Police department to honour martyrs on August 4

Regional and district officers to observe the day at Police Lines and their offices

LAHORE: The Punjab Police has decided to observe August 4 as Youm-e-Shahuda (Martyrs’ Day) in order to boost morale and honour the sacrifices of members of the force.

Inspector General Police Arif Nawaz ordered all regional and district officers of the force to observe the day at Police Lines and their offices to remember the sacrifices of those who were slain in the line of duty.



DIG Operations Punjab Amir Zulfiqar Khan told The Express Tribune on Tuesday that the decision was taken to boost the morale of the personnel. He said 1,402 police personnel had been killed across Punjab in the line of duty since 1970.



During the last few months, police had been the primary target of terrorist attacks throughout Pakistan. Deaths of dozens of cadets at the Police Academy in Quetta, frequent attacks on traffic officials in Karachi, the attack on SP Mubarak Shah in Quetta, the death of seven police officials, including SSP Zahid Gondal and DIG Ahmad Mobeen in the Lahore Mall Road Blast and the recent death of nine police officers in Ferozpur were just a few incidents.

Besides terrorist attacks, police officers and officials have also fallen prey to battles with criminals. A sub-inspector lost his life in an exchange of fire with robbers three weeks ago in Sialkot, two constables were killed in Tibbi City, a sub-inspector of Lahore Police died in an encounter in Kasur and an SHO was slain in Faisalabad.



IGP Arif said the surge in attacks on police officials was a matter of great concern. To keep their morale intact, the department has started focusing on the welfare of the families of martyred police officers and officials by raising monetary benefits, ensuring jobs for relatives and providing education to their children.

The steps to remember and commemorate sacrifices of the martyred are also part of the policy to keep morale intact.

Besides declaring August 4 as Youm-e-Shuhada, police were also building Yadgar-e-Shuhada monuments with pictures and names of the martyrs on important city roads and roundabouts.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2017.