We sang it so much that we even sang it at home: Saleha Channa on Pakistan's national anthem

The national flag and anthem have long awakened every Pakistani's patriotic side.

Muslim League member Saleha Channa shares her childhood memory of putting together the national flag of Pakistan and hoisting it atop her house, and the respect she's had for the national anthem since her youth.

She also shares her experience of listening to the anthem on radio and standing up for it out of respect.

"When we used to go to the functions organised by the Muslim League, they wouldn't have Pakistani flags, instead, they would have the flag of the Muslim League. accompanied by a banner that said, 'We will have Pakistan!'," she said.

"We sang it [the national anthem] so much, that we even sang it at home. Such was the case that if it played on the radio, at a function or even at home, my siblings and I would immediately stand up for the national anthem."

This article is part of a week-long series on Partition and the early years of Pakistan, run collaboratively by Images and The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP).

CAP is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural and historic preservation. It seeks to educate the community, foster an awareness of our nation’s history and instill pride in Pakistani citizens about their heritage.