Syed Mussarat Khalil
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Pakistan Consulate General celebrated the golden jubilee of Pakistan’s Defense Day at its premises recently. Consul General Aftab Ahmed Khokher welcomed all distinguished guests, journalists and representative of Pakistani forums and thanked them for celebrating the 50th Defense Day together for the first time in Jeddah.
He urged the Pakistani community to be united and disciplined and work hard for the development of both the Kingdom and Pakistan. “We are united as a nation under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as we were united during the war of Sept. 6, 1965, against India,” said Khokher.
Khokher expressed his deepest gratitude for the generosity of the royal family and people of Saudi Arabia during the war of 1965. He also recalled the help of the Al-Ittihad football club as they collected funds for the people of Pakistan. He acknowledged the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is historical and prayed this relationship would become more stronger in the future.
Speakers and poets of the forums included Faisal Bukhari — Pakistan Accountants Forum (PAF), Pervez Yousuf Masih — Pakistan Christian Society (PCS), Dr. Jawaid Khan — Pakistan Doctors Forum (PDF), Dr. Abdul Aleem Khan — Engineers Welfare Forum (EWF), Fayyaz Mazher, Masood Ahmed Puri — Kashmir Committee, Shahid Naeem — Pakistan Journalist Forum (PJF), Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman —Pakistan Welfare Society (PWS) famous poet Ather Nafees Abbasi Aalami — Urdu Markus (AUM) and senior poet Naeem Hamid Ali Al-Hamid — Bezm-e-Urdu, and they paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the war in their speeches and poems.
Shahid Naeem, president PJF, praised the role of the Army, Air force, Navy and Civil Defense in 1965 war. He said Pakistan Army defeated Indian army in the biggest battle of tanks in Sialkot sector. Air force made a clean sweep of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1965 war and Pak Navy stormed their enemy during the Dwarka operation.
The function began with recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by Mohammed Fawaz. National anthem of Pakistan, songs and documentary film were also presented on the occasion.
Head of chancery (HOC) Pakistan Consulate Jeddah Junaid Wazir was the master of ceremony.
