Lt Yasir Abbas honoured with Patriotic Award

Father receives award for son lost in PNS Mehran attack.

LAHORE:

Lieutenant Yasir Abbas, who was killed in a terrorist attack on PNS Mehran on May 24, was given the Patriotic Award by the Bright Future Society of Pakistan in a ceremony at the Children Library Complex on Thursday.

The society presented a collage of pictures capturing moments from the life of the martyred officer.

Samuel Payara, the Bright Future Society president, said that since its establishment in 1996, the organisation had presented awards to individuals who had excelled in the armed services.

Vice Admiral (retired) Javed Iqbal, Commodore Akbar Naqi and Dr Ahsan Malik were also present at the event. Vice Admiral Iqbal gave a speech in honour of the sacrifices made by people who had lost their lives for the country. He offered his respects to Lt Abbas by saluting his portrait.

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Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar, chief guest at the event, said that Pakistanis were willing to die for their country.

He said that the sacrifice of the officer would not go in vain. He said that the government should ensure that peace is established in Karachi, adding that a lack of improvement in the situation might lead to revolutions such as those recently witnessed in Egypt and Libya.

Dr Sattar said that it was in the larger interest of the country to bring harmony and peace in Karachi. He accused “the ruling elite” of creating divides amongst the masses. He said there was almost no sectarian violence in Karachi under MQM’s government from 2002 to 2007.

The award was received by Lt Abbas’s father, Col Jaffar Abbas. Songs by Madam Noor Jehan glorifying the sacrifices of martyrs were played at the end of the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2011.