Independence Day: Not Folklore, But History

Syeda Fatima Raza

Rawalpindi: On 14 August 1947, Pakistan emerged from the British Raj, born through the vision and tireless efforts of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League, granting millions of Muslims their own homeland.

The day, now cherished as Pakistan Independence Day, is marked annually with flag-hoisting, parades, patriotic performances, and heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices entwined with that historic passage.

Across the nation, homes, public buildings, and streets shimmer in green and white with fairy lights adorning them. Citizens join in singing the national anthem, enjoy special radio and TV programming, and participate in cultural festivals. The day begins with prayers for unity, progress, and peace. Spirits lifted by the collective pride of a free people.

This year’s celebration dawned majestically: 31-gun salutes in Islamabad, and 21-gun salutes across provincial capitals, echoing through a nation renewed.

At the iconic Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, dressed in a black sherwani over white shalwar kameez, unfurled the national flag amidst respectful silence. Attended by top officials, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Senate Chair Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, federal ministers, and students, the ceremony embodied national unity.

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Children in traditional cultural dress welcomed the Prime Minister with flowers before the national anthem and patriotic songs resounded. The Prime Minister later laid a wreath, offering prayers for Pakistan’s development, progress, and prosperity.

On this significant day, global leaders extended heartfelt messages:

• United States: Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Pakistan, commending its ongoing counterterrorism efforts and engagement in trade. He highlighted potential cooperation in critical minerals and hydrocarbons, reflecting warming ties between Islamabad and Washington.
• Russia: President Vladimir Putin sent a formal congratulatory message to President Arif Alvi on Pakistan’s Independence Day.
• China: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar conveyed the nation’s warm regards to President Xi Jinping during the SCO meeting in Beijing, reaffirming the “iron-clad” friendship with China.

Independence was not gifted, it was paid for in blood

They boarded with hope, but arrived in silence.

In August 1947, entire trains crossed borders filled not with refugees, but with the lifeless bodies of those who never made it. Eyewitnesses recall compartments soaked in blood, women disfigured beyond recognition, children missing. In one horrific journey from Amritsar to Lahore, over 400 souls were butchered, some with their eyes gouged out, others decapitated. This is not folklore. This is not fiction. This is history. And this is the story of only one train from Amritsar to Lahore imagine all the other trains which came full of people but the station remained silent.

May we never forget the cost of freedom

Despite the guiding light of Quaid-e-Azam, fate dealt a cruel blow: he passed away in September 1948, barely a year after the independence he fought for so tirelessly. Some whisper suspicions, yet official accounts leave his death attributed to natural causes, with no further inquiry.

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Years later, his sister Fatima Jinnah, dignified and unyielding, met her own tragic fate. Many believe she was assassinated, though the official line was a “heart attack.” Human rights were denied, her voice was silenced, and no investigation was pursued.

Independence Day is thus a tapestry woven of joyous pride and haunting regret. We celebrate the Pakistan that emerged from dreams, struggle, and sacrifice, but we must also keep alive the memories of those who lost their lives, whose stories were cut short or stifled. We honor Quaid-e-Azam not only as founder, but as a man whose legacy was fragile in death. And we mourn his sister, whose truth remains buried in unanswered questions.

As Allama Iqbal wrote:

“افراد کے ہاتھوں میں ہے اقوام کی تقدیر

ہر فرد ہے ملّت کے مقدّر کا ستارہ”

Today, Pakistan stands tall, celebrating 79 years of independence with renewed resolve, global solidarity, and rich cultural expression. Yet we also carry the quiet echoes of those lost in trains, of leaders felled, and of justice left undone.

It was the unwavering resolve of one man, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, that altered the course of history for millions. But as Allama Iqbal reminds us, leadership alone is not enough; the strength, honesty, and courage of each citizen shape the nation’s destiny. The responsibility of Pakistan’s tomorrow does not rest in monuments or flags alone, it lives in us.