Consul General of Pakistan Hassan Afzal Khan has extended his felicitations to the overseas Pakistanis living in the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s Independence Day (August 14).
In a message to his countrymen living in the UAE, Hassan Afzal Khan said: “This year we are celebrating 75 years of Independence of Pakistan and I am indeed pleased to convey heartiest felicitations to my fellow citizens in the UAE.
“This is the day when we recall the unmatched sacrifices rendered by our forefathers to protect and safeguard our religious, cultural and social values. It was their struggle and commitment towards cause and the visionary leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that led to the creation of Pakistan on 14th August 1947.
“Today, while, we breathe independence in a free country we pay tribute to our forefathers for their struggles and sacrifices in creation of our beautiful homeland.
“Let me take this opportunity to express appreciation to the role and contribution of overseas Pakistanis in prosperity and progress of Pakistan.
“Almost 1.7 million Pakistanis live in UAE, making them the second largest expatriate community outside Pakistan. These overseas Pakistanis have been, and will remain, the co-authors of Pakistan’s success story. They have contributed immensely through their dedication, hard work and commitment to the development of Pakistan and of the UAE. I urge them to continue working with same dedication and keep the Pakistani flag flying high with their achievements in UAE and around the globe.
“I also avail myself of this opportunity to assure all Pakistanis living in Dubai and Northern Emirates that we at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai are available 24/7 to provide quality and efficient consular services. We continuously strive to improve public service delivery and therefore keep taking new community friendly initiatives and updating service delivery platforms to enhance outreach and facilitation for ease of our community in UAE.
“Finally, let us not forget our debt of gratitude to the UAE, its people and leadership, who have stood in solidarity with Pakistan through good times and bad. With the UAE, we have long standing and deep rooted religious, cultural, civilizational and economic links. This is a relationship which is grounded in mutual affection and mutual trust. We thank the leadership and people of UAE for providing us with a region that Pakistanis call their second home.
“I would conclude by extending once again my sincere felicitations on this occasion to the Pakistanis living in the UAE. I pray to Allah Almighty to grant us the strength to serve our great country with sincerity and lead Pakistan on the path to even greater progress and prosperity.”
