“ Floral wreathes laid on the graves of martyrs”
Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): In Azad Jammu & Kashmir people commemorated the Defense, Martyrs Day of Pakistan on Thursday with great enthusiasm and devotion with the renewal of the pledge to be ready to give every kind of sacrifices for the stability, solidarity, prosperity and for strengthening the defense of Pakistan as and when required against every kind of threat. The day dawned with special prayers, at Fajr in the mosques across the liberated territory for the stability, defense, progress and prosperity of Pakistan and for the early success of the Kashmir freedom movement. This day of exceptional historical significance in the history of Pakistan was marked with special ceremonies held in various parts of AJK including all 10 district and tehsil head quarters of Mirpur Muzaffarabaad, Bagh, Rawalakot, Palandri, Hattiyan, Haveili, Kotli, Bhimbher and Neelam valley. Speakers paid glorious tributes to the martyrs of Pakistan including those who gave supreme sacrifices of their lives in the 1965 Indo-Pak war to safeguard the geographical and ideological frontiers of the country. Besides, they paid rich tributes to the brave armed forces of Pakistan and ghazis who responded with crushing reply by rebuffing the enemy’s cowardly attack on Pakistan – who (India) resorted to undeclared war against our motherland in the darkness of the night of this day in 1965.
In Mirpur, AJK’s major city of expatriates, major ceremony to pay glorious tributes to the heroes of the history Indo-Pak war of 1965 was hosted at the state-run Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST) City Campus under the auspices of Faculty of Sciences and Society of Sciences of the varsity with the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Habib ur Rehman as Chief Guest. The ceremony was largely attended by large number of the people including senior faculty members, subordinate academic staff of all the departments as well students.
Speakers including Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Habib ur Rehman (S.I), Registrar MUST Engr. Prof. Mirza Waris Jiraal, Dean Science, Prof. Dr. Rehana Asghar, Chief Security Officer MUST Lt. Col. (Retd) Fazal Ahmed, Dean Engineering Prof. Dr. Anwar Khitaab, Director Students Affairs Prof. Shahid Amin, Dean Arts Dr. Maqsood Ahmed, Dean Business Administration Deptt. P rof. Dr. Khaleeque Ahmed and the students of the varsity paid rich tributes of the martyrs and ghazis of the Indo-Pak war of 1965 for their historic supreme sacrifices to make the defence of the country when the coward enemy resorted to sudden attack in the darkness of night this day 53 years ago. Speaking on this occasion, VC Prof. Dr. Habib ur Rehman said that September 6 Defence Day of Pakistan is the day of renewal of the pledge by entire nation including every individual to remain alert and vigilant to make the defense of the country – shoulder to shoulder the brave armed forces of Pakistan in case of any threat from across the frontiers. He underlined that the historic Defence Day of Pakistan manifests the renewal of the pledge by entire nation including the people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, enriched with the spirit of the martyrdom, to be ready every moment to ensure the defense of inch after inch of the motherland in case of every external threat.
The Vice Chancellor said that the entire nation was proud of the supreme success of its Armed Forces of Pakistan in the war of 1965. “We hold in great esteem the valor and gallantry of our warriors and are profoundly indebted to our martyrs for showing unto us the path of ultimate glory”, he added.
Dr. Habib ur Rehman said the challenges ahead will require a much greater national unity, harmony and cohesion. He emphasized the need of individual and collective role to achieve the task of bringing Pakistan in the ranks of the developed nations by successfully meeting the challenges to this direction.
Students of the Varsity belonging to various departments presented the national songs and speeches paying rich tributes to the martyrs including the heroes of September 1965 war in acknowledgement of laying down their precious lives for the defense of the motherland. The ceremony lasted for over four hours, concluded with special prayer for the upholding of the status of the martyrs in Jannah besides for the security, stability and prosperity of the country and early success of the ongoing movement for freedom of occupied Jammu & Kashmir from the clutches of the long Indian shackles.
Earlier, a rally was held here Thursday morning under the auspices of the local district administration with the coordination of various segments of the civil society to mark the Defence, Martyrs day of Pakistan. People visited the mausoleums of the martyrs in local grave yards and offered fateha besides laying down floral wreaths