After 68 years, Pakistan unveils re-recorded national anthem

• PM Shehbaz Sharif unveils newly re-recorded national anthem on 75th Independence Day.
• The national anthem has been re-recorded after 68 years, with the participation of 155 singers, 48 musicians and 6 bandmasters.
• PM Shehbaz Sharif has become second elected prime minister after Liaquat Ali Khan to have unique honour of unveiling anthem.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially unveiled the newly re-recorded national anthem of Pakistan composed with modern technology on the nation's 75th Independence Day.

The national anthem has been re-recorded after 68 years, with the participation of 155 singers, 48 musicians and 6 bandmasters.

PM Shehbaz has become the second elected prime minister after Liaquat Ali Khan to have the unique honour of unveiling the anthem. The project has been completed in collaboration with various departments, including the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and ISPR.

The brass bands of all three armed forces also participated in this national effort. The new compositions, recorded with excellent imaging carry a rainbow of all the cultural and regional colours of Pakistan.

Addressing a national flag-hoisting and unveiling of re-recording ceremony of the national anthem here at the Jinnah Convention Centre, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that like their forefathers, on this 75th Independence Day, they vowed to transform Pakistan into an economic power.

In a bid to put the country on the trajectory of progress and bring economic stability, PM Shehbaz stressed the need for holding a national dialogue and developing a consensus on the "charter of economy" among all the stakeholders.

“If we can become a nuclear power, we can also become an economic power but for it we have to strive day and night and prove to the world that we are no less than anyone in the world,” he added.

The ceremony was attended by federal ministers, parliamentarians, senior military and law enforcement agencies leadership and people belonging to all walks of life.  

Nation celebrates 75th Independence Day

The nation is celebrating today the diamond jubilee of its independence after completion of 75 years since Independence Day, with traditional zeal and fervour across Pakistan.

The day dawned with a 31-one gun salute in the federal capital and 21-one gun salute in the provincial headquarters.

Special prayers were offered in mosques at dawn for peace, solidarity and prosperity of the country. The main feature of the celebrations every year is the national flag-hoisting ceremony in Islamabad. Similar flag-hoisting ceremonies are also at provincial, divisional and district headquarter levels throughout the country.

President Dr Arif Alvi urged the nation to remain steadfast and work wholeheartedly for the development and progress and prosperity of the country.

“We need to remain united to overcome financial, economic and security challenges faced by the country. Let us pledge that we will remain steadfast to render any sacrifice for the dignity and self-respect of our people and greatness and glory of our beloved homeland,” the president said in a message on the 75th anniversary of Independence of Pakistan being observed on August 14 (today).

While celebrating the Day, he stressed that they should not forget their oppressed brothers and sisters of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message on Independence Day, said that nothing is more dangerous for a nation than internal division, disruption and chaos for such negative forces undermine the solidarity and integrity of the country and rob societies of their national purpose.

He said that Independence Day is a watershed moment in our nation’s history.