Pakistan Day Parade held in befitting manner
By Bushra Makhdoom

ISLAMABAD—A spectacular and thrilling free-fall by paratroopers of the three services besides the display of indigenous missile system as well as eye-catching fly past were the main attractions of the joint inter-services parade on Pakistan Day on Sunday.
The perfect precision with which the ‘Shahbaz Team’ of Pakistan Army, Sea-I of Pakistan Navy and Shepherd of Pakistan Air Force paratroopers landed before the saluting dais was a moment to watch and praise. The paratroopers made a free-fall from helicopters at a height of 10,000 feet and opened the parachutes at 9,000 feet ad after making ferry drives with bizzare colours and holding national and services standards made their way to land at the pre-determined places to the welcome astonishment and clapping of the onlookers.
General Officer Commanding Maj. Gen. Tahir Mahmood led the paratroopers. The paratroopers held high, displayed and wrapped the national flag before the saluting dais and saluted President Pervez Musharraf and Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro, who came forward to pat on their back and shake hands with the proud and brave Pakistanis. After the President’s address the Parade Commander, Brig. Ihsan Ul Haq, drove past the saluting dais leading the contingent of the three services bearing the National Standards.
Battalions of the Punjab, Baloch, Sindh Regiments, Special Services Group, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air force and Civil Armed Forces, Armed Forces Nursing, Pakistan Ranger Punjab, Islamabad Capital Territory Police, President Body Guards contingent comprised the marching columns, which marched past the saluting dais to the thunderous applause of the spectators. The helicopters of Army Aviation led the March-past of the mechanized columns.These included Lama, Cobra gun-ships, Ccurecuil, Bell-412 and MI-17s. The mechanized columns driving past the saluting dais comprised machines of Armoured Corps, Armoured Infantry, Heavy Tank Al-Khalid, Al-Zarar, Artillery,Air Defence and Engineers.
The Contingent of Strategic Forces which included the endogenously-produced Hataf, Shaheen-I,II, Abdali,Ghaznavi-I, Ghouri,Babur and Raad Air Launch Cruise Missile missiles attracted special and enthusiastic attention of the crowd manifesting their full faith in the stout defence of the motherland. Among the floats participating in the Parade were those of Ministries of Science and Technology and all the four provinces,Kashmir and Northern Areas drew attention and prolonged applause from the dignitaries as well as other participants.
President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro, along with chiefs of the three services COAS Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Tahir Afzal and Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood, standing at the saluting dais, watched with a particular interest and admiration the demonstration of free-fall display, and the display of missile systems and the floats of all the four provinces as well as Kashmir. The participants of the parade at the Jinnah Sports Complex, which included federal elite, diplomats and high civil and military officials besides a large number of members of the public, enjoyed very move and display with utmost attention and interest.
The Pakistanis watched the Pakistan Day ceremony on television sets here and abroad on PTV World and private channels, which telecast the event live. The thrilling fly past was led by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal TanvirMahmood, who flew Past an F-16. These followed box formations of four by Mirages, A-5s, F-7s, JF-17 Thunder Fighter Aircraft, the manifestation of Pak-China friendship. The squadron of Sherdil enthralled the spectators by their acrobats. The floats of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP as well as Kashmir drew prolonged applause from the participants as these passed by.
The artists on the floats were singing local songs with local instruments.These were preceded by presentation of a splendid march past by different contingents of the three armed services. These were followed by display of armoured vehicles and mechanized columns. The whole ceremony wore a festive and colourful looks, with participants watching trilling performance by the three services, speaking volumes about their bravery and high professionalism. All these events received a standing ovation and a big hand from the participants of the parade in the Jinnah Sports Complex. Earlier, on arrival, the President was received by Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro and chiefs of the three services.