KARACHI: The 141st birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah is being celebrated across the country with traditional zeal and enthusiasm on Monday.

The day, a public holiday, dawns with a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals, with national flag hoisted at the principal government buildings.

A change of guard ceremony would be held at Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi. The cadets of Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul would assume the ceremonial guard duties at mausoleum.

The Commandant of PMA Kakul, Maj. Gen. Akhtar Nawaz, will also lay a floral wreath and offer Fateha at the Jinnah's mausoleum.

The governor and chief minister of Sindh would also visit the Mazar-e-Quaid, and lay floral wreaths and offer Fateha.

People from various walks of life would be visiting the mausoleum to pay tributes to the Founder of Pakistan on his birth anniversary.

Scores of organisations have arranged programmes to pay respects to Jinnah and highlight various aspects of his life, vision and leadership.

PM for collective efforts to achieve Quaid's ideas

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has stressed upon making collective efforts to achieve the objectives of a stronger and developed Pakistan as set by the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

In his a message on Jinnah's 141st birth anniversary, the prime minister said this day has a special significance for the whole nation because besides paying tributes to the great leader, it was a day to reiterate the resolve for reviving Quaid?s thoughts and move forward with his ideas.

"Throughout his life, Jinnah fought for religious, social and economic rights and identity of the Muslims of sub-continent on the basis of solid arguments and democratic principles," he said.

"He not only gathered the Muslims on the platform of Muslim League, who had been subjugated by British rulers and faced Hindus? conspiracies, but also through his democratic struggle, he made the creation of a state possible, where all the citizens would have equal rights of life without any discrimination on the basis of colour, creed, religion etc."

ISPR releases song to pay tribute to Quaid-e-Azam

The song video features videos of Arifa Karim, Tahira Qazi, Moin Akhtar

PM Abbasi said that Quaid-e-Azam also gave the inhabitants of the newly-created state the guiding principles of ?unity, faith and discipline? so that with the help of these guiding principles, the future journey could be traversed.

"On this day, the nation should retrospect how much we have succeeded in achieving the objectives set by our great leader for which the state of Pakistan was created," he said.

The premier said under Quaid?s thoughts, an impartial and just analysis of the last seventy years' history would be helpful in determining the future course.

"By learning from the past mistakes, we have to struggle to reach to the destination as set by our great Quaid."

He said that by emulating the golden principles of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah including hard work, truthfulness, honesty, selfless efforts and upholding the democratic norms, the nation could overcome the challenges and further strengthen Pakistan.

"In this way, Pakistan could achieve its deserving position in the comity of nations," PM Abbasi added.