PAD Organises a Mangolicious Weekend
Keeping the annual tradition alive, Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) celebrated Pakistan’s Diamond Jubilee and marked 75 years of our country’s independence with full passion and zeal. Our three-day celebrations began with the PAD Indoor Azadi Super 6 Cricket Tournament on Aug 12th and 13th where 16 teams competed for cash prizes and trophies. Under the theme, ‘Shad Rahay Pakistan’, our main flagship event on Aug 14th at the PAD complex had a line-up of engaging activities in store for people of all ages.
PAD President, Dr Faisel Ikram welcomed the audience to the special occasion, “On behalf of the PAD Board of Directors, I welcome you all here and wish you all a very happy Independence Day. We take today as an opportunity to reflect on one of the biggest mass migrations in history which took place in Aug 1947 and to pay tribute to the sacrifices of our forefathers.” President PAD also took the opportunity to thank the large crowd of community members, young and old, who enthusiastically joined our celebrations.
The evening kickstarted with the Dubai Police band to inaugurate our event along with a rally to the PAD complex by the UAE Bikers Community. The two-hour event at the Pakistan Auditorium entailed national songs, anthems, poetry, documentaries and various activities to mark 75 years of our country’s independence. The Pakistan Auditorium boomed with special patriotic performances and tableaus by schoolchildren. The different cultures of Pakistan were also highlighted through unique cultural performances on traditional folk music.
Present at the occasion, CEO Community Development Authority, His Excellency Dr Omar Al Muthanna also addressed the audience with a special message. He said, “It brings me great pleasure to be here on the special occasion of Pakistan's 75th Independence Day. We are proud to call Pakistanis our brothers. The two countries have worked together on all fronts to take our alliance forward. Pakistanis living and working in the UAE have always embraced our spirit of cohesion and tolerance that distinguishes our country from other countries.” Dr Omar Al Muthanna went on to praise the efforts of PAD in building the shared values between Pakistan and the UAE. “We cannot mention cohesion and not mention Pakistan Medical Centre - a very genuine example of humanitarian spirit and the generosity of the Pakistani people. On this note, I'd like to extend my deepest thanks to the Board of Directors, volunteers and staff of PAD, I truly appreciate all your support. I heartily wish you all the best and pray for the prosperity of Pakistan and its people,” said Dr Omar Al Muthanna.
Renowned Pakistani poet Khalid Masood Khan flew down from Pakistan to join the Pakistani expatriate community in Dubai in marking our 14th August festivities and entertained the audience with his unique craft. The PAD Culture Committee organized a singing competition on a community call to highlight the best vocal talents, and the top three entries had the opportunity to sing national songs live on stage during the event.
We were honoured to welcome the Consul General of Pakistan, His Excellency Hassan Afzaal Khan who commended the contributions of Overseas Pakistani communities towards Pakistan’s success. He remarked, “Overseas Pakistanis are an important asset to Pakistan and heavily contribute to the country's success and growth. Together, we can play our role to make Pakistan better. We should also not forget the leaders and people of the UAE who have stood with us in solidarity throughout and welcomed us to this beautiful country to call our own.”
We also had a mini food street set up with our authentic Pakistani flavours and live barbecue to bring back the traditional delicacies of our homeland. Stalls of handmade and homemade products were also set up by the talented craftswomen of Tamkeen, some of which included sunnah herbs, handmade soaps, accessories, hijabs and clothes. Activities like jumping castle, photobooth, henna designing, face painting and much more were in store for families and kids to relish in. Winners of the PAD Indoor Azadi Super 6 Cricket Tournament on Aug 12-13th were presented with their cash prizes and trophies on stage at the main event.
The fun festival had something for everyone as live engaging art activities gave young budding artists to showcase their craft. Stalls selling flags, badges, all Pakistan Independence Day-centric items were also a crowd-favourite. The community also had a chance to win iPads as part of special raffle draws – individuals participated by filling out online forms via a QR code at the registration desk. Plenty of other giveaways (ice cream, goodies and more) were available for children and the public.
The many different components of PAD participated equally to mark our Independence Day this year. Shahid Afridi Health and Fitness Center offered a special discount on memberships exclusively available on Aug 14th only. Pakistan Medical Centre (PMC) also joined the celebrations this August with a special Independence Day Offer where individuals can avail 47 tests for only AED 75. Online pre-registrations were open on www.pmcpad.ae until Aug 13th to enable a seamless appointment system for patients. In the spirit of Azaadi, PMC is also introducing free cardiology clinics every Sunday, free gynecology clinics every Monday and free pediatrics clinics every Friday starting August 14th. Patients can pre-book their appointments by calling 04 2305000 or WhatsApp 054 3069176.
