The diya was lit at the exact hour of the anniversary. The function, arranged by the US embassy inside the embassy compound, was attended by a large number of Pakistani school children, politicians and almost all the ambassadors and heads of foreign missions based in the federal capital.

After the presentation of colours by the US Marines, the ceremony started with the recitation of the Holy Quran and a reading from Bible. Pakistani children sang patriotic songs and received great appreciation.

Pakistan's Kashmir Affairs Minister Abbass Sarfraz speaking on the occasion and said that Islam abhorred terrorism and that it was an evil which had to be fought collectively. He said it was in this spirit that Pakistan government supported and cooperated with the US-led coalition against its fight against terrorism.

"Today we should pledge to make this world a safe place for the future generations," the minister said. US Ambassador Wendy Chamberline, while speaking on the occasion, appreciated Pakis-tan's role and made it clear that it was not a war of civilizations as being claimed by some people. She thanked Pakistan for its full-fledged support to the international coalition.

Ambassador Kenton W.Keith, spokesman for the Coalition Information Service, in his short speech narrated the September 11 events in which people of many nationalities and religions were killed in New York. Later, the US ambassador, Kashmir Affairs Minister Sarfraz Abbas and Pakistani students lit a diya. As the lights went out, the particpants observed a moment of silence to remember those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks.