BEIJING: China’s 70% of corn imports come from the United States and 29% from Ukraine but China’s demand for corn imports is gradually expanding amidst global political and social upheavals.  In June this year, water-logging jeopardized maize yields in China’s north east region, especially in Liao Ning and Ji Lin, causing a 6-8million tones lost in yield, Chinese media revealed.  Meanwhile, Pakistan’s maize production has been winning over the last decade: in Punjab alone, maize production jumped from 794,000 tones in FY00-01 to 8.04 million tones FY20-21, with only a 130% rise in terms of cultivated areas over the same period of time.

Admittedly, Pakistan is also facing risks. This years wheat harvest has caused uncertainties to domestic food security. There are debates over whether Pakistan should continue to export crops or not. However, the convenience in trade because of China Pakistan Economic Corridor and the windows of opportunity brought about by the drastic changes in the global market cannot be ignored.   How to mix up two iron-brothers comparative advantages and achieve best interests is a more important question to ask. “We are more than happy to collaborate with Pakistan,” said Corn Experts in China as reported by CEN.  At present, nearly 65% of maize in China is used as animal feed and 30% as raw materials for industrial processing.

China has a huge demand for silage corn which has been mentioned in several high-level meetings.  Zhao Jiuran, Chief Expert of the Corn Research Institute of Beijing Academy of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences said that in order to feed cattle in China with high-quality silage maize, at least 4.95 million acres of land were needed for maize growing – based on the fact that there were about 15 million dairy cows and almost 100 million beef cattle in the country, the current output of silage corn feed was obviously not enough.  “We have high-yield, pest-resistant seeds, leading cultivation techniques and relatively advanced harvest machines,” Zhao told reporters while showcasing a test-field at Beijings Yu Jiawu International Seed Industry Technology Park.

Since the establishment of the Technology Park in 2011, more than 100 types of maize seeds have been bred. Drip irrigation technology can be observed all over the test-field–an irrigation method that is popular in China’s Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia region, is saving both water and energy.  The average yield for 1 acre of maize can reach 4.8 tons in China, Zhao revealed. “We have also developed maize varieties that can resist high temperatures in Si Chuan, Hai Nan and Xin Jiangs test field, the upper limit of heat tolerance is 40 degrees. If heat is a problem for Pakistani farmers, we are more than happy to collaborate,” he said.

However, he said, farmers were shying away from investing in maize planting. For jobs at a maize plantation, the average salary per day was 200 yuan but many farmers were seeking job opportunities in big cities.  “We tried to cooperate with several Pakistani traders 8 years ago, yet that attempt was aborted, due to trust issues created because of inefficient communication,” officials at the Seed Industry Technology Park told us.

“With CPEC gradually entering its second phase, and trade activities between the two countries normalized, I believe that the future is promising for maize related technology exchanges,” Zhao said.

ISLAMABAD: President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik Sunday said proposed US$billion 754 km long Pak-Afghan Transit Rail link gigantic project will strengthen bilateral  trade relations besides boosting exports in the region.

Talking to a high level foreign delegation of importers and exporters from UK led by Muhammad Asfund Yar Khan he said it’s good omen that feasibility and survey of the project has been successfully executed by a members of joint team of Pakistan Railways. He said railway link will start from Peshawar and go upto Tarmiz via Jalala Abad- Kabul-Mazaar Sharif. He said after execution of this multinational vital importance   project,an era of prosperity,progress and development will usher in mainly aimed at wellbeing of the people of the region besides private sectors of either countries fully exploiting their potentials can foster trade and provide impetus to exports to flourish in the days to come.

