As August 14 draws closer, the colours of green and white are increasingly dominating Peshawar’s streets, markets, schools and printing centres, with demand for Independence Day badges, stickers, greeting cards, flags and other decorative accessories witnessing a sharp rise
PESHAWAR, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 10th Aug, 2026) As August 14 draws closer, the colours of green and white are increasingly dominating Peshawar’s streets, markets, schools and printing centres, with demand for Independence Day badges, stickers, greeting cards, flags and other decorative accessories witnessing a sharp rise.
In the narrow lanes of Mohallah Jehangi on backside of Qisakhwani bazaar, one of the city’s traditional hubs of the printing industry, graphic designer Haseeb Khan has been working from dawn until late at night to cope with a surge in orders for Pakistan-themed designs.
Inside his modest two-room shop, computers hum continuously as 45 years old designer Haseeb and his workers prepare colourful digital artwork featuring the national flag, crescent and star, patriotic messages and portraits of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
“Orders have increased considerably as Independence Day approaches. Educational institutions, students, traders and families are all showing great enthusiasm for celebrating August 14,” Haseeb told APP while taking printouts.
He said orders for badges, stickers, cards and other Jashn-e-Azadi accessories had increased to the extent that he had to engage additional workers to meet customers’ requirements within tight deadlines.
“Most customers want attractive and modern designs, but they also want the spirit of patriotism to remain prominent. Portraits of Quaid-e-Azam, the national flag and messages about unity are particularly popular,” he said.
The people rush is not confined to printing presses in Peshawar where schools and educational institutions have also started preparations for flag-hoisting ceremonies, national songs, speeches, debates and other activities planned for Independence Day.
Saima Farshad, headmistress of a government Primary school, told APP that her institution had placed a large order for national flags, stickers and other decorative material for the August 14 celebrations.
“Our students are very excited about Independence Day. We want the school to look colourful and festive while also using the occasion to teach children about the sacrifices and struggle behind the creation of Pakistan,” she said.
For many educational institutions, the celebrations are also an opportunity to connect the younger generation with the history of the Pakistan Movement, particularly the role played by students and educational institutions in mobilising public opinion before independence.
Dr. Muhammad Younas Khan of the Pakistan Studies Department at Islamia College University said substantial preparations were under way for the flag-hoisting ceremony and other programmes to mark the national day.
“Islamia College Peshawar has a unique place in the history of the Pakistan Movement. The college and its students played an important role in creating political awareness among the people of the region,” he said.
Islamia College Peshawar, established in 1913, has a particularly strong association with Quaid-e-Azam. The great Quaid had visited the historic institution in 1936, 1945 and 1948 and his visits are remembered as part of the college’s significant contribution to the Pakistan Movement.
During his 1945 visit, students and members of the Muslim Students Federation presented him with Rs 8,000 for the Pakistan Movement, reflecting the commitment of students to the struggle for a separate homeland.
Dr. Younas said the historic institution continued to remind visitors of the political awakening that took place in the region during the final years of British rule.
“The enthusiasm of students and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the Pakistan Movement is reflected in the history of this institution. Its students contributed to political mobilisation and supported the cause of Pakistan,” he said.
“The story of Independence Day, however, goes far beyond the flags and decorations seen across the country every August. The years preceding independence were marked by intense political competition among different parties and groups seeking to define the future of the Muslims of British India,” said Professor Dr.
Shehbaz Khan of Pakistan Studies Department at Islamia College Peshawar.
By the mid-1940s, he said that the All-India Muslim League (AIML), under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, tried hard to consolidate its position as the principal political representative of Indian Muslims.
The Muslim League faced opposition not only from the Indian National Congress but also from several Muslim political organisations and regional parties. In Punjab, for example, the powerful Unionist Party had long exercised considerable political influence.
The great Quaid and other League leaders subsequently intensified their political campaign, with students playing an important role in communicating the League’s message among the population.
Student activists associated with the Muslim Students Federation were mobilised in different parts of British India. They organised meetings and rallies and explained the League’s political programme, including its demand for safeguards for Muslims and ultimately a separate homeland.
The campaign also sought the support of religious scholars who favoured the Muslim League’s position. Among them was Allama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, whose support helped the League counter religious arguments advanced by opponents of the Pakistan demand.
Dr. Shehbaz said the League also presented an economic and social programme that appealed to sections of the Muslim population by promising an end to exploitation and greater economic opportunities.
He said the political impact of this mobilisation became particularly visible in the 1946 elections in Punjab.
The Muslim League emerged as the largest single party in the 175-member Punjab Assembly, securing 73 seats, while the Congress won only 51. The Unionists secured 21 seats and the Akali Dal 20.
He said the 1946 election results strengthened the League’s claim to represent a large section of India’s Muslims and gave further momentum to its demand for a separate homeland.
The political struggle subsequently moved rapidly towards its final stage to North-West Frontier Province (now KP) where the legendary Quaid received a historic welcome.
“It was the love of the people of KP with the great Quaid that AIML secured over 50 seats in the province during 1946 elections and after that historic victory, nobody could stop the independence movement from here,” he said.
The 1947 referendum provided an important constitutional route for determining the province’s future, while the wider political crisis between the British government, Congress and Muslim League ultimately culminated in the partition of British India and the creation of Pakistan in August 1947.
Nearly eight decades later, the legacy of that historic struggle continues to find expression in everyday life in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In Peshawar, the Independence Day preparations have created a seasonal surge of activity for printers, graphic designers, flag sellers, stationery shops and small businesses.
For Haseeb, the increased workload is more than a business opportunity.
“Seeing children and young people excited about Pakistan gives us great satisfaction. We work long hours during these days because we also want to contribute to the celebrations in our own way,” he said.
As the countdown to August 14 continues, National flags are appearing on rooftops, vehicles and public buildings, while schools prepare their stages and students rehearse national songs and speeches.
From the busy printing shops of Mohallah Jehangi to the historic grounds of Islamia College Peshawar, the preparations offer a visible reminder that Independence Day is celebrated not only through official ceremonies but also through countless small acts of participation by citizens.
For a new generation, the colourful badges, stickers and flags may be symbols of celebration but for historians and educators, they are also an opportunity to revisit the political struggle, student activism and sacrifices that shaped the birth of Pakistan.
