Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com

 

Minister, High Commissioner, Consul General, Member Parliament and other Dignitaries Messages on Pakistan Day
 

************************************************************************************

His Excellency Abdul Malik Abdullah

**********************************************************************

********************************************************************************

 Message for Pakistan Day by Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC, Greens NSW MP

Pakistan day is celebrated to mark the ‘Pakistan Resolution’ which took place on 23rd March, 1940. This resolution was passed in Lahore, the city I grew up in, and set in concrete the idea of a separate independent state for Muslims.

Pakistan was formed as a secular democratic state and one of Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s quotes makes this clear: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

We are all deeply connected to Australia, the country we call home, but like all Pakistani-Australians, I am very proud of my Pakistani heritage. It’s the country where I grew up, where I was educated and also the country of my political awakening. My family was passionately involved in the struggle for independence and worked side by side with Mohammed Ali Jinnah and the massive people’s movement to have a safe and independent homeland.

This day is a good time to reflect on this struggle and also to think about where we our now – in a democratic and diverse nation. And it is the diversity in Australia that makes us a vibrant nation. We all contribute positively in making our nation prosperous and sustainable. And there is no doubt that immigrants have made enormous contributions to Australian economy and society in many ways such as bringing in new skills, setting up businesses, in the areas of technology and international business knowledge.

Like me, many of you go back to Pakistan regularly and have an impact on creating positive change there as well. So on the occasion of celebrating Pakistan day, I’ll finish by quoting a few of my favorite lines from Allama Iqbal, the great Pakistani poet and philosopher. These are about aspiration, determination and dreaming big:


Agar khogayaeknasheman to kyaghum
Maqmat-e-aah-o-fughaanaurbhihain
Tushaheenhaiparvwaazhaikaamtera
Teresaamneaasmaanaurbhihain
Isi roz-o-shab main ulajhkarna rah ja
Keterezameen par makaanaurbhihain
Gaye din ketanhatha main anjumanmein
Yahaanab mere raazdaanaurbhihain
 

Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC
Greens NSW MP

*************************************************************************************
 

Congratulations on Pakistan Day

People world wide celebrating a National day of Pakistan, a day of pride and a day of Unity. Today Pakistanis world wide as well as Australia's Pakistani community are proud of their country's achievement and independence. Pakistan’s Day pays homage to a people who devoted their lives for Pakistan’s freedom movement and made sacrifices to attain Pakistan’s independence. I have a chance to visit twice Pakistan. I Love Pakistan and Pakistanis.

I therefore take great pleasure in wishing you a very happy Pakistan National Day and I hope it would be a time of happiness and pride and a time to look to the future of prosperity, peace and stability and harmony ensuring that all Pakistanis live in the land they call home in peace and security.
 

Mr.Iftikhar Rana

74 years ago, on the 23rd of March a crucial occurrence took place which changed the lives of many forever. This landmark day was the first huge stepping stone that marked the formation and beginning of the world’s first Islamic nation. It is the day when the Lahore Resolution was passed by the leaders of the Muslim league, since Muslims demanded their own state, cementing the formation of a new nation in the subcontinent known as Pakistan.

 The 23rd of March is an auspicious occasion for Pakistanis all around the world as it highlights the astounding achievements and meticulous ability of our forefathers who have made it possible to call Pakistan our home today. Pakistan is a nation state that has accomplished tremendous victories through-out the world which have been acknowledged and appreciated. For instance, the Pakistani community in Australia has grown incredibly through-out the years with Pakistani Australians achieving in all careers such as doctors, engineers, real estate, finance, lawyers and so on.

 I myself am a proud Pakistani Australian and it is a great pleasure that I am able to represent my community on an everyday basis. On behalf of the Pakistan Australia Council and Pakistan Australia Business Council, I am delighted to send my warm wishes to Pakistan’s all around the world who would be celebrating the 74th Anniversary of Pakistan Day. May Allah bless our home land Pakistan and give us all the courage to strive towards making a better future for ourselves and our nation. Ameen

PAKISTAN ZINDABAD

 Kind Regards,
 Iftikhar Rana
 

                                ***********************************************************************************

Message on 23 March 2014 - From Dr. Sayeed Khan- President Australia Pakistan Medical Association NSW
 

                                                                                         Dr.Sayeed Khan, President APMA

In December 1930, it was a dream of a visionary Dr Muhammad Iqbal – a dream to  ‘see the Punjab, North West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British Empire, or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West India’.

And, in response to him on 23 March 1940, a historic pledge was made by the nation to realize that goal! The dream of the founding fathers was to see an egalitarian society for the Muslims of India, a society that was to be free from bondage of not only the colonial rulers but also from misery, poverty, and ignorance. The historic pledge was followed by a great endeavour including loss of millions of lives,  to achieve freedom and to build a free, fair, and prosperous society that allows its citizens equal rights to use their personal abilities and give full expression to ambitions in pursuit of happiness.

 After 74 years of that historic day in Lahore, do we see that solemn pledge of the nation been fully redeemed in Pakistan? Not really.

Unfortunately, what we see today in Pakistan, among other things, is that investment in public health, education and human capital development is seriously neglected. State has almost abandoned public health and education.

 Total outlay of health sector is budgeted at Rs.79.4 billion, less than $1 billion only (Australia with 1/8th of the size of Pakistan’s population spends over $64 billion on health and medical services. No wonder, to a large extent, health and education expenditure is being paid for by the donor agencies. In terms of UNDP’s Human Development Index, Pakistan has slipped down, even lower than Congo and Myanmar.

There are only 1,207 hospitals (1,786 persons per bed) and 160,289 doctors (1,127 persons per doctor) in the country. Callous neglect and unpardonable mismanagement of health and nutrition needs of the country has made us to witness the horrifying tragedy of children and women dying today in Tharparkar of hunger, malnutrition and lack of basic health care. 

Only half of Pakistan’s children go to primary school, a quarter to secondary school, and just five percent receive any higher education.

Pakistan must revamp and re-structure a cost-effective and affordable health care and education & skills development delivery system on modern lines, learning from the experience of some successfully developed and practiced systems in many countries of the world.

Pakistan must reverse the state’s policy of practically abandoning the health and education sectors by re-investing a substantial part of its revenue into a massive national human capital development effort. It must increase the budgetary allocation on reviving and developing a preventive & curative national health delivery system from a miser 0.9% of GDP to minimum 5% of GDP and on education& skills development from current 2.5% of GDP to a minimum 10% of GDP.  

 More than any other time, Pakistan today needs each one of its son and daughter whether inside or out of Pakistan to renew  pledge that our forefathers made on this day in Lahore.

 Let’s today renew our pledge and resolve to light one candle for each of us to fight the darkness and illuminate a shining the path to fulfill the dream of Allama Muhammad Iqbal.


Jigar sey wohi teer phir paar kar!


Tamana ko seenon mein bedar kar!

 

Dr.Sayeed Khan

 President Australia Pakistan Medical Association NSW

               ************************************************************************************************************

Mr. Ejaz Khan (President)

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate all fellow Pakistanis on this the Celebration of Pakistan Day. If we are serious to see Pakistan as as respectable country in future.

Lets action today against those who are responsible to bring Our beloved country to this low, action against corruption of all kind, action against religious intolerance and hate. How this will happen?

Lets promise to speak truth and stand for truth. Lets promise to Put aside our differences , egos and gain. Lets put Pakistan First.

Pakistan Paendabad

 

                                             *************************************************************************************


 

Email this page to a friend! Email Sada-e-Watan to a friend!