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The independence that we achieved 70 years ago was an outcome of the unparalleled sacrifices made by our ancestors. Millions of Muslims rendered sacrifices for our as well as the future of posterity. Today we are treading the path of prosperity and progress in a peaceful and dignified country because of those sacrifices. We are greatly indebted to our ancestors for their sacrifices and we can repay that debt only by making Pakistan a free and independent country.
We may belong to different tribes, fraternities, and ethnicities; we may be working in different spheres of the national life; our political vision and thinking can be different and our economic vision may have different perspectives but ascendancy of national interests and invincible defense are the common objectives of the entire nation, for which we have to make collective endeavours.
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah had envisioned Pakistan as a modern democratic entity. This dream faces myriad of challenges and the government of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) notwithstanding the difficulties has made the realization of Quaid’s dream its mission.
We have to strengthen and reinforce the state institutions so that they can play their prescribed role within the limits of law and the Constitution. Only a strong economy can ensure strong defense. A moderate society guarantees the stability of the state, where people enjoy all their fundamental rights and national resources are equitably and judiciously distributed.
Pakistan desires positive and constructive relations with all the nations of the world, especially with its neighbors on the basis of sovereign equality. The people of South Asia have suffered enormously in the last 50 years due to festering conflicts. Until and unless those conflicts are resolved amicably the people of the region cannot achieve prosperity and progress.
Our government has invariably made efforts to initiate the process of meaningful dialogue and adoption of peaceful means to resolve all issues but unfortunately the expansionist designs of India have remained the main hurdle in this regard. It is incumbent upon the international community to play its role in the resolution of regional conflicts, particularly the Kashmir dispute in conformity with the UN resolutions on the subject with a view to ensuring durable peace in the region.
Terrorism is the biggest challenge confronting the world in the 21st century. Pakistan has rendered unparalleled sacrifices in the fight against this menace as well as for world peace. Our armed forces, law-enforcing agencies, and people have written imperishable stories of sacrifices in this regard. Now the time has come for the international community not only to acknowledge those sacrifices by rising above their interests in the region but also to fully support Pakistan in taking the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion.
The younger generation of Pakistan is endowed with exceptional talent and has a burning desire for advancement. They are making admirable contributions in the fields of information technology (IT), engineering, medicine and management all over the world. My government has a vision of accelerating the pace of development and prosperity in Pakistan so that all those professionals can return to contribute to this national effort.
I assure the Pakistani youth that tomorrow’s Pakistan will ensure the implementation of guiding principles of rule of law and ascendancy of merit. On the 70th Independence Day of the country, I make a solemn pledge that we will not relent until the achievement of those objectives.