Pak to observe its National Day

Islamabad, Mar.23 : Pakistan Day will be celebrated across the country with full zeal and fervor today to mark the 68th day of its founding.

The day will dawn with a 31-gun salute in Islamabad and a 21-gun salute in the four provincial capitals of Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.

Special prayers will be offered at all mosques for the solidarity and prosperity of Pakistan.

The main feature of the day will be an Armed Forces Parade, which is being held at Jinnah Sports Complex, here. President Pervez Musharraf will take the salute, review the parade and deliver his address.

Caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Soomro, Defence Minister, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Services Chiefs will also attend the parade.

Smartly turned out contingents drawn from the three Services will present the Guard of Honor. It will be followed by a scintillating fly-past of the PAF Combat Aircraft. JF-17 Thunder Fighter Aircraft, the manifestation of Pak-China friendship, is also participating in the fly-past.

After the President's address, the Parade Commander, Brigadier Ehsan Ul Haq, will drive past the saluting dais leading contingents of the three services bearing National Standards.

Battalions of the Punjab, Baloch, Azad Kashmir and Sindh Regiments, contingents of Pakistan Navy, PAF, Armed Forces Nursing Services, Punjab Rangers, Police and Special Service Group will march past the saluting dais.

Contingents of the President's Body Guard, Armored Corps comprising Tanks "Al-Zarrar", "Al-Khalid" and T-80 UD, Mechanized Infantry, Heavy Anti Tank Regiment, Self Propelled Artillery, Army Air Defence, Engineers, Corps of Signals, and Army Strategic Force Command including Hatf-II (Abdali), Hatf-III (Ghaznavi), Hatf-IV (Shaheen-1), Hatf-V (Ghauri), Hatf-VI (Shaheen-6), Babar Cruise Missile and Ra'ad Missile will drive past the dais. They will be followed by a contingent of the Army Heritage Foundation.

Aerobatics by PAF "Sherdil Team" will be another attraction of the parade, The News reported.

ANI