MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Independence Day is being celebrated across Azad Jammu and Kashmir with national enthusiasm and patriotic fervour.
The main ceremony will be held at 8 am on August 14 at the High Court Grounds in Muzaffarabad, with the President and Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, along with civil and military officials, in attendance.
The ceremony will begin with the hoisting of the national flag, followed by the national anthem and the anthem of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The chief guest will lay a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial, while a smartly turned-out contingent of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Police will present a march past and salute.
Students from various educational institutions will perform national songs, anthems and tableaux during the ceremony.
The Sports, Youth and Culture Department has also organized special sports competitions across Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while speech competitions are being held in government and private educational institutions.
Government and private buildings across the region have been decorated with colourful lights, while national flags have been displayed at various locations.
The celebrations aim to highlight national unity, patriotism and the people of Azad Kashmir’s strong attachment to Pakistan.
Acting AJK President Reaffirms Commitment to Pakistan’s Defence
Acting President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Latif Akbar said that August 14 is not only one of the most important days in the nation’s history but also an occasion to take pride in the recently signed defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
He said that while August 14 reminds Muslims of the Indian subcontinent of the freedom achieved in 1947, the nation is also witnessing a renewed sense of pride following the historic agreement between the three countries.
Chaudhry Latif Akbar said the agreement had reinforced the resolve that Pakistan’s defence and sovereignty were non-negotiable.
He said Kashmiris had always considered Pakistan their destination and would continue to do so, expressing hope that one day Kashmir would become part of Pakistan.
He also paid tribute to the Pakistan Army and concluded with slogans of Pakistan Zindabad and Azad Kashmir Zindabad.
AJK PM Hails Mecca Mutual Defence Agreement
Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Faisal Mumtaz Rathore said the nation was celebrating August 14 with renewed enthusiasm following the Mecca Mutual Defence Agreement signed between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia on August 7, 2026.
He said the agreement’s central provision stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three, strengthening their mutual defence, security and collective response.
The AJK prime minister said the establishment of Pakistan under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah represented the fulfilment of the collective aspirations of the Muslims of the subcontinent, while August 14, 1947 marked a historic milestone.
He said the Pakistani government, people and armed forces were continuing to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris.
Rathore expressed hope that the day was not far when Indian-administered Kashmir would be freed from Indian occupation, and the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir would become part of Pakistan.
