ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT): Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day was celebrated at the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) Secretariat on Friday, where Coordinator General Prof Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary hoisted the national flag alongside international staff from OIC member states and the COMSTECH team.
The ceremony began with the national anthem and was attended by COMSTECH’s international staff, programme managers, officers and senior officials. Special prayers were offered for those who sacrificed their lives for Pakistan and for peace and prosperity in Pakistan, OIC member states and the wider world.
Addressing the gathering, Coordinator General COMSTECH Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary congratulated the government and people of Pakistan and said the country’s role as the permanent host of OIC-COMSTECH reflected the trust placed in it by the Muslim world.
He said a peaceful, stable and scientifically strong Pakistan is important not only for its own development but also for strengthening science, technology, innovation and science diplomacy across OIC member states.
Prof Choudhary said Pakistan had significant scientific and human potential, particularly among its young people, and greater investment in emerging technologies, research and innovation would enable the country to contribute more effectively to the development of the wider Islamic world.
Guest of Honour Vice Chancellor of the Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur, Prof Dr Shazia Anjum, highlighted the contribution of Pakistani women to national development and said women were increasingly playing an important role in education, science, research and other sectors.
Senior Director Human Resource and Administration, OIC-COMSTECH, Mr Aftab Hussain Zaidi, said the message of Independence Day could best be translated into action through collective responsibility, professional integrity and working together for national development.
Speaking on behalf of COMSTECH’s international staff, Senior Technical Manager Omar Jallow said foreign professionals working at the Secretariat had found warmth and acceptance in Pakistan. “We never feel that we are alone here. We feel that we are part of Pakistan and the COMSTECH family,” he said, appreciating the hospitality extended to international staff. Other foreign employees also shared their experiences of living and working in Pakistan.
Representing Christian employees of COMSTECH, Mr Darren de Souza said Pakistanis were “one nation under one flag”, adding that the Christian community would continue to contribute to the country’s progress alongside fellow citizens.
Young COMSTECH employees also spoke at the ceremony, highlighting the role of the new generation in Pakistan’s future and the opportunities emerging from artificial intelligence, digital technologies, science and innovation.
The celebrations concluded with the cutting of an Independence Day cake and prayers for continued peace, stability and prosperity in Pakistan and across the OIC region.
