ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN
NEWS SUMMARY
(24-03-2000)
Spectacular free-fall, display of Shaheen II, Hatf 4, police parade hallmarks of Pak-day parade
ISLAMABAD, Mar 24 (APP)- Daring and thrilling free-fall by paratroopers of Army, Navy and Air force-besides the display of 'Shaheen-II' and 'Hataf-IV', as well as eye-catching flypast and inclusion of parade by Police contingents in the parade-were the main attractions of the joint inter-services parade on Pakistan-day Thursday. The perfect precision with which the 'Shahbaz Team' parachutes landed before the saluting dais was a moment to watch and praise. The parachutes made the free-fall from a helicopter at a height of 10,000 feet and after making ferry dives with bizzare colours and holding national and unit standards made their way to land at the pre-determined places to welcome the astonishment and clapping of the spectators. The team held high, displayed and wrapped the national flag before the saluting dais and saluted President Tarar and Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf, who were flanked by the Naval Chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza and Chief of Air staff Air Chief Marshal Perveiz Mehdi Qureshi. In the joint parade the police contingents made their debut appearance and collected praise from the audience. The long range ballistic missile, Shaheen-II having capacity to target up to 2500 km from ground-to-ground were also the part of the Pakistan Day Parade.
Hataf-IV another long range missile was also displayed in the parade. The participants of the parade at the Jinnah Avenue, which included federal ministers, public representatives, elite, diplomats and high civil and military officials besides a large number of members of the public, enjoyed every move and display with utmost attention and interest. The Pakistanis watched the Day ceremony on television sets in more than 38 countries, on PTV world, which telecast the event live. Radio Pakistan had also made special arrangements to air the running commentary on the parade. The march past and inter-services display and beaming faces of Pakistanis reflected the determination of the nuclear Pakistan towards peace and non-aggression. It was a perfect spring, with green Margallahs and the sprawling Parliament house in the backdrop and the blessed shadows of large portrait of smiling and sober Quaid-e-Azam. The thrilling fly past was led by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Pervez Mehdi Qureshi, who flew past an F-16. These followed box formations of four by Mirages, A-5s, F-6s and F-7s. These passed by at a speed of 750 KMs an hour. After the fly-past, the marching mechanised columns comprising battalions of the Punjab Regiment, Sindh regiment, Northern Light Infantry Regiment, Special Services Group (Commandos) Commandos, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and Civil Armed Forces included Frontier Corps Balochistan, Pakistan Rangers, Mujahid Force, Sindh Police and Boy Scouts marched past the saluting dais. Four T-37 aircraft of PAF presented spectacular aerobatics, to exhibit the skill and technique acquired by the "Shaheens of Pakistan" at Pakistan Made Mashak aircrafts.
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