Prime Minister Imran Khan while lauding the nerve of Pakistani nation against the ordeals in the past, urged the countrymen to show utmost unity, discipline and passion to fight the coronavirus pandemic that had engulfed the world.
"I am proud to say that the Pakistani nation has the capability to face any ordeal. While celebrating the Pakistan Day this year, we need unity, discipline and passion to face the catastrophe that has engulfed the whole world," the prime minister said in message to nation on Pakistan Day annually observed on March 23, to commemorate the Lahore Resolution adopted in 1940 demanding the establishment of an independent state for the Muslims.
He requested the people to take precautions without getting panicked as he was personally monitoring the government's measures against the pandemic. "God willing, we will stand victorious in this test," he remarked.
He said March 23, was a golden day when the Muslims of the subcontinent had decided to establish an independent Muslim state to get rid of the oppression of Hindu majority. On that day, under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslims had launched an unprecedented struggle to protect their culture, security and achieve social development which ultimately led to the creation of an independent Muslim state.
The prime minister said by the creation of Pakistan, the Muslim of the subcontinent got their rights to promote their cultural identity, religious freedom and progress which otherwise had been subjugated by the Hindu majority.
He said the incident and the situation pervading since last 70 years evidenced the vision and far-sightedness of our forefathers. The prime minister told the countrymen that the Pakistan Day demanded them to revert to the thought of great poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to achieve the goals which were set as destination at the time of Pakistan's creation for which the forefathers had also sacrificed everything.
"On this day, we also show complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir who had been under Indian lock down since last 231 days in their own territory but also fighting with valor against the Indian oppression," he said.
The prime minister said the Kashmir dispute was an incomplete agenda of the division of the subcontinent and reiterated Pakistan's resolve to continue extending moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmir's right to self-determination. He also prayed to Allah Almighty for success of Pakistani nation in achieving the national objectives and grant it courage to remain steadfast against the ongoing ordeal.