March 23 is celebrated as Pakistan Day every year marked by the Military Parade of the Armed Forces demonstrating military might. However, initially, the day was not reminiscent of the military might but of the struggle of the masses against the colonial powers, and later the day signified the promulgation of Pakistan’s first Constitution.
On February 22, 1941, the Muslim League decided to celebrate March 23rd as the Pakistan Resolution was moved that day at the Muslim League convention in Lahore and was passed the next day on March 24.
Pakistan Resolution put forth the demand for a separate state for the Muslims within the subcontinent colonised by Britain and accelerated the freedom movement.
However, when Pakistan got independence on August 14, the nation naturally started celebrating August 14 as Pakistan Day. It was not until March 23, 1956, when the country’s first Consitution was promulgated and Pakistan’s status from the dominion of the British Commonwealth officially changed.
Therefore, the day came to be celebrated as Republic day when Pakistan’s first Constitution was promulgated. However, on October 7th, 1958, President Iskandar Mirza abrogated the constitution and appointed General Ayub Khan as the chief martial law administrator. The martial law administrators saw no point in celebrating the day as Republic Day when there was no Consitution so they renamed March 23 to Pakistan Day and it is celebrated as such to this day.
Every year, the day starts off with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals and a military parade.
