Reported By Syed Sibtain H.Shah
Oslo, August 14, 2017: A graceful ceremony was held in order to celebrate the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan in Oslo, the capital of Norway on Monday.
People from different walks of life including women and children attended the gathering which was started with recitation of Holy Quran by Qari Mahmood ul Hassan of Central Ahle Sunnat Mosque Oslo.
Earlier, children parade while holding flags of Pakistan and Norway, was organized by the organizers of the program including 14th August Committee and the Embassy. The parade was led by few children in Pakistani traditional dresses and horse riders with Pakistani dress in first line and second line and then Ambassador of Pakistan Ms Riffat Masood, Pakistan’s Investment Councilor to Norway Raja Nasir Hussain, Member of Oslo City parliament Dr Mobashar Banaras, Mr Aamir Sheikh and Sofi M. Anwar, Ch Ismail Sarwar and some others headed the procession.
This is for the first time, different organizations of Norwegian Pakistan participated in the program organized by most of them together with the Pakistan’s embassy.
Singing of national anthems of Pakistan and Norway, tableau and speeches by children, reading of a poem by Dr. Syed Nadim Hussain and Mr. Mohammad Idrees of Darich, the literary organization were also in the contents of the program.
Deputy Head of Mission Mr Ibrar Husssain read messages of President and Prime Minister of Pakistan on the independence day.
The Ambassador Riffat Masood hailed the efforts for the unity among the Norwegian Pakistani community in connection with arrangement of this joint program.
She specially mentioned the names Chaudhary Qamar Iqbal, chairman of Pakistan Union Norway, Chaudhary Riaz, Mr Aamir Sheikh and Sultan Ahmad Awan for their struggle in arrangement of the combined program.
About Pakistan’s Day, she said, the day reminds us great sacrifices of Muslims of Subcontinent under the dynamic leadership of Mr Mohamad Ali Jinnah for independence of their homeland. She also hailed the services of Mr Ibrar Hussain, the outgoing Deputy Head of Mission of Pakistan’s Embassy in Oslo
Governing Mayor Raymond Johansen of Oslo, Minister for local government Jan Tore Stanner and Norwegian Pakistan politician Raja Abid Qayum also spoke on the occasion.
Pakistani Tent pegging, Pakistani horse show, Kabbadi, South Asian wrestling, a Cricket match and prizes distribution were also part of the whole day program.
At the conclusion people were entertained by concet of Pakistani pop singer Shahzad Roy.
