United we stand: Hundreds participate in anti-terrorism walk

The event was organised by the DHA.

LAHORE: Hundreds of people came together at a walk against the scourge of terrorism on Saturday in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA).

DHA Administrator Brigadier Zafar Yaseen said the overwhelming response to the initiative represented the people’s fortitude and perseverance. He said that nothing ought to deter one from rendering the greatest of sacrifices for the welfare of the nation. Yaseen said he had made his son switch from pursuing engineering at the National University for Sciences and Technology (NUST) to serving in the military. He stressed the need for national unity. Yaseen said the people should express their love for the nation by their conduct. He vowed to make the DHA the best housing colony of Pakistan.

Yaseen said tolerant nations were destined for excellence. He stressed the need for promoting tolerance. Yaseen said similar events would be organised in other DHAs across the nation.

Rising Sun Institute for Special Children co-founder Abdul Tawab said even differently-abled children had been affected by the ramifications of terrorism in the form of raised walls and barbed wire. He said such initiatives enabled students to contextualise situations and be mentally strong. Tawab said the walk had provided differently-abled students with an opportunity to participate in a public event. He said students from the institute had won over 70 medals in various sporting events. Tawab said differently-abled children constituted a valuable component of society that was prone to being neglected.

Banker Rizwan Qureshi said organising such events was the need of the hour to send a strong message to terrorists.

A prize distribution ceremony was also held. Families of those martyred in the war against terrorism were felicitated at the ceremony. Prizes were also distributed among those who had scored medals in various sporting events and people who had participated in the walk.   Students from a number of educational institutions, DHA residents, professionals and senior officials from the authority participated in the walk. The event began at the Lalik Chowk and concluded at the central commercial area in DHA Phase V. The walk was held in connection with Jashn-i-Baharan festivities in the authority that commenced on March 1. The festivities will conclude in the first week of April.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2015.