Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

The Pakistani expatriate community residing in the UAE is preparing  to celebrate the country’s 72nd Independence Day with patriotic zeal and national harmony.

The two major community organisations, Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) and Pakistan Social Centre Sharjah (PSCS), have already announced a number of activities for families and individuals to celebrate the national day with appropriate respect and show their solidarity with their brethren in Pakistan and those who live abroad all over the world.

The Pakistan Association Dubai has already begun various activities for youngsters to celebrate the month of August with the kickoff of a cricket tournament between eight teams comprising community youth.

The Azadi Cricket Tournament will be played in Skyline University and in this regard a ceremony to launch the cricket kits was organised on Aug.2 at the PAD office.

There will be 8 teams contesting the tournament which will be played in university camps while final will be on Aug.10.

The other major event for the community will be ‘Hum Aik Hain’ (we are one). The event will include cultural programmes, tableau, national songs contest and will be led by prominent artist Noman Ali Shah at PAD premises on Aug.14 at 7pm.

The management of the Pakistan Social Centre Sharjah is also gearing up with various activities for Ajman residents to help them participate and express their patriotism.

Besides various family-oriented activities, the major attraction planned was to set a table tennis tournament between the community team and the Pakistan Journalist Forum on Aug.8.

The PSCS has also announced that the consular team of Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai will visit Pakistan Social Centre, Sharjah to provide consular services including attestation of documents, issuance of Smart National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (SNICOPs), issuance of emergency travel documents between 10am to noon and 2pm to 5pm at the centre premises.