LAHORE Defence Day of Pakistan was celebrated in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir with austerity as all the state-sponsored celebrations including the Defence Day parade, exhibition of arms and ammunition, award giving ceremonies, etc were cancelled in the context of flood devastations in the country. The Air Force Day on Sept 7 (today) will also be celebrated with simplicity. The Pakistans Air Force also had played commendable role in 1965 war by humiliating India. However, 'fateha and Quran Khawani for the martyrs of 1965 and 1971 wars was held at a number of mosques after Fajr prayers while TV channels and radio aired special programmes. Quran Khawani was also organised at Garrisons particularly by the Frontier Corps, Baloch, Sindh and Punjab Regiments, which had performed feats of gallantry and set unprecedented examples of sacrifices in defending the Pakistani soil against Indian aggression. India had unleashed full-fledged war without any provocation on September 6, 1965 when its forces entered the Pakistani territory on its eastern borders. The ensuing war continued for 17 days. India had failed to score any significant mark despite having four times bigger Army than Pakistans. The armed forces contingent laid floral wreath and paid salute to the martyrs at graveyards in the border areas of Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Khem Karan, etc. Scores of people from the City and border areas also visited the graves of martyrs and showered flowers on the graves and the monuments. The postponement of state ceremonies of Defence Day of Pakistan have cast a shadow on the significance of the day as the political and social groups also failed to organie any function or commemorative meetings to pay homage to the martyrs and narrate the events of 1965 war. There was no display of posters and portraits of the heroes of 1965 war at the Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam and other significant places.