THURSDAY, last week, hundreds of Pakistanis assembled for the celebration of Pakistan National Day, organized by Pakistan National Circle (PNC). PNC is a non-political body of overseas Pakistanis, which has been engaged in social service for the last 11 years. A jam-packed hall along with a few Saudi guests showcased the festive mood and enthusiasm among people. Engr. Tariq Lateef Chowdhury, a convener, said, “Jaag utha hai sara watan” (The whole nation has awaken.) Nasrullah Watto, the Welfare Attaché, Consulate General of Pakistan, graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Saudi Gazette's senior editor, Sameera Aziz was a special guest. Several guests including the convener paid tributes to the land of Pakistan. “This year we have adjusted the timing of this function so that it does not conflict with student's examinations,” said Mian Mateen Aslam, the chairman of the PNC. “We organize this function to give the younger Pakistani generation a sense of pride and honor in their country,” he added. A participant, Syed Mujahid Zaidi, said: “It is our duty to forward the torch of patriotism to future generation.” Children of Al-Biladi International School entertained the function with their lively program and received a number of prizes and gifts. The program began with the recitation from the Holy Qur'an by Qari M. Asif, followed by Na'at (songs in praise of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) in Urdu by Engr. Masood Abbasi, and in Punjabi by Shaukat Ali. Engr. Iftikhar Chowdhury, who especially came from Pakistan to attend the function, in an indirect reference to the failure of the present leadership, said, “The children of Pakistan are good and bright, but the unfortunate thing about them is they grow up too soon.” Sameera Aziz, given an award by PNC for her humanitarian efforts for the community and was applauded for her effective speech based on community issues. “Please do not demoralize the army. They defend power and deserve our respect,” she said, in response to some criticism on dictatorship. She raised her voice, seeking justice, for her colleague Sabahat Siddiqui who was robbed at gunpoint in Karachi. “Overseas Pakistanis need protection, and I hope the consulate will take up the case of Sabahat as quickly as possible”, she said. Nasrullah Watto informed the community, “I am easily accessible and it's my duty to help the community and they can feel free to call on me for help at anytime.” He also said that the consulate is working on a project to build a of special hospital, for the community and needs donation to run it.
