ISLAMABAD – A stunning grand military parade was in the federal capital on Wednesday as part of the Pakistan Day celebrations.
The day is observed on March 23 every year to commemorate the passage of the historic Lahore Resolution on this day in 1940, under which Muslims of the sub-continent set the agenda of a separate homeland for themselves.
President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babur, Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi and other civil and military officials were present on the occasion.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers and representatives, who are in Islamabad to attend the conference, also graced the Pakistan Day parade as chief guests.
Pakistan is hosting the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on March 22-23, which coincides with the 75th Pakistan Day on March 23.
The newly inducted Chinese J10c fighter jets also flew past for first time in the Pakistan Day parade, besides stunning formations displayed by other combat aircrafts, including JF-17 Thunder and F-16s, of Pakistan Air Force over the Parade Ground. The formations by the fighter jets painted the Islamabad skies green and white.
Contingents from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Uzbekistan also took part in the military parade in the Pakistani capital.
The advanced tanks, missiles and other weapons made its way through the parade ground during the spectacular display of military might.
Floats from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Jammu & Kashmir also featured at the main ceremony of the Pakistan Day.