Focus all energy on Pakistan's development and progress: Nawaz Sharif

Poet of the East, Allama lqbal visualised the dream of a free and independent state for the Muslims of South Asia. Founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah transformed this dream into reality through a dynamic movement.

I congratulate all the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of the Independence Day of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
It is also a day of happiness; a day of bowing down our heads before Almighty Allah in thankfulness and a day of renewing our pledge that we will continue to struggle with unity and oneness for the objectives for which Pakistan was created.
Poet of the East, Allama lqbal visualised the dream of a free and independent state for the Muslims of South Asia. Founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah transformed this dream into reality through a dynamic movement.
Today, we should also remember those great martyrs, who sacrificed all of their belongings and even presented their lives.
Dear countrymen!
Today is a day of self-accountability too. We will have to ponder over as to what mistakes we committed in the past that we have lagged behind our contemporary nations.
We will have to decide either we will ever remain caught-up in disarray, chaos and sloganeering, or will focus all our energy on Pakistan's development and progress by demonstrating absolute unity and unanimity.
We are committed to root-out the menace of terrorism. Operation Zarb-e-Azb is demonstrative of this commitment. The sacrifices and efforts of the armed forces, civil armed forces and all concerned institutions - good results of which are appearing - are appreciable.
With the grace of Almighty Allah, the concept of people's rule, supremacy of Constitution and enforcement of democracy in Pakistan has strengthened.
In this ideal situation, we, by resolving our problems, have to take course of economic development, which shall take Pakistan to the brightened destinations of progress and prosperity so that the whole nation gets benefits from these accomplishments.
Islam teaches us love, tolerance and politeness. Let us pledge that we, in line with the philosophy of Allama lqbal and ideology of the founder of the nation, will continue to strive for making Pakistan a strong and prosperous country moving towards the goal of development, with faith and conviction, unity and accord, and discipline. God bless us all.

• Pakistan