Like elsewhere in the country, preparations to celebrate the 71st Independence Day of Pakistan are in full swing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
As only 10-days days left in Jashn-e-Azadi, the people belonging to every walk of life are busy in decorating their houses, shopping malls, bungalows, bazaars, car, busses, motorcycles, trucks and bicycles with national flags and stickers to celebrate the Independence Day with national zeal and enthusiasm.
A large number of stalls have been set up all over the city to sell national flags, buntings, badges and other decorative merchandise. The provincial and district governments as well as educational institutions and art councils have planned a series of events in connection with Independence Day.
Flag hoisting ceremonies, seminars, independence walks, folksong performances, dramas on the freedom struggle as well as photographic, painting, poetry and debate competitions have also been planned.
In Peshawar too, great hustle and bustle is being witnessed among Peshawarites especially among children as they are busy in buying varieties of things related to decorate their houses, buildings, markets, shops and vehicles with national flags, stickers and fancy lights to express their love for the homeland created by father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 14th August, 1947 after numerous sacrifices rendered by our forefathers during Pakistan Movement.
Special stalls in different bazaars including QissaKhawani Bazaar, which is considered as a hub, in city and Liaqat bazaars in cantonment have been set-up where customers especially children and students thronged for buying national flags, stickers and badges to celebrate independence day with great valour and show. A shopkeeper in QissaKhawani Bazaar when asked about the people buying things, he said he had been running this business since long and people are showing great enthusiasm in buying things to celebrate Independence Day this year. "I am hopeful that I will sell thousands of flags, badges, stricter and other material this year as great enthusiasm is being founds among children on Independence Day," he remarked.