Updated at: 1729 PST, Friday, August 13, 2010
ISLAMABAD: All official Independence Day functions have been called off due to the widespread devastation wreaked by unprecedented floods in the country.
According to an announcement issued here at the Presidency, no ceremony relating to Independence Day will take place at Aiwan-e-Sadr on August 14 and the President will spend his entire day with the flood victims of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Earlier, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had cancelled all annual activities of armed forces for August 14 and September 6, adding the expenses saved would be used for helping the flood victims.
On the other hand, President Asif Ali Zardari has curtailed his visit to Russia to only a few hours in view of the devastating floods in the country.
The original schedule for the President’s visit to Russia was two days where he was travelling to participate in the quadrilateral summit of Head of states of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Russia.
The summit on regional security at Sochi in Russia was finalized several weeks ago. However, in view of natural disaster, the President has cut his visit short to just a few hours to only attend the summit on August 18.
The President will not participate in the lunch hosted in honor of the Head of states and will return to the country the same day.
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