Rawalpindi-Pakistan Defence Day was observed as Kashmir Solidarity Day in the city here on Friday.
In this regard, scores of ceremonies were organised by the high ups of district government, police department, educational institutions and the members of civil society to pay tribute to the heroes (both from Pakistan Army and Punjab Police) of the nation for sacrificing their lives for defending the beloved motherland.
Similarly, the Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Deputy Commissioner Chaudhry Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Capt (R) Muhammad Ehsan Tufail, City Police Officer (CPO) Capt (R) Faisal Rana, SSP (Operations) Syed Ali Akbar, SSP Investigation Muhammad Faisal Kamran and other senior and junior officers paid visits to the mausoleums of martyred military personnel in the region, met with their families and offered Fateha for the departed souls.
A ceremony was also organised at Police Line Number 1 to pay rich tribute to the martyrs of police. RPO, CPO, SSP Operations, SSP Investigation and others laid floral wreaths on the mausoleum of martyred and offered Fateha.
Addressing the ceremony, the speakers said the sacrifices rendered by the martyrs of Army and police would always be remembered and their blood would not go waste. “The martyrs are the real pride and even a precious asset of the nation,” they said.
“The day is being observed to pay glowing tribute to the country’s martyrs and to reaffirm commitment to defending Pakistan against all threats,” said RPO Capt (R) Muhammad Ehsan Tufail. He said armed forces along with police are ready to shed the last drop of blood for defending the country.
Meanwhile, DC Rawalpindi and CPO paid a visit to mausoleum of Capt Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed in Gujar Khan and laid the floral wreaths.
Rana, while speaking on the occasion, said that those who laid their lives for the motherland are our patrons. He said they sacrificed their today for our tomorrow.
Meeting the families of the martyrs is a pleasure as to be heir of a martyr is an honour which has no substitute, he said.
The CPO said he had directed his subordinates to visit the families of martyrs in order to pay tribute on the Defence Day and also to convey that they are the families of the patrons of the nation and to give them due respect and solve their problems is our sole duty.
The federal minister paid a visit to mausoleum of Capt Raja Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed at Sanghori and laid a floral wreath. The minister also offered Fateha for the departed soul of the martyr. Talking to media men, Khan said that the nation and its armed forces have pledged to guard the homeland at any cost. “I am here to pay a rich tribute to our hero Capt Raja Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed,” he said.
He said that Kashmir issue is an unresolved agenda of the realisation of Pakistan and would remain so until a solution is found on the basis of United Nations resolutions and the will of the Kashmiri people. He said Indian forces have broken all the records of barbarianism in occupied Kashmir by killing innocent Kashmiris.
“India stationed more than 0.9 million troops in occupied Kashmir and has been usurping rights of innocent Kashmiris,” he said.
Later on, the minister also addressed the events held at Chontra and Taxila in connection with Defence Day.
At Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) also, Defence Day was observed as Kashmir Solidarity Day.
A rally was also held in which participants paid tributes to the heroes of the nation and expressed complete solidarity with the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Deans of various faculties, principal officers, faculty members, and a large number of students participated in the event while holding national flags of Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir along with banners and placards.
Prof. Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR highlighted the significance of the day and paid rich tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect their motherland. Vice Chancellor said that during the 1965 war Pakistani nation beside their military defeated the enemy and proved to the world that it knew how to defend its homeland.
He further said that we must remember the sacrifices of our army who sacrificed their future for our present, and due to them we are living peacefully in an independent state. He asked the students to recognise their role in this regard and refrain from doing anything that brought a bad name to the nation. At the end, prayers were also offered for martyrs of armed forces and also for the people of Indian held Kashmir for the blessing of independence.