Defence Day celebrated in Tirah

TIRAH: Like other parts of the country, the Pakistan Army celebrated Defence Day with enthusiasm and traditional fervour in the remote Maidan area in Tirah valley of Khyber tribal district.

Member National Assembly (MNA) Iqbal Afridi was the chief guest at the ceremony. Iqbal Afridi and Brigadier Shehryar Qureshi laid the floral wreath at the memorial of martyrs and offered fateha.

A smartly turned-out contingent of Pak Army presented a salute to pay respect to the martyrs.

Local elders, school children and others participated in the event. The school children presented the national anthem and delivered speeches while the local people presented traditional songs.

Paying tribute to the martyrs, Brig Shehryar said peace had been restored in Tirah valley owing to their sacrifices. “Our first priority to restore peace Khyber as it was a prerequisite for development,” he remarked.

He said the government would make all facilities available to the people of Tirah. “We are serving our motherland and providing security is our utmost responsibility,” Brig Shehryar said, adding the enemies would be defeated with the cooperation of the people.

Iqbal Afridi said the security forces and people rendered sacrifices for the restoration of peace in Tirah. “We are paying homage to the soldiers who laid down their lives for the motherland,” he said.

Later, the video message of the former captain of Pakistan Cricket team Shahid Afridi was shared with the people of Tirah.

He said the security forces with the help of tribal people cleared Tirah valley and restored peace. “I belong to the Maidan area in Tirah, we should help the security forces,” he said in the video message.

He announced Rs1 million on behalf of the Shahid Afridi Foundation for the children of the martyred soldiers.