LOWER DIR: The Defence Day was observed with patriotic zeal across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday.

Commandant Dir Scouts Colonel Mujtaba Haidar along with deputy commissioner Aun Haidar Gondal and district police officer Irfanullah visited the martyrs’ memorial in Lower Dir and laid floral wreaths on it.

A function was held at the Dir Scouts’ Fort in Balambat which was attended by area elders, heirs of martyrs, government officials, police and security forces’ personnel.

Functions were also held in various government and private schools to commemorate the day.

In Chitral, the Defence Day was celebrated in the headquarters of Chitral Scouts. A floral wreath was placed at the Yadgaar-i-Shuhada situated inside its premises followed by a function in which gifts were presented to the heirs of the martyred armed forces’ personnel.

Commandant Chitral Task Force Colonel Mohammad Ali Zafar, former district nazim Maghfirat Shah, SP investigations Mohammad Khalid and additional deputy commissioner Hayat Shah presented gifts to the relatives of martyrs.

In Kohat, speakers paid tributes to the martyrs of the 1965 war at various functions.

Collective prayers were offered for the martyrs of September 6 in Garhi Banoorian area.

In Ustarzai Bala, Brig Akhtar Hussain of martyred Major Khadim Hussain along with army officers and elders laid floral wreaths on his grave.

In Bajaur, a ceremony was held at the Bajaur Scouts headquarters in Khar attended by senior officials of the security forces, district administration, police, tribal elders and family members of the martyred personnel.

Provincial minister for Zakat and Ushr Anwarzeb Khan, MNA Gul Dad Khan, MPA Eng Ajmal Khan, Army’s Sector Commander (north) Brigadier Umar Naseem, Commandant Bajaur Scouts Suleman Khalid, deputy commissioner Iftikhar Alam and district police officer Abdul Samad Khan were among the participants.

In Tank, Sector Headquarters South and 25 Sindh Regiment organised a ceremony at the FC Qila to pay tributes to the martyrs of 1965 war.

Meanwhile, functions, seminars and rallies were held across Gilgit-Baltistan to mark the Defence Day.

A function was held at the grave of Havaldar Lalik Jan Shaheed (Nishan-i-Haider) in Yasin area of Ghizer district.

Commander Force Command Northern Areas Jawad Ahmed laid floral wreath at the martyr’s grave and offered Fateha. A guard of honor was presented at his grave by a contingent of Pak Army.

A function was organised by Volunteer Force Pakistan in Astore.

Minister for information, planning and development Fatahullah Khan was the chief guest.

A rally was organised by the district administration in Nagar attended by students, elders and officials of government departments.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2021