Islamabad: Pakistanis are celebrating the 72nd Independence Day with traditional zeal and fervour, with commemorative ceremonies held in cities across the country, reports AFP.

The day-long festivities began with thanksgiving prayers and the hoisting of the national flag at all important public buildings in the country, which had been decorated with bunting and lights ahead of August 14.

The day began with a 31-gun salute in the capital, followed by 21-gun salutes in all four provincial capitals. The main ceremony was hosted at Islamabad's Jinnah Convention Centre, where President Mamnoon Hussain hoisted the national flag. The ceremony was also attended by caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, the three chiefs of the armed forces and other notable personalities and foreign dignitaries.

Flag hoisting ceremonies were held in the provincial capitals as well as district headquarters. Change-of-guard ceremonies were also held at the mausoleums of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal in Karachi and Lahore, respectively.

Pakistan Rangers officials at the Wagah border crossing exchanged sweets with Indian Border Security Force personnel.

People across the country flocked to stalls that lined up streets to purchase national flags in different sizes, t-shirts, badges and other merchandise to display their national pride.

In his address to the ceremony at the Convention Centre, President Mamnoon congratulated the nation on what he said was the "day of true celebration".

Observing that the independence day and general elections had fallen around the same time this year, the president said he thinks a message is hidden between the two events.

Terming Pakistan as an "exception blessing" of God, he said the objective behind the formation of the country was to free humans from the slavery of other humans so they could live their lives freely without fear of exploitation.