Glowing tribute paid to police on Martyrs Day

PESHAWAR: Glowing tributes were paid to hundreds of policemen, civilians and personnel of other forces who sacrificed their lives while performing duty in the last many years as the Police Martyrs Day was observed all over the country on Saturday.

The day is observed to pay homage to the fallen heroes of police on the death anniversary of one of the most decorated police officers, Safwat Ghayur, who served as additional inspector general of police and commandant of the Frontier Constabulary (FC).

The Martyrs Day began with contingents of Police and FC presenting salute at the grave of Safwat Ghayur at the University Town in Peshawar.

Inspector General of Police Mohammad Tahir, Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jamilur Rehman and senior officers of the FC presented salute at the grave of Safwat Ghayur.

Salutes were also presented at the graves of other fallen cops across the province.

Commandant FC Liaqat Ali Khan presented salute at the grave of Mohammad Ashraf Noor, an Additional Inspector General of the KP Police who embraced martyrdom last year.

Besides, Quran Khwani was held at the mosques in the police lines in KP for the departed souls.

Blood donation camps, awareness camps and walks were held all over the province during the last few days to pay tributes to the brave policemen who were killed in terrorist attacks, blasts and suicide bombings in recent years.

A number of camps were held in Peshawar and other parts of the province as the Martyrs Week began on July 31.

Addressing the main function in connection with the Martyrs Day in Nishtar Hall here on Saturday, Caretaker Chief Minister retired Justice Dost Mohammad Khan paid rich tributes to the fallen heroes.

“I am feeling proud to be addressing the function where martyrs and ghazis of the force are being paid tributes. There is no doubt in the fact that the sacrifices rendered by KP Police have no match in the world,” he remarked.

He said the police force was neither equipped nor trained to fight the terrorists. He added that despite lack of resources, the police bravely fought the war to restore peace.

“Around 1,700 policemen who were martyred in recent years include cops from every rank and from every district,” said Justice Dost Mohammad.

IGP Mohammad Tahir and other senior officers highlighted the gallantry exhibited by the KP Police officers and jawans while fighting terrorists and criminals.

The IGP said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police is fighting as a frontline force against the terrorists and the courage and bravery demonstrated by them have no parallel in history.

He added that despite all the problems and difficulties the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police fought the war to the best of its abilities and won the hearts and minds of the people through its courageous performance.

He disclosed that so far hundreds of police officers and jawans from the rank of constable to the Additional IGP laid down their precious lives in the war against terror and even now each and every officer and jawan of the force are imbued with the spirit and motivation to offer the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

The police chief informed that more importantly Police Act 2017 was passed under which for the first time the police were fully made answerable to the public.

Tributes were paid to the fallen heroes and ghazis by DIG Fasihuddin, Salman Chaudhry, Fida Hassan Shah, Asif Iqbal , Kokab Farooq, Waqar Kharal and others by recalling their gallantry and commitment to protect the people and the country.

National songs and poems by Hashmat Sahar, Humayun, Bakhtiar Khattak, Sitara Younas and others to praise the KP Police were also played on the occasion. Contingents of different wings of the KP Police exhibited their skills during the ceremony held at Nishtar Hall.

A large number of senior and junior police and army officials, cabinet members, politicians, civil servants and people from different walks of life attended the function.

Nazim Town 2 Faridullah Khan Kafoor Dheri on the occasion announced Rs20,000 per month for the kids of martyred constable Amir Nawaz from his own pocket.

Apart from two additional inspectors general Safwat Ghayur and Mohammad Ashraf Noor and two decorated DIGs Malik Mohammad Saad and Abid Ali, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has sacrificed the highest number of senior and junior policemen during the last 13 years. Of the 1,689 policemen who have died since 1970, 1,304 were martyred since 2006.

The highest share of martyrs is that of constables as almost 1,000 of them were martyred in terrorist attacks, suicide bombings, ambushes and target killings in KP.

Despite offering more sacrifices than any other civilian law enforcement agency in Pakistan, the compensation package for the heirs of the martyred cops in KP is one of the lowest.

DIR: A function was organised at the Police Lines in Dir town in connection with the Martyrs Day.

District Police Officer Mian Naseeb Jan, army officials, District Nazim Sahibzada Faseehullah, Dir tehsil nazim Mir Makhzanuddin, elders of the area and others attended the function.

They paid tributes to the martyrs and said that they were not dead they were still alive in people’s hearts and memories.

MARDAN: The Police Martyrs Day was also observed here with prayers, blood donation camps and ceremonies at different places.

Besides a camp set up by Mardan Police at Mira Khan Tupo Chowk for the last one week, the main ceremony was held at Police Lines.

District Police Officer Hafiz Wahid Mehmood, SP Operations Gul Nawaz Khan, SP-Investigation Janas Khan and other officials and cops and heirs of the martyrs participated in the ceremony.

KOHAT: A ceremony was held in the Kohat University Auditorium Hall to mark the Police Martyrs Day.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Muhammad Ijaz, Station Commander Brigadier Iqbal Khan Niazi, Brigadier Javed Dost Chandio, District Police Officer Sohail Khalid attended the ceremony.

HANGU: A ceremony was held in the Police Training College, Hangu.

Commandant Police Training College, Hangu DIG Dr Masood Saleem, Administration Officer Pir Muhsin Shah, a large number of the police officials and relatives of the police martyrs were present on the occasion.

CHARSADDA: Speaking at a ceremony here in connection with the National Police Martyrs Day, Superintendent of Police Nazeer Khan said that peace had been restored to the region due to the sacrifices of the policemen who laid down their lives in the war against terrorism.

He said that more than 86 cops were martyred in Charsadda alone.

CHITRAL: National Police Martyrs Day was marked on Saturday to pay tributes to the cops who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

In this connection, a ceremony was held in the District Police Lines.

District Nazim Maghfirat Shah, District Police Officer Furqan Hilal, Additional Superintendent of Police, Noor Jamal, Deputy Superintendents of Police including Muhiuddin, Zafar Ahmad, Abdussatar, Iqbal Karim and Farooq Jan attended the ceremony.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Regional Police Officer (RPO) Dera Ismail Khan Dar Ali Khattak on Saturday paid rich tribute to the martyred police officials and said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police had rendered matchless sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

Addressing a ceremony in connection with the ‘Police Martyrs Day’ at the District Assembly Hall, he said that 1600 cops sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa out of which 172 were from Dera Ismail Khan.

Javed Khan Marwat, Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan division, Professor Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Chaudhary Vice-Chancellor Gomal University, district Police officer (DPO) Zahoor Babar Afridi, Hassan Afzal SP Saddar circle, family members of martyred police officials, civil society members, DRC members, and religious scholars were present on the occasion.