The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi on Saturday held a flag-hoisting ceremony to commemorate the National Day of Pakistan with patriotic zeal. The Charge d' Affaires of Pakistan to India Saad Ahmad Warraich hoisted the national flag at the Chancery lawn. The messages of the president and prime minister of Pakistan were read on the occasion. Eulogising the inspiring leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam, the Charge d'Affaires stressed that the struggle for Pakistan's independence was paved by the sacrifices of millions of people including women and children across the subcontinent. The best homage to the memory of the martyrs was to redouble our collective efforts towards the prosperity and development of Pakistan according to the vision of our founding fathers, he added. Noting the tremendous strides made by Pakistan since independence, the Charge d' Affaires underlined that Pakistan's greatest strength was its resilient and enterprising people who had overcome every challenge through their indomitable spirit and characteristic grit and determination. Read more: Saudi defence minister meets PM, president and COAS Endowed with rich natural resources and a geostrategic location as a bridge between East, West and Central Asia, the Charge d' Affaires said that Pakistan would continue to play its pivotal role as a centrepiece for trade, connectivity and regional integration. Underscoring that Pakistan was born of a peaceful struggle postulated on the inalienable right of the Muslims of the subcontinent to determine their destiny as per their own choice, the Cd'A said that peaceful coexistence based on equality and mutual respect serves as guiding principles of Pakistan's foreign policy. These principles also underpinned Pakistan's desire for a peaceful relationship with India, he said. The quest for sustainable peace and stability in South Asia could only be achieved through a peaceful settlement of all issues including the core Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the Cd'A stressed. "Our desire for peace is reflective of the constructive and positive outlook of a strong and self-assured nation", Warraich concluded.