A Pakistani expatriate based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had the most innovative idea to commemorate Pakistan’s 77th Independence Day on Monday.
While it is typical to wave the country’s flag in the air, the expatriate unfurled the Pakistani flag underwater in the Arabian Sea. Khawar Iqbal, 43, from Karachi has been working as a bank manager in Dubai for the past 24 years.
In order to honour his homeland, Iqbal dived underneath the sea surface and successfully waved the Pakistani flag under the waters of the Arabian Sea on August 11.
“Thankfully, I managed it as we went 25 feet deep underwater, specifically under Dera Islands, and I raised both the UAE and Pakistani flags simultaneously,” Iqbal told Arab News in a telephone interview. “This gesture was a sign of respect to the UAE, where I grew up, and to Pakistan, my homeland,” he said.
Spending more than a month to prepare for the feat, Iqbal revealed he had to overcome fear of breathing underwater. “I thought about it initially with a little concern as this is an activity I had never tried before,” he said.
“Our training regimen included classroom sessions, shallow water exercises, pool training and eventually deep-sea training.”
Iqbal also revealed how grand a gesture it was to “salute all the martyrs who secured our independent homeland.”
“I decided to unfurl the flag of my country beneath the sea as a tribute to Pakistan,” he said, “and a salute to all the martyrs who secured our independent homeland.”
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