Pakistan's green crescent-and-star was unfurled at the Pakistan house on Friday to mark the Pakistan Day as New York basked under bright sunshine. With the national anthem playing, Pakistan's UN ambassador Munir Akram raised the flag to the mast before a gathering of officers and staff of the Pakistan mission to the United Nations and the Consulate General in New York.
The Consul General of Pakistan, Mohsin Razi, read out the messages of President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz marking the Pakistan Day.
In his brief remarks, Ambassador Akram greeted his compatriots on the occasion and called for redoubling their efforts to "project and protect" Pakistan's interests.
"We can look back with a sense of pride" the progress made by Pakistan, the ambassador said. Today Pakistan, he said, was playing a leading role in the war against terrorism. A nuclear power, it is the fifth largest country in terms of population, a strong military power capable of defending its national frontiers, a rapidly growing economy with a growth rate pf over 7 percent that had succeeded in reducing poverty from 35 percent to 24 percent.
Ambassador Akram said Pakistan was faced with challenges both external and internal and therefore has to combat extremism and terrorism. The country could achieve political and economic development by following the guiding principles of the Quaid-e-Azam - unity, faith and discipline.
On Thursday, Ambassador Munir Akram and Consul General jointly hosted a reception on the eve of Pakistan Day at the same venue. The reception was attended by a large of number dignitaries - ambassadors of a number of countries accredited to United Nations, senior UN officials, journalists, academics and businessmen as well as many member of Pakistani community representing all walks of life.