Pakistan Day Parade

A group photo of the Frontier Force Regiment prior to the parade in 1974.

Between its inception and 2008, the parade was held at various venues in the country. These include Constitution Avenue,[1] Jinnah Avenue and the Race Course Grounds in Rawalpindi.[2] Over two weeks prior to the parade in 1980, a conspiracy to assassinate President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq by Major General Tajammul Hussain Malik during the ceremony was foiled.[3] In 2008, the parade was suspended for an extended period of time due to the growing amount of terrorism in the country and fears that an attack on the parade was imminent.[4][5]

After a 7-year break, it was reconstituted in 2015 on the 75th anniversary.[6] This decision was made in part to the anniversary's significance as well as the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb by the Pakistan Army.[7][8] As a precaution however, phone networks were blocked to thwart militants mobile cellular signals that could trigger bombs.[9][10]

The 80th anniversary parade was cancelled in 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in Pakistan, with the cancellation being an attempt to mitigate the fall out from the pandemic.[11] During the rehearsals for the planned parade, a Pakistani Air Force Wing Commander flying in an F-16 jet was killed when it crashed in a wooded area.[12][13][14]

On March 13, 2020, A missing man formation would later be flown by the PAF on 13 March to honor the pilot. The 2021 parade was postponed due to "inclement weather and rain" and was rescheduled to March 25.[15]

Members of the Pakistani Air Force during a parade rehearsal in 2016.

It begins in the morning at 10 a.m. and is immediately broadcast live by the Pakistani media.[4] At the parade, all branches of the Pakistani Armed Forces are represented: the Army, Navy, Air Force and paramilitary forces. and the presidential arrival honors. The parade is led by a parade commander who is a senior officer in an army unit. Led by a massed color guard, the parade has consisted of units such as the 24th Cavalry (Frontier Force), the Guard Battalion and the Pakistan Rangers. Military equipment that have been unveiled at the parade have included the Type 84 and the SLC-2.[16] The Sherdils from the Pakistan Air Force Academy at Risalpur take part in the ceremony annually, performing formation aerobatics. On the planes used by the group, the Hongdu JL-8, has been showcased at the parade since 1994.

Other aircraft such as the CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder have also been unveiled at the parade.[17][18]

Bands from the armed forces that are present include the Pakistan Military Academy Band (PMA Band),[19] the Pakistan Armed Forces Band and the Pakistan Air Force Band.

• Lahore Resolution