The nation celebrated 148th birthday of Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah today, with renewed commitment to work hard for progress and prosperity of the country.  

Today was a public holiday with national flag hoisted atop all public and private buildings. The day dawned with gun salutes in federal and provincial capitals.

Born on this day in 1876, in Karachi, Quaid-e-Azam led the movement for a separate homeland for Muslims of sub-continent.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a lawyer by profession and a politician. He served as leader of All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan’s independence, and then as Pakistan’s first governor general until his death on September 11, 1948.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s political acumen checkmated the British representatives’ viceroys and lords as well as leaders of the Indian National Congress Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to convince the partition of British India into Pakistan and India in 1947.

All India Muslim League won most reserved Muslim seats in the elections of 1946 and subsequently British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act on 18th July 1947.

According to biographer Stanley Wolpert: "There are very few individuals who changed the course of history, even fewer are those who changed the world map. Not one who built a nation. Jinnah alone did all three”.

In Karachi, graceful change of guard ceremony was held at the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah this morning during which a smartly turned-out contingent of cadets of Pakistan Military Academy Kakul assumed guard duties.

Commandant Pakistan Military Academy Kakul Major General Iftekhar Hassan Chowdhry was the chief guest of the ceremony who reviewed the parade, laid floral wreath and offered fateha.

Guard of honor was also presented to the Father of the Nation on the occasion. Earlier, Quran Khawani was also held at the Mazar-e-Quaid.

In Lahore, several public departments and institutions held a various events including seminars, conferences, discussions and competitions to highlight the vision and message of Quaid-e-Azam.

In his message on the occasion, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur paid tribute to wise leadership and tireless struggle of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for establishment of a separate state for Muslims.

In his message, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti urged need to adopt golden principles of the Founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for progress and prosperity of the country.

In Muzaffarabad, a function was held at Mazar of K. H Khurshid to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. Speakers on the occasion paid rich tribute to the sagacity, vision and commitment of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and said that he was source of strength for the Muslim of the subcontinent. People belonging to different walks of life attended the function.

In his message, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan said best way to pay homage to Father of Nation is to follow his teachings.