Mine awareness day: Speakers for educating people about explosives

Speakers have called for educating vulnerable communities along the Line of Control about landmines.

MUZAFFARABAD:

Speakers have called for educating vulnerable communities along the Line of Control (LoC) about landmines.

They were speaking at an event held at the university ground here on Friday to mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action to raise awareness about landmines and progress towards their eradication.

The event was jointly organised by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the Civil Defence and State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

AJK Finance Minister Latif Akbar, who was the chief guest, said that the people living along the LoC were the most victims of landmine explosions and both the government and NGOs should launch an awareness campaign to educate them.

“Such events should be observed in those areas where the people are facing the danger of landmines, where they become victims of toy bombs planted by the enemy,” he said. SDMA Secretary Farhat Ali Mir said “We should create awareness among the people as to how to remain safe from landmines which sometimes float down the rainwater to residential areas”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2014.