He said SAARC Chamber,an apex body of chamber in the region also lauded the endeavours of Pakistan for facilitating trade among member countries by abolishing some of taxes in addition to completely  streamlining the cumbersome procedures. He said now bilateral trade between both countries has started showing upward trends via land routes. He said Pakistan has so far contributed US$billion to support the reconstruction of war ravaged Afghanistan by building hospitals,schools and road networks to manifest its commitment for a prosperous Afghanistan. Iftikhar Ali Malik said from its limited resources,Pakistan is providing US$500 million for capacity building in various sectors including education,health,building schools and hospitals roads of Afghanistan besides 14,945 tonnes of human assistance via 694 trucks and 4-C 130 planes since September last under arrangements  of Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum. Leader of UK delegation Muhammad Asfund Yar Khan highly appreciated the efforts of Pakistan for fully supporting the Afghan in their hours of trials and hoped SAARC Chamber under the dynamic leadership of octogenarian trade leader of South Asia Iftikhar Ali Mailk will continue to play his key role in promoting bilateral trade in the region by actively  involving private sectors of member states,he concluded.

RAWALPINDI:The President Dr Arif Alvi on the occasion of 75th Independence Day celebrations conferred Military awards to the officers and soldiers of Pakistan Army, Navy and  Air Force.

He gave two Sitara-i-Basalat, 68 Tamgha-i-Basalat, 33 Imtiazi Asnad, 68 COAS Commendation Cards, 22 Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military), 102 Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) and 130 Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military), an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said.  The following officers were conferred with Sitara-i-Basalat: Major Shujaat Hussain (Shaheed), Baloch and Captain Muhammad Bilal Khalil (Shaheed), AMC GDMO.  The following officers and men have been conferred with Tamgha-i-Basalat: Local Brigadier Aamir Naveed Hussain,T.Bt & Bar SI(M), CMI, Capt Syed Haider Abbas (Shaheed), SSG, Capt Muhammad Saad Bin Amir (Shaheed), Artillery, SM Sher Muhammad (Shaheed), Sind, SM Muhammad Aslam (Shaheed), FC Balochistan (N), Sub Safdar Hayat (Shaheed), FF, N/Sub Zubaid Ali (Shaheed), Sind, N/Sub Shahid Ullah (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Hav Zahid Gul (Shaheed), FC KP (S) and Hav Muhammad Nazir Khan(Shaheed), FC Bln (S). Hav Ayat Ullah (Shaheed), FF, Hav Muhammad Munawar (Shaheed), FF, Hav Muhammad Ishaq (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Hav Sohail Iqbal (Shaheed), Sind, L/Hav Abdul Hanan (Shaheed), NLI, Nk Zain Ul Abadin (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Nk Noor Mar Jan (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Nk Khalil Ullah (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Nk Sona Khan (Shaheed), Punjab, Nk Rehman Ullah (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Nk Tahir Rasool (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Nk Inayat Ullah (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Lnk Arif Ullah (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Lnk Wahid Ali (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Lnk Riaz Khan (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Lnk Zahid Ahmad (Shaheed), Punjab, Lnk Ali Ghulam (Shaheed), Sind, Lnk Muhammad Aslam (Shaheed), FC Bln, Lnk Wali Rahman (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Lnk Babar Hafeez Asim (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Lnk Abdul Majeed (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Lnk Liaqat Iqbal (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Lnk Muhammad Fahad (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Tanveer Ahmed (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Muhammad Sohail (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Muhammad Khalid (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Saif Ullah (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Ilyas Khan (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Muhammad Ramzan (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Spr Shabeer Ali (Shaheed), Engrs, Sep Shakir Ullah (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Muhammad Khudadad (Shaheed), Punjab, Sep Nisar Ahmed (Shaheed), SSG, Sep Zafar Mahmood Khan (Shaheed), FF, Sep Qaisar (Shaheed), FF, Sep Farhan (Shaheed), FF, Sep Zaka Ullah (Shaheed), FF, Sep Shoukat Ali (Shaheed), FF, Sep Farid Ullah (Shaheed), FF, Sep Shuaib Hassan (Shaheed), FF, Sep Muhammad Sheraz (Shaheed), FF, Sep Waqas Ahmed (Shaheed), FF, Sep Miskeen Ali (Shaheed), Sind, Sep Meer (Shaheed), Sind, Sep Muhammad Ilyas (Shaheed), Sind, Sep Muhammad Qaiser (Shaheed), Baloch, Sep Imran Khan (Shaheed), Baloch, Sep Muhammad Aamir Iqbal (Shaheed), AK, Sep Umer Yaqoob (Shaheed), SSG, Sep Rohail Hussain Ali (Shaheed), AK, Sep Muhammad Naveed Umar (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Sep Ghafoor Jan (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sep Mudassir Muhammad (Shaheed), FC KP (N), Sep Jamshid (Shaheed), FC KP (N), Sep Hidayat Ullah (Shaheed), FC KP (N), Sep Muhammad Ramzan (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), Sep Farzand Ali(Shaheed), FC Bln (S) and Soldier Clk Sabir Iqbal, FC Bln (S).  Following officers and men were conferred with Imtiazi Sanad: Maj Gen Azhar Waqas, Punjab, Brig Khurram Shahzada, SI(M), Punjab, Lt Col Atif Aslam, Sigs, Lt Col Muhammad Nauman Ahmed, Avn, Lt Col Salman Tariq, Punjab, Lt Col Scamoail Ahmed, EME, Maj Zaheer Abbas, Avn, Maj Muhammad Anwar Kamal Bhutta, Baloch, Maj Malik Muhammad Subhal Rehman, FF, Maj Syed Arslan Haider, Punjab, Capt Suder Hussain, Arty, Capt Muhammad Hussain Iqbal, FF, Capt Suleman Khan, FF, Capt Hassan Ali, FF, Lt Muhammad Ahmed, Punjab, Sub Munir Ahmed, FC Bln (N), Hav Zamir Gul, FC KP (S), NK Gnr Khalid Hussain, Arty, Sep Muhammad Yasin, Engrs, Spr Muhammad Idrees, Engrs, Sep/Clk(U) Muhammad Usman, Baloch, CDT-I Barkat Ali, Navy, Group Captain Faisal Ul Rehman, GD(P), Air Force, Group Captain Abbas Ali Shah, GD(P), Air Force, Group Captain Nofal Zabeeh, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Wajahat Abdullah Syed, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Muhammad Hassan Tufail, GD(P), Air Force, Group Captain Ali Javed, Engg, Air Force, Group Captain Muhammad Irfan Rafiq, Engg, Air Force, Group Captain Mujahid Mohsin, Engg, Air Force, Wing Commander Usman Rafique, Engg, Air Force, Group Captain Muhammad Shakeel, AD, Air Force and Group Captain Waqar Ali Khan, Log, Air Force.  