SIALKOT: Pakistan Defence Day was observed on Thursday with special prayers in mosques for national solidarity, integrity, prosperity and peace in Sialkot.
A flag hoisting ceremony was held at the historical Sialkot Fort under the auspices of Sialkot Municipal Corporation.
Station Commander Brig Ayaz Masud Khan said the Defence Day reminded us of the indomitable courage and unmatched sacrifices of our gallant men who 53 years ago, proved the defence of Pakistan was unassailable.
He said that in the wake of the 1965 war, Pakistan today was more resilient and vibrant country with strong conventional and non-conventional power.
Besides the Sialkot city, Chawinda attracted crowd for being a significant place in the 1965 war. The people showed keen interest in the tanks and planes displayed there, which were seized from the Indian army. The people also laid floral wreathes on the graves of the martyrs.
During the 1965 war, the people of Chawinda wrote history of bravery. One such is retired Subedar Muhammad Ibrahim, who has vivid memories of the war. He stated the Indian army invaded the Pakistani territory by hoisting Pakistani flags on their tanks to deceive the Pak Army and the local people on Sept 6, 1965 near Chawinda. The Indian army attacked Chawinda with 600 tanks but local people and troopers repulsed the attack. He said Chawinda became a graveyard of Indian tanks.
Haji Saeed Butt, of Chawinda, told reporters that the entire town was ruined in the war.
During the war, the people of Sialkot and Chawinda stood united and they raised a slogan “Sialkot Tu Zinda Rahey Ga”.
The Pakistan government has officially recognized slogan “Sialkot Tu Zinda Rahey Ga” and conferred upon the great Hilal-i-Istaqlal Award to Sialkot on May 7, 1967 for the high spirits of bravery, courage and loyalty proved by the people of Sialkot in the war.
SARGODHA: Also, the Hilal-i-Istaqlal flag, an acknowledgement of the bravery of the people of Sargodha, was hoisted in Sargodha by Commissioner retired Capt Zafar Iqbal at Jinnah Hall. Air Commodore Ghazanfar Latif and Mayor Malik Naveed Aslam were also present.
GUJRAT: A ceremony in connection with the Defence Day was held at the mausoleum of Maj Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed in his native village of Ladian where Lt-Gen Azhar Saleh Abbasi was chief guest.
Participants eulogized the bravery and sacrifice of Major Bhatti to protect the motherland.
SAHIWAL: Troops laid a flower wreath at Capt Ghulam Murtaza Cheema’s grave in village 39/12-L. Cheema was vmartyred while fighting against the Indian army at Chamb-Joriyain Sector on Sept 3, 1965. He was from Chichawatni.
BAHAWALPUR: A function to mark the Defence Day was held at the Desert Rangers sector headquarters where sector commander Brig Rashid Minhas spoke.
BAHAWALNAGAR: Functions were held at Government Postgraduate College, Bahawalnagar, and the Municipal Committee Hall, Chishtian, to mark Defence Day.
VEHARI: Defence Day was observed with national spirit in the district on Thursday.
The day dawned with special prayers in all mosques for the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
A special ceremony in this regard was held at the shrine of Maj Tufail Muhammad Shaheed, Nishan-i-Haider holder, at Chak 253/EB, Tufailabad, where general officer commandant Zafar Iqbal laid wreaths on behalf of the chief of the army staff.
JHANG: A function was held at the Government College for Women that was addressed by Principal Prof Abida Shahbaz and others.
Speakers paid rich tribute to those who laid down their lives for the country.
Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2018