KARACHI: People in Pakistan celebrated new year`s eve with traditional passion and zeal. Tremendous celebrations were seen in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other cities.
Spectacular feats of fireworks at Bahria town Icon Tower in Karachi, Bahria`s Eiffel tower in Lahore and Bahria Enclave in Islamabad were the most prominent of all celebrations held across the country.
In Karachi, a musical concert of renowned singer Sajjad Ali was organised to celebrate new year`s night which was attended by youngsters in a very large number. The moment when the clock struck 12, fireworks lightened up the skies. At sea view, despite section 144, youngsters arrived at the spot to celebrate. As many as 12 people were detained on the violation of public order, said SSP Saqib Ismail.
Meanwhile, several countries including New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong welcomed 2017 as hundreds of thousands of revellers gathered at famous spots to witness colourful fireworks display marking arrival of the New Year.
Auckland and Sydney became the first major world cities to have welcomed 2017, as New Year celebrations kicked off at Auckland’s Sky Tower and Sydney’s glittering harbour, attracting thousands of spectators to the colourful fireworks displays.
New Year celebrations kicked off in Auckland with spectacular fireworks from the Sky City tower, as New Zealand was among the first countries to have welcomed in 2017.
Thousands gathered there at 11am as multi-coloured fireworks exploded across the city skyline at midnight.
The Sky City – a casino and an event centre in Auckland – has an impressive 328m (1,080ft) tall tower that provided a dramatic backdrop to the annual fireworks, an hour after Samoa welcomed in 2017.
The preparations in different countries are all finalised to welcome 2017, but Australia kicked off a global party ahead of the new year.
Global terror attacks have cast a pall over 2016 but Australia was Saturday defying the threats and ringing in the New Year with bumper crowds gathering to watch a firework extravaganza on Sydney´s glittering harbour.
Some 1.5 million people are packing Australia´s biggest city to watch the midnight fireworks, a larger-than-usual crowd due to the weekend timing and warm weather, as the New South Wales state premier urged “business as usual”.
“My encouragement to everyone is to enjoy New Year´s Eve… in the knowledge that police are doing everything they can to keep us safe,” Premier Mike Baird said.
Japan also ushered in 2017 in style, with thousands packing the streets of Tokyo and releasing balloons into the air in celebration of the new year.
Shoppers in Japan had earlier filled markets to buy tuna and crabs — seen as expensive items for special feasts — for New Year´s Day family gatherings.
Revellers in Hong Kong and Taipei also thronged city streets to watch firework performances.
PM Nawaz`s message on New Year
In a new year`s message to the country, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that the new year will mark a new beginning in the history of Pakistan and vowed to steadfastly pursue his government’s plans of national development.
The Prime Minister, in a message on the eve of New Year 2017, conveyed his good wishes to the nation and prayed that it would bring more happiness and prosperity for Pakistanis.
He said 2017 would surely mark a new beginning in the history of Pakistan as the country had decisively turned a page in history and “significantly overcome the challenges of extremism and terrorism.â€
The dawn of 2017, he said, would surely make the nation candidly reflect on the year gone by with a view to analyze the high points and shortcomings experienced in national life.
“The tidings of the New Year will instill in us the prudence to fine tune tenets of our national existence and imbue them with spirit of tolerance and fortitude,†the Prime Minister said in the message released
by the PM Office.
“I strongly believe that Pakistan is finally heading towards achieving not too distant goal of a peaceful land and a developed economy,†he said.
Nawaz Sharif said, “My government is dedicatedly oriented to provide well laid out means for Pakistanis to build upon their well-deserved future plans.â€
“It is my earnest wish that the good tidings of New Year usher in a groundswell of selfless national unity, emphatic appreciation of national imperatives and amiable understandings the of national motives.â€
“I undertake to resolutely pursue the national programs my government has solemnly undertaken and steadfastly vouch to deliver upon all the plans my government stands for,†the Prime Minister said.
He hoped that the nation would make the best of the new year.
Trump tweets backhanded New Year´s greeting to his ´many enemies´
Donald Trump sent New Year´s greetings to his “many enemies” in a backhanded tweet Saturday in which he gloated over his political conquests.
“Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don´t know what to do. Love!” the US president-elect wrote.
The message on Twitter, Trump´s preferred mode of communication, caps a year in which he overcame long odds to vanquish 16 other Republicans vying to become the party´s White House nominee.
He then upended Democrat Hillary Clinton in last month´s general election — her formidable political machine and bigger campaign coffers notwithstanding — in a shock election upset.
Trump takes the oath of office on January 20, when he will become the 45th US president.