Following officers and men have been conferred with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Commendation Cards: Brig Muhammad Abdul Aziz, CMI, Brig Atif Rafique, Baloch, Lt Col Khalid Iqbal, CMI, Lt Col Syed Faisal Ali Shah, FF, Lt Col Ihtasham Sattar, FF, Lt Col Suleman Banaras Malik, Engrs, Lt Col Yasrab Ali Shah, CMI, Lt Col Khuldoon Bin Nazeer, CMI, Lt Col Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen, FF, Lt Col Umar Sher Yar, CMI, Lt Col Imran Ahmed Khan, CMI, Lt Col Syed Umer Mehmood, EME, Lt Col Jamshed Khan, SSG, Maj Syed Waqar Hussain Shah, AC, Maj Hafeez Ullah, CMI, Maj Syed Mohsin Ali, EME, Maj Abdul Sabir, Sind, Maj Burhan Rabbani, CMI, Maj Faisal Ayoob, FF, Maj Waleed Bashir, ICTO, Maj Naqash Ali Khan, Punjab, Maj Muhammad Jamil, EME, Maj Muhammad Sohail Bandgi Jhandeer, MF, Capt Muhammad Tayyab Khalil, Sind, Capt Muzammil Imdad, CMI, Capt Muhammad Faizan, Punjab, Capt Ihtisham Riyaz, AK, Capt Iftikhar Ahmed, SSG, Capt Muhammad Moeed Haider Shafiq, AC, Capt Muhammad Ayaz, SSG, Capt Muhammad Bilal, Punjab, Capt Muhammad Hamza Taqi, Punjab, Capt Nouman Alam Malik, FF, Lt Sumair Sharif, Punjab, N/Sub Muhammad Ishtiaq, Engrs, N/Sub Shafi Ullah Khan, FF, N/Sub Barkat Ali, Sind, N/Sub Dais Muhammad, CMI, N/Sub Ghazi Ur Rehman, FC KP (S), Hav Qasim Khan, FC KP (S), Hav Rehmant Ullah, FC Bln (N), Hav Ihsan Ullah, CMI, Hav Shoaib Ahmed, EME, Hav Rafi Ullah, EME, L/Hav Abdul Majid, Punjab, Nk Zia Mustafa, EME, Nk Umer Zaman, FC KP (S), Nk Shafeeq Ahmed, FC Bln (S), Nk Muhammad Yaseen, FC Bln (S), Nk Shahid Ur Rehman, FC Bln (N), Lnk Khadim Ali, FC KP (S), Lnk Muhammad Ajmal, Punjab, Lnk Adress Masih, Engrs, Lnk Muhammad Bilal, FC Bln (S), Lnk Abdul Mehmood, FC Bln (S), Lnk Muzamil Hussain, FC Bln (S), Sep Abdul Sattar, Punjab, Sep Zaheer Hussain Shah, AK, Sep Muhammad Atif, FC KP (S), Sep Waqas Mehmood, FF, Sep Sadi Ahmed, Sind, Sep Muhammad Nawaz, FF, Sep Muntazir Shah, FC Bln (S), Sep Muhammad Danish, SSG, Sep Afsar Ali, SSG, Sep Raza Khan, SSG and Sep Muhammad Arshad Khan, FC Bln (N).  Following officers were conferred with Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military): Maj Gen Khurram Nisar, TI(M), TSO, Maj Gen Adil Rehmani, T Bt, FF, Maj Gen Muammad Hasan Khattak, FF, Maj Gen Muhammad Shuja Anwar, Arty, Maj Gen Majid Jahangir, Punjab, Maj Gen Azhar Waqas, Punjab, Maj Gen Asif Mahmood Goraya, AD, Maj Gen Akif Iqbal, Punjab, Maj Gen Rashid Mahmood, AC, Maj Gen Muhammad Irfan, Punjab, Maj Gen Dilawar Khan, Arty, Maj Gen Abdul Moeed, AC, Maj Gen Qamar Un Nisa Choudhry, AMC Spec, Maj Gen Irfan Ali Mirza, AMC Spec, Maj Gen Muhammad Rafiq Zafar, AMC Spec, Maj Gen Muhammad Suhail Amin, AMC Spec, Maj Gen Muhammad Aleem, HCA, Rear Admiral Muhammad Sohail Arshad, SI(M), Navy, Rear Admiral Salman Ilyas, SI(M), Navy, Air Marshal Chaudhary Ahsan Rafiq, GD(P), Air Force, Air Marshal Waqas Ahmed Sulehri, GD(P), Air Force, and Air Vice Marshal Salman Abbas Shah, Engg, Air Force.  Following officers were conferred with Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military): Brig Imran Iqbal, Punjab, Brig Syed Imran Akhtar, ICTO, Brig Zeeshan Faisal Khan, GL, Brig Salman Majeed, PhD, TSO, Brig Rafaqat Islam, AEC, Brig Faisal Nawaz Junjua,ICTO, Brig Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, EME, Brig Ahsan Mahmood Kayani, AD, Brig Muhammad Nadeem Aslam, Punjab, Brig Nazir Hussain, Baloch, Brig Shahid Iqbal Malik, AK, Brig Tabish Sajjad, Arty, Brig Hashim Ali Khan, Arty, Brig Nadeem Akhter Hussain, Punjab, Brig Waqar Hyder Akber, Sigs, Brig Ch Jehanzeb Murtaza, AC, Brig Irfan Iftikhar, Sind, Brig Zafar Iqbal, Engrs, Brig Muhammad Imran Shafi, Arty, Brig Tamour Daud Khan, AC, Brig Sohail Ahmad, Arty, Brig Munir Ahmad Asad, AK, Brig Shahzad Akram, AK, Brig Muhammad Ameen Khan, Sind, Brig Muhammad Rashid Minhas, Baloch, Brig Ghufran Hameed, AC, Brig Aftab Rameez, AK, Brig Muhammad Tariq Mehmood, ASC, Brig Sheikh Adeel Khaliq, ASC, Brig Haider Ali, ASC, Brig Khawar Zafar, Arty, Brig Mohammad Kamran