggle for Pakistan."
"On this day, I would also urge my countrymen to pause and think whether we have, both individually and collectively, done everything possible to achieve the objectives of independence," he added.
He said, "We must not forget our Islamic heritage and ideology that formed the basis of Pakistan."
It had been the privilege of this democratically elected government to usher in a new era of progress and prosperity for the people of Pakistan.
The government was firmly committed to strengthen the democratic process and people's participation in the affairs of the state, he added.
Shaukat Aziz said in the last six years, the country had made significant progress in stabilising its economy and putting it on the path of accelerated growth.
He said, "We have pledged to bring electricity and clean drinking water to all parts of the country. We are fighting diseases and ignorance to make this country healthy and literate. Pakistan today possesses a lot to be proud of but we still have to cover more ground to make our homeland a better place for the future generations as was envisioned by the founding fathers."
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