The Pakistani community in Jeddah enjoyed a lively and boisterous function at the Pakistan International School Jeddah - English Section, Thursday night to mark their country's 63rd Independence Day. In his message on the occasion, President Asif Ali Zardari said extremism, violence and militancy in the name of religion pose the greatest threat to the security and stability of Pakistan. Amidst the white-and-green festivities, President Zardari's message urged all Pakistanis, especially the young, to resolve to defeat such “pernicious mindsets.” Mrs. Sehar Kamran, PISJ-ES Principal, said: “Through our Independence Day celebrations, we want our young generation to be united on one platform – this is why the theme of the event is ‘Unity, Faith, and Discipline,' she told Saudi Gazette. “Most importantly, through this event the school and its members want to instill the love of their country into our future generations' hearts. This is why it is so important to celebrate this event on such a large scale: we want the youngsters to not only enjoy the event, but also experience patriotism and love for Pakistan the way we do,” she added. Presiding over the function was the Pakistani Ambassador to the Kingdom, Omar Khan Ali Sherzai who was accompanied by the US Consul General Martin Quinn. Guests of Honor, Samina Khalid Gurki (Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education) and Shagufta Jumani (Minister of State for Religious Affairs) were amongst the several dignitaries present at the event. The program commenced with the national anthems of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as guests rose from their seats in respect Mrs. Sehar Kamran's welcome address highlighted the plight of the Internally Displaced People of Swat and Buner and encouraged those present to contribute generously to the IDP Relief Fund organized by the school. She also congratulated PISJ students who secured distinctions in their O and A Level results in an elaborate awards ceremony where the ambassador presented the students with shields. The ambassador expressed words of encouragement to students and said that this points to the bright future in store for Pakistan. Saudi officials and dignitaries endorsed the Pakistan-Saudi friendship and said that they will work to foster closer ties. All dignitaries and guests participated in the countdown to midnight which was followed by a cake-cutting ceremony. Dinner comprised Pakistani favorites including piping hot biryani and karahis, and spicy platters of tikkas and kebabs. The Independence Day festivities continued past midnight with Pakistani celebrities entertaining the felicitous crowd with their performances. Moin Akhtar, Faisal Kazi, Sajjad Ali, Naveed Jimmy and Ammar Ali Khan and others expressed their gratitude to the school for arranging such an event and commemorating the spirit of Independence Day. “I'm delighted to see that the young and the old have participated in the celebrations,” exclaimed TV star Moin Akhtar. Guests, students, and dignitaries alike were swept up in the frenzy of the festivities as the event concluded at 4 A.M. with the incessant chanting of “Long Live Pakistan.”
