Story highlights Partition in 1947 gave birth to two nations, Pakistan and IndiaPakistan and India celebrate independence from British rule this weekLahore, Pakistan (CNN) Pakistan celebrated 70 years of independence Monday, with military pageantry, fireworks and flag-hoisting, but also reflected on the turbulent and traumatic events that led to the country's birth. In 1947, British rulers sliced a giant Indian empire into two new countries: a Hindu-majority India, which celebrates its independence Tuesday, and Pakistan, home to mostly Muslims. Pakistan marked the occasion at midnight, with the the country's top ranking military official General Javed Qamar Bajwa hoisting a huge flag, 120 feet by 80 feet, at the Wagah border crossing, at the demarcation line with India. Fireworks lit up the sky at midnight as the day's celebrations officially began, but for the past week all of Pakistan's major cities have been decked out with the green and white national flag and lights and bunting of the same colors.

Source: CNN August 14, 2017 07:18 UTC