A statue of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was unveiled at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington on Friday as part of Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations, adding a historical focus to an event that also highlighted the country’s evolving relationship with the United States.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh inaugurated the statue during a ceremony attended by members of the Pakistani-American community, diplomats and media representatives.
The statue was donated by the Quaid-i-Azam Foundation of Houston and will remain permanently at the embassy. Its unveiling comes as Pakistan prepares to celebrate Jinnah’s 150th birth anniversary later this year.
Paying tribute to Pakistan’s founder, Ambassador Sheikh praised Jinnah’s constitutional struggle and his efforts to transform the idea of Pakistan into an independent state.
“The inspiring leadership of Quaid-i-Azam united the Muslims of the subcontinent under one flag and blessed us with freedom,” he said, calling on Pakistanis, especially those living overseas, to follow Jinnah’s principles of “Unity, Faith and Discipline”.
The Independence Day ceremony opened with the raising of Pakistan’s national flag alongside the national anthem. The programme also featured Quranic verses and messages from Pakistan’s president, prime minister and deputy prime minister.
In his address, Ambassador Sheikh also highlighted Pakistan’s continuing relevance to the United States and the international community.
His comments reflected a message from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Pakistan’s Independence Day, in which he highlighted cooperation between the two countries in areas including regional mediation, critical minerals, energy, counterterrorism, cultural heritage, trade and investment.
Pakistan’s role in regional mediation has gained particular importance amid tensions between Washington and Tehran. Islamabad has sought to use its ties with both countries to encourage dialogue and help reduce tensions between the United States and Iran.
The ceremony also featured an investiture for Waqar Ali Khan, who was presented with the President’s Award for Pride of Performance for his decades of contributions as a community leader and cultural ambassador in the United States.
