Tributes paid to 1,700 fallen KP cops on Martyrs Day

PESHAWAR: Rich tributes were paid to over 1700 fallen heroes of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police as Sunday was observed as Police Martyrs Day across the province and the rest of the country.

Every year August 4 is observed as Martyrs Day to acknowledge the supreme sacrifices of the fallen policemen. The day is being observed on the death anniversary of Safwat Ghayur, one of the most decorated police officers of the country and former commandant of the Frontier Constabulary. Safwat was martyred in a suicide attack on August 4, 2010 outside his office in Peshawar Saddar.

The day started with senior police officers visiting the graves of martyred policemen to offer salute. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Peshawar Zahoor Babar Afridi along with other officers presented salute at the grave of Safwat Ghayur in University Town Peshawar.

Capital City Police Officer Mohammad Karim Khan along with District Police Officer Mohammad Hussain Khan laid floral wreath at the memorial of the martyrs in Khyber district. Salute was also presented at the graves of other fallen heroes of the capital city police.

Inspector General of Police Mohammad Naeem Khan on Sunday highlighted the sacrifices of his force for the restoration of peace in the country. He said everyone is proud of the unprecedented sacrifices offered by the policemen of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the last over a decade.

The DPOs and other officers presented salute at the graves of martyred policemen in their respective districts. Quran Khwani was held at a number of mosques across the province for the fallen heroes. Blood donation camps, walks and other events were held in all districts in KP. The mega event was held in Peshawar late in the evening where the martyrs, their families as well as the ghazis were paid homage. The biggest share among the martyrs is that of constables as 1240 of them have sacrificed lives since 1970. Among the martyrs, two were Ad IGs Safwat Ghayur, Mohammad Ashraf Noor, two DIGs Malik Mohammad Saad, Abid Ali, 22 SPs/ DSPs, 31 inspectors, 137 sub inspectors, 130 ASIs, 161 HCs.

Apart from the martyrs, there are a large number of policemen who are crippled or critically wounded in attacks and need to be taken care of. Also, there are cases in which policemen died in tragic incidents, other than attacks, during service but there is no system to provide financial support to their kids, majority of whom belong to poor families.

It may be mentioned that heirs of over 200 fallen heroes of the KP Police are still waiting to be recruited as assistant sub-inspector (ASIs) under the Shaheed Package. The recruitment of either son or brother of the martyrs is delayed for many years.

The Central Police Office has sent a number of letters to other departments but the matter was being delayed. The previous provincial government had created 300 supernumerary posts of ASIs for the families of the deceased policemen.

According to the statistics of the KP Police, over 1300 policemen were martyred during the last 12 years. The record shows 285 policemen had lost lives in different incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 1970 till 1999 but the number increased manifold from 2000 to 2019 when 1434 police officers and junior cops embraced martyrdom in suicide attacks, bomb blasts, target killings and ambushes.

According to the record of the KP Police, 28 policemen were martyred in different attacks all over the province in 2006 when the trouble started, 107 in 2007, 176 in 2008, 207 in 2009, 101 in 2010 and 148 in 2011. The number of the fallen policemen came down to 94 in 2012 but increased again to 133 in 2013 and 108 in 2014.

The situation, however, started to improve since 2015. The number of the fallen policemen came down to 65 in 2015, 71 in 2016, 38 in 2017, 30 in 2018 and 18 so far in 2019.

TIMERGARA: The Lower Dir police remembered its martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. A function was held at police lines Balambat which was attended by family members of the martyred police officials.

District Police Officer (DPO) Lower Dir Arif Shahbaz Wazir, Members Provincial Assembly (MPAs) Malik Shafiullah Khan, Malik Liaqat Khan, local government representatives and a large number of locals were also present.

KHAR: DPO Bajaur Pir Shahab Ali Shah at a function said the personnel of Levies, Khassadars and security forces rendered sacrifices to restore peace in the area.

Deputy Commissioner Usman Mahsud, Commandant Bajaur Scouts Col Zameer and other officials were present.

LAKKI MARWAT: The Police Martyrs Day was observed here to pay tributes to the martyred cops who laid down their lives in line of duty.

The day dawned with Quran Khwani followed by collective prayers in police lines mosque at the district headquarters complex Tajazai.

A police contingent also presented a salute to the deceased cops. District Police Officer Qasim Ali Khan placed floral wreath on the monument of police martyrs and offered Fateha for them.

MANSEHRA: The police in Mansehra, Torghar and Kohistan held rallies and other programmes to mark the Shuhada day.

District Police Officer Mansehra Zaibullah Khan and other officers attended the rally to mark the day.

MARDAN: The Yaum-e-Shuhada Police Day was also marked in the district to pay rich tributes to the police martyrs who laid down their lives while defending the country.

MINGORA: The Malakand division RPO, Muhammad Saeed Khan Wazir, said the blood of police martyrs would not go astray.

He was addressing a gathering at the Police Lines in connection with August 4th as ‘Yaum-e-Shuhada’. MNA Salimur Rehman, Commissioner Riaz Khan Mahsud, Brigadier Naseem, DPO Syed Ishfaq Anwar and other officials were present on the occasion.

MIRANSHAH: Like other parts of the province, ‘Yaum-e-Shuhada Police’ was also marked here. General Officer Commanding Major General Shakirullah Khattak, DPO Shafiullah Gandapur and other officials were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, GOC said the law-enforcement agencies rendered matchless sacrifices to protect the country and restored peace for us. Later, Rs25000 were given to each family of the martyrs and gifts and toys to the children.