Overview
- Pakistan marked the 86th Pakistan Day on Monday with gun salutes, flag-hoistings and prayers after the government scrapped the traditional military parade due to a Gulf oil shock and austerity.
- The presidency formalized the parade’s cancellation on the prime minister’s advice, setting 28 April for the rescheduled investiture ceremony.
- In messages to the nation, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged unity, cited Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence and counterterrorism gains, and acknowledged ongoing economic strain.
- The military’s media wing said the armed forces remain ready to defend borders and to continue operations against terrorist groups to protect internal security.
- Pakistani embassies, including in Abu Dhabi, held low-key flag-hoisting events that reaffirmed ties with host countries and support for Kashmiri self-determination.