Afsar, Ord, Brig Rizwan Afzal Malik, Sind, Brig Emran Aziz, ASC, Brig Mumtaz Ali, AD, Brig Muhammad Kashif Butt, Baloch, Brig Manzer Javed, Baloch, Brig Aamir Ali Qureshi, CMI, Brig Kashif Ijaz Chaudhry, Arty, Brig Tamsil Daud, ICTO, Brig Khan Amjad Azad, FF, Brig Baber Zafar Khan Niazi, Arty, Brig Naseem Ahmed, AD, Brig Naeem Fakhar Malik, Baloch, Brig Mumtaz Ahmad Raja, Ord, Brig Abdul Majid Manzoor, AC, Brig Muhammad Umar Hayat, ASC, Brig Saeed Haroon, EME, Brig Shoaib Ahmed, AMC Spec, Brig Gulnaz Ahmad, HCA, Brig Imtiaz Alam Shah, HCA, Brig Aamir Waheed Butt, AMC Spec, Brig Iram Lehrasab, HCA, Brig Syed Gulzar Ali Bukhari, ADC, Col Kashif Amin AC, Col Muhammad Imran Ashraf, Arty, Col Muhammad Aqib, Arty, Col Farhat Naeem Ahmed, Arty, Col Mubasher Hussain, Arty, Col Tabassum Bashir, AD, Col Muhammad Sohail Ashraf, AD, Col Muhammad Usman Naseem, Engrs, Col Arshad Ali Farooqi, Sigs, Col Ishtiaq Ur Rehman, Sigs, Col Muhammad Tahir, FF, Col Tashbi Ul Hasan, Punjab, Col Saeed Ahmed Bhatti, Punjab, Col Syed Ali Raza Shah, Baloch, Col Mazhar Hussain, Sind, Col Shaukat Hayat, Baloch, Col Irfan Rustam, FF, Col Waqar Ahmad, AK, Col Yasser Mukhtar, Baloch, Col Shahid Hussain Tirmizi, NLI, Col Asim Rasool, Punjab, Col Abbas Haider, FF, Col Gulab Khan, ICTO, Commodore Amir Hanif, Navy, Commodore Farooq Iqbal Khan Khattak, Navy, Commodore Sharjeel Iftikhar, Navy, Commodore Syed Talat Hussain, Navy, Air Commodore Sajjad Noori, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Muhammad Asim Rana, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Syed Inam Ullah, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Zeeshan Saeed, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Noman Khalil , GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Sohail Ajaib, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Ahsan Yousaf, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Hassan Faisal, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Muhammad Asim, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Omer Rasheed, GD(P), Air Force, Air Commodore Syed Babar Ali Shams, Engg, Air Force, Air Commodore Adnan Latif Mughal, Engg, Air Force, Air Commodore Salman Ahmad Malik, Engg, Air Force, Air Commodore Tauseef Ur Rehman, Engg, Air Force, Air Commodore Abdul Mateen, Engg, Air Force, Air Commodore Ali Ata Ahsan, Engg, Air Force, Air Commodore Sajid Rashid, AD, Air Force, Air Commodore Muhammad Farooq, AD, Air Force, Air Commodore Armughan Haider, AD, Air Force, Air Commodore Maqsood Akhtar, A&SD, Air Force, and Air Commodore Asad Naeem, A&SD, Air Force. Following officers were conferred with Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military): Lt Col Sajid Qayyum, AC, Lt Col Shahid Imran Tarar, AC, Lt Col Muhammad Bilal, AC, Lt Col Muhammad Tahir, AC, Lt Col Iftikhar Muhammad Fazal, AC, Lt Col Faisal Saeed, Arty, Lt Col Muhammad Kashif Nazir, Arty, Lt Col Muhammad Salik Siddiqui, Arty, Lt Col Muhammad Nadeem Irshad, Arty, Lt Col Abdul Hameed, Arty, Lt Col Muhammad Usman Khalid, Arty, Lt Col Navid Ahmad Khan, Arty, Lt Col Muhammad Rizwan Baig, Arty, Lt Col Ahmad Raza Khan, Arty, Lt Col Iftikhar Ali, Arty, Lt Col Mansoor Elahi, Arty, Lt Col Muhammad Talha Jamal, Arty, Lt Col Javid Akbar, AD, Lt Col Muhammad Naeem Yousaf, AD, Lt Col Rab Nawaz, AD, Lt Col Muhammad Babar Nazar, Engrs, Lt Col Abdur Rehman, Engrs, Lt Col Tariq Farooq, Engrs, Lt Col Safwan Nawaz, Engrs, Lt Col Muhammad Ahmad, Engrs, Lt Col Imtiaz Zafar, Engrs, Lt Col Ali Raza, Engrs, Lt Col Waqar Haider, Engrs, Lt Col Nasir Mehmood, Sigs, Lt Col Kashif Ijaz, Sigs, Lt