Never forget: Memorials to be built for martyred policemen

K-P govt to build structures in collaboration with Malik Saad Trust.

PESHAWAR: Leading from the front in the fight against militancy, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police have sacrificed their lives for the safety of others and now the provincial government has decided to build memorials for the martyrs. The structures will be built in collaboration with the Malik Saad Shaheed Memorial Sports Trust.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Board of Governors of Malik Saad Shaheed Memorial Sports Trust held at the CM Secretariat on Thursday. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak chaired the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Khattak, who is the patron-in-chief of the trust, paid rich tributes to police martyrs. He said Malik Saad was a brave and devoted officer and the whole nation was proud of the police and Army jawans who sacrificed their lives in the war against terror. Khattak said police in K-P had been made a complete and competent force thanks to the patronage of the Pakistan Army and a new police system which replaced the typical ‘thana’ culture.



The chief minister also directed authorities to incorporate the proposed memorials of police martyrs into a revamp plan already taking place in Peshawar and other districts of the province. He also launched a video documentary prepared by the Malik Saad Trust to eulogise the services and sacrifices of policemen.

Besides others, the meeting was attended by K-P IGP and co-chairman of the trust, Nasir Khan Durrani, Chairman and Senior Journalist Amjad Aziz Malik, Ali Nawaz Gillani, Minister for Excise & Taxation Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel, Senator Sitara Ayaz, MPA Nighat Orakzai and Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan Vice Chancellor Dr Ihsan Ali.

The trust will also set up a women’s cricket academy in Haripur and hold the “Mrs Malik Saad Shaheed Women’s T20 Cricket Championship Tournament” in Mardan apart from a three-day Police Shuhuda Sports Gala in Swat.

The meeting also approved the sportsmen exchange programme which had been agreed upon by the government of Bahrain and the Malik Saad Trust. It was decided to compile an annual report on the performance and financial affairs of the trust.

Appreciating the efforts of the Malik Saad Trust to promote sports in K-P, Khattak assured all possible help and cooperation from the provincial government to promote its activities. He ordered the speedy release of an already approved grant of Rs7.5 million for the trust and announced an additional Rs1.5 million rupees to save the organisation from a financial deficit.

IGP Nasir Khan Durrani also appreciated the activities of the Malik Saad Trust to promote sports in the province. Highlighting its one year performance, Chairman Amjad Aziz Malik said 141 sports academies had been established by the trust throughout the province and sports competitions were held in these institutes.

He said the trust undertakes all sports activities in collaboration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Board. He added 20 sportsmen from Azarbaijan had been invited this year to participate in different competitions in various parts of the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2015.