Nation to celebrate birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam tomorrow

Islamabad: The nation will celebrate 149th birth anniversary of the 'Father of the Nation', Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Thursday with renewed pledge to uphold his guiding principles of faith, unity and discipline.

It will be a public holiday on Thursday.

The day will dawn with gun salutes in the federal and provincial capitals, while special prayers will be offered at the mosques after Fajr prayer for the departed soul of the 'Father of Nation' and peace, prosperity and development of the country.

National flag will be hoisted atop all public and private buildings, while Qur'an Khawani and a change of guards ceremony will be held at Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi.

Born on this day in 1876, in Karachi, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah led the Pakistan movement which culminated at separate homeland for Muslims of the Sub-continent.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a lawyer by profession and a politician. He served as leader of All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan's independence, and then as Pakistan's first Governor General until his death on September 11, 1948.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's political acumen checkmated the British representatives' Viceroys and Lords as well as leaders of the Indian National Congress Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to convince the partition of British India into Pakistan and India in 1947.

A number of events, including seminars, debates and exhibitions, have been organized both at official and civil society levels to highlight different aspects of the life, achievements and personality of the Quaid-e-Azam. 

Radio Pakistan has also chalked out series of special programmes, discussions, interviews and reports to highlight different phases of the independence movement and leadership role played by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.