SIALKOT/MUZAFFARGARH/SHEIKHUPURA/BAHAWALNAGAR/LAYYAH/BAHAWALPUR/LODHRAN/VEHARI - The Punjab police observed Police Martyrs Day with traditional enthusiasm and paid rich tributes to the cops who sacrificed their lives for the national public security here on Friday.

District and Sessions Judge (DSJ) Sialkot Abdul Qayyum, Acting Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Dr Umer Sher Chatta, District Police Officer (DPO) Abid Khan, MNA Sahibzada Syed Iftikharul Hassan Shah, MPA Asif Bajwa, Hina Arshad Warraich attended the ceremony.

They also distributed financial aid cheques to the dependents of the police martyrs. They pledged to make all sincere efforts for the welfare of the martyrs’ families. The police officers saluted the monument of the police martyrs at Sialkot Police Lines.

In Muzaffargarh, the day dawned with special prayers in mosques for eternal peace of the martyrs. Quran Khwani was held in major mosques and other districts of Dera Ghazi Khan division. The main function was held at police lines in connection with the day. The speakers said that South Punjab has remained the victim of terrorism for a long time and people of the area had suffered a lot while the development has been affected. They said police, army and other LEAs remained at the forefront in the war against terrorism and rendered numerous sacrifices along with people of the province.

The DPO said that since 2002, hundreds of Jawans had embraced Shahadat while thousands others got injured. Despite being under-equipped and under-resourced, the Muzaffargarh Police had shown astonishing courage by foiling many incidents of terrorism. These sacrifices made the police regain the public trust. Awais Malik said that the threat of terrorism has recently been reduced due to strenuous efforts of police and operation Zarb-e- Azb and Radd-ul-Fasad .

However, he said, the long and unmanned border with Afghanistan makes policing difficult in different areas. He said that the recently promulgated Police Ordinance has set new principles of authority with accountability and the new law have brought police out of bureaucratic control to democratic oversight through public institutions. Police will now be politically neutral and operationally independent, he said.

In Sheikhupura, DIG Motorway Khalid Mehmood said that those sacrificed their lives are alive. “We should pay tribute to them after following their courageous spirit in all walks of life. The government is also making efforts to provide all possible relief for their families and arranging free education for the children,” he said. The DIG disclosed that as many as 33 police personals including a woman officer had sacrificed their lives during performing duties in the district.

The DIG urged the Jawans to perform their duties bravely and courageously following in the footsteps of their martyrdom colleagues.

Likewise, Bahawalnagar police officers organised a special program in police lines where DPO Liaquat Ali Malik, Rangers wing Commander Colonel Bilal and other notables paid rich tributes to the martyrs. In order to acknowledge the sacrifices of the cops, some of the check posts were named after the martyred cops including police lines Bahawalnagar renamed as Abdul Razzaq Shaheed police lines, police check post Bareka Macleod Gunj as Tariq Bashir Shaheed check post Bareka Macleod Gunj, police check post Dhak Pattan renamed as  Khadim Hussain Sohail Shaheed check post, police check post Bhookan Pattan renamed as Niaz Ahmad Shaheed check post, police check post Katarian Bakshan Khan renamed as Ali Anwar Khalid Shaheed check post and police check post Chaka 340/hr  Marot renamed as Muhammad Ameer Shaheed check post.

A event was held in police line Layyah in which Punjab Minister Disaster Management Ijaz Ahmad, Deputy Commissioner Wajid Ali Shah, District Police Officer Ali Zia visited the graves of martyrs. In a ceremony, students of different schools presented tableaus and national songs to tribute the martyrs. Ijaz said that police martyrs are heroes of nation. Deputy Opposition leader Punjab Assembly Shahabud Din also addressed.

A ceremony was held at Police Lines Bahawalpur in which Punjab Minister Cooperative Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar participated as chief guest. In the ceremony, Regional Police Officer Riffat Muktar Raja, District Council Chairman Sheikh Dilshad Ahmad, DPO Akhtar Abbas, DC Rana Saleem Afzal and other notables were there.

A police squad saluted the martyrs at Martyrs Memorial while the officers placed flowers on the memorial and offered Fateha for the martyrs. The minister said police were fully capable of fighting terrorists and it was its mission to keep Pakistan safe from internal and external threats and enemies and to give safe, prosperous and peaceful Pakistan to the coming generations.

He said that sacrifices of police martyrs would not go in vain. He added that the government was making efforts to eliminate terrorism and restore peace; such elements as are working against the country should know that the police and all the security institutions and brave nation are capable of eliminating the terrorists.

The RPO said that the martyrs have done a great feat for the nation by sacrificing their lives. He added that Police Force is working hard with pure heart and honesty to protect the lives of people.

He said, “Martyrs are our asset and we will never forget them, protecting the rights of martyr’s families is our first priority and for the resolution of their matters we are in direct contact and expressed solidarity with them.” He said that for the families of the martyrs’ welfare, senior officials have been deployed in Central Police Office Lahore.

Lodhran DPO Asad Sarfraz Khan said that martyrs never die as they always remain alive. He said that on orders of IG Punjab, vigils were held to pay tribute to its martyrs at District Police Office, Lodhran Police Martyr Gallery, Kazmi Chowk Dunyapur and Chowk Bukhari Kehror Pakka while special ceremony was held in Police Line.

In Vehari, the police martyrs were paid glowing tribute at a seminar held in connection with Martyrs Day at District Police Lines here.

District and Sessions judge Saeed Ullah Mughal, President District Bar Association Rao Sheraz Raza, General Secretary Rai Amir Aslam, MPA Farah Manzoor Rind, President Anjman-e-Tajran Irshad Hussain Bhatti, a large number of traders, civil society representatives and families of martyrs participated in the seminar.

On the occasion, a warm welcome was given to the children of the police martyrs. The District and Sessions judge along with the Vehari DPO and heirs of the martyrs visited Yadgar-e-Shuhda and offered fateha for the departed souls.

Addressing the seminar, the DSJ said that the prevailing peace in the society is due to the sacrifices of the police officials who laid down their lives in the line of duty.