Col Asad Ullah Amir Sadiq, Sigs, Lt Col Jawad Riaz, Sigs, Lt Col Ahmad Usman, Sigs, Lt Col Imran Ghafoor, Sigs, Lt Col Naeem Iqbal, Punjab, Lt Col Muhammad Waqar Nawazish, Punjab, Lt Col Muhammad Pervez, Baloch, Lt Col Sohail Khan, Baloch, Lt Col Faraz Wali Khan, Baloch, Lt Col Muhammad Arif, Baloch, Lt Col Iftikhar Hussain, Baloch, Lt Col Azmat Abbas Khan, Baloch, Lt Col Sheikh Raheel Nisar, Baloch, Lt Col Khalid Yousuf, Baloch, Lt Col Naveed Waqas, Baloch, Lt Col Muhammad Ikram, Baloch, Lt Col Abdul Naeem Khan Bangash, FF, Lt Col Muhammad Tufail, FF, Lt Col Shazad Younas, T Bt, FF, Lt Col Mohsin Ali, FF, Lt Col Kashif Malik, FF, Lt Col Syed Ali Adnan Hasni, AK, Lt Col Farrukh Ikram, AK, Lt Col Waseem Abbas, AK, Lt Col Ali Madad, AK, Lt Col Jawad Hafeez, T Bt, AK, Lt Col Muhammad Qaisar Gill, Sind, Lt Col Sikandar Hayat, Sind, Lt Col Rizwan Akhtar, Sind, Lt Col Naveed Zaffar Abbasi, Avn, Lt Col Irfan Aslam, S Bt, Avn, Lt Col Khurram Rasool, Avn, Lt Col Farhan Azam Ghumman, CMI, Lt Col Usman Abou Bakar, CMI, Lt Col Shakeel Ahmad, CMI, Lt Col Khadim Hussain, CMI, Lt Col Attiq Ur Rehman Niazi, CMI, Lt Col Muhammad Ali, CMI, Lt Col Khurram Ali, CMI, Lt Col Aamir Iqbal Khan, CMI, Lt Col Riaz Ul Haq, ASC, Lt Col Zahid Bashir Kiani, ASC, Lt Col Abdul Rahim, ASC, Lt Col Muhammad Asjad Majeed, ASC, Lt Col Usman Khalid Syed, Ord, Lt Col Syed Umer Rizwan Bokhari, Ord, Lt Col Syed Gul Hassan Naqvi, EME, Lt Col Ahsen Nawaz, EME, Lt Col Muhammad Muddasir Ul Hassan, EME, Lt Col Muhammad Murad Tajwar, EME, Lt Col Rizwan Ali Khan, EME, Lt Col Muhammad Jawed Iqbal, TSO, Lt Col Nauman Razzaq, TSO, Lt Col Hamid Ashraf, TSO, Lt Col Rahat Ali, TSO, Lt Col Tahir Iqbal, TSO, Lt Col Muhammad Munawar Khan, AEC, Lt Col Muhammad Ilyas, AEC, Lt Col Muhammad Imran Masod Khan, RV&FC, Lt Col Mohammad Ghani, RV&FC, Lt Col Shah Jehan, JAG, Lt Col Bilal Ajmal, ICTO, Lt Col Syed Asif Hussain, HCA, Lt Col Omar Khan, HCA, Lt Col Sadia Fatima, AMC Spec, Lt Col Humayyun Munir Tarar, AMC Spec, Lt Col Adiba Akhtar Khalil, AMC Spec, Lt Col Syed Naeem Raza Hamdani, AMC Spec, Lt Col Rukhsana Perveen, AFNS, Maj Salman Mazhar, Arty, Maj Sajid, Ord, Maj Faisal Ahmed Khan, AMC GDMO, Maj Sultana Yasmin, AFNS, Maj Rashida Perveen, AFNS, Maj Surriya Saghir, AFNS, Maj Mussarat Bibi, AFNS, Commander Ahmed Saad Bin Usman, Navy, Commander Kabbir Yahya Khan, Navy, Commander Muhammad Atif Khan, Navy, Lt Commander Kamran Javaid, Navy, Lt Commander Faisal Ayub, Navy, Lt Commander Syed M Hasan Rizvi, Navy, Wing Commander Muhammad Talha Saeed, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Fahd Aziz Bin Hadeed, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Muhammad Kashif Iqbal, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Muhammad Asif Bhatti, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Zeeshan Ullah Baryar, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Muhammad Raheel Shaukat , GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Hafiz Muhammad Yasar Khan, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Muhammad Usman Khan Niazi, GD(P), Air Force, Wing Commander Bilal Amin, Engg, Air Force, Wing Commander Jamshid Mehdi, Engg, Air Force, Wing Commander Abdullah Qadir Waraich, Engg, Air Force, Wing Commander Aamir Abbas Lashari, Engg, Air Force, Wing Commander S Anwaar Hussain Kazmi, AD, Air Force, Wing Commander Rafat Masood, AD, Air Force, Wing Commander Kashif Bilal Ahmad, A&SD, Air Force, Wing Commander Sumreen Usman, A&SD, Air Force, Wing Commander Zahid Maqbool Ahmad, Log, Air Force, and Wing Commander Muhammad Hamayun Kaleem, Edu, Air Force.

SLAMABAD: The nation is set to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the 75th Independence Day of the motherland today (Sunday) with a renewed pledge to work with the spirit of Pakistan Movement to make the country a true formidable Islamic welfare state.

The day will dawn with thirty-one gun salute in the federal capital and twenty-one gun salute in the provincial headquarters.

Special prayers will be offered in mosques at dawn for peace, solidarity and prosperity of the country. The main feature of the celebrations will be a national flag-hoisting ceremony in Islamabad. Similar flag-hoisting ceremonies will also be held at provincial, divisional and district headquarters level throughout the country.

President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the nation to remain steadfast and work wholeheartedly for the development and progress and prosperity of the country. “We need to remain united to overcome financial, economic and security challenges faced by the country. Let us pledge that we will remain steadfast to render any sacrifice for the dignity and self-respect of our people and greatness and glory of our beloved homeland,” the president said in a message on the 75th anniversary of Independence of Pakistan being observed on August 14 (today).

While celebrating the Day, he stressed that they should not forget their oppressed brothers and sisters of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that nothing is more dangerous for a nation than internal division, disruption and chaos for such negative forces undermine the solidarity and integrity of the country and rob societies of their national purpose.

This was stated by PM Shehbaz Sharif in his message on the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan being celebrated today (Sunday). He said that Independence Day is a watershed moment in our nation’s history.

Former president and President PPP Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari said that the supremacy of elected parliament of the people is essential for a free, independent and dignified Pakistan. “Now the time has come to make sustainable decisions for the country and the nation by fully implementing the Charter of Democracy.”

He said the power-hungry dictators tried to distort the Constitution but failed. “Only an empowered parliament can decide the future of the country and the nation. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto solidified the pact of unity and solidarity between the federation and all units with her blood.” He said that the 18th Amendment has guaranteed a strong and stable Pakistan.

Meanwhile, PMLQ President and former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that today the entire nation is celebrating the 75th Independence Day with enthusiasm but we should never forget that today Pakistan is facing challenges on internal, external, ideological and geographical fronts.