Pakistan marks 79th independence anniversary amid separatist tensions

Pakistan celebrated its 79th Independence Day on Friday, marking 79 years since the country gained sovereignty on 14 August 1947, following the partition of British India. President Asif Ali Zardari urged the nation to remember the sacrifices of those who fought for the country’s independence and paid tribute to Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. In his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for unity and stated that despite facing various difficulties, Pakistan is moving on the path of development and prosperity. He noted that over the past two and a half years, the government has successfully navigated a very difficult situation and achieved economic stabilisation. Sharif also pointed to a joint defence agreement signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Mecca as evidence of Pakistan’s growing regional role, and he appealed to the country’s political parties to unite for national prosperity. Meanwhile, Baloch separatist groups from the western province declared 14 August a ‘day of mourning’ and called on 60 million Baloch people worldwide to fly black flags and wear black armbands in rejection of the state of Pakistan. The boycott call was posted on X by separatist representative Mir Yar Baloch, who claimed that Pakistani forces had conducted airstrikes on civilian settlements in Balochistan Province two days earlier.