The celebrations began with change of guard ceremonies held at Mazaar-i-Quaid and Mazaar-i-Iqbal in Karachi and Lahore, respectively, and a 31-gun salute in the capital, followed by 21-gun salutes in all four provincial capitals,
Prime Minister Imran Khan message on Independence Day; the country had rendered immense sacrifices and paid a heavy price for instability on its Western border. He further said that “We have consistently stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. Pakistan will continue to support a negotiated political settlement for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added.
The prime minister said, “We want peace within and peace without, to pursue our socio-economic agenda. Naya Pakistan has shifted its focus from geo-politics to geo-economics, with the well-being and welfare of our people as the topmost priority.”