MIRPUR (AJK): Like rest of the world, World Civil Defense Day was also observed in Azad Jammu Kashmir on Tuesday with the renewal of the pledge to frustrate every threat of the enemy to the frontiers of the motherland.
Special ceremonies were being held in all 10 districts of AJK including capital city of Muzaffarabad as well as Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimbher, Rawalakot and other stations under the auspices of the AJK Civil Defense Department to observe the day. In Mirpur, major ceremony to observe the day was held under the auspices of the local Civil Defense Department with the coordination of the District Administration.
‘The commemoration of the International Civil Defense Day this day every year renews the entry into force of the ICDI – International Civil Defense Organization’s constitution as an inter-governmental organization in 1972 with two major objectives of serving for the safety and security of the masses both in peace and war times in case of any eventuality – besides other nation-building institutions’, said speakers while addressing the ceremony.
Besides the civil defense volunteers, the volunteers of upcoming 1122 rescue service, workers of PWD, Highways, Electricity, Information, Health and Education departments as well as the school’s students presented practical demonstration of civil defense on this occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, the speakers including President Mirpur District Bar Association Raja Imtiaz Ahmed Advocate, Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Dr. Omer Azam, Secretary General DBA Ahsen Ali Walliyate Advocate, Civil Defense experts and others said that the world civil defense day was being observed throughout the world line with the charter of the United Nations aimed at to raise awareness among the masses to deal with any eventuality in case of any emergent situation.
The Speakers underlined that this year, the world civil defense day was being observed in South East Asia when the defense forces of the two nuclear arch rivals – India and Pakistan were at the eye-ball-to-eye ball situation because of the traditional aggressive posture of India following Delhi’s ongoing frequent violation of ceasefire at the Line of Control in AJK through unprovoked firing targeting the civilian populous areas.
Describing the world civil defense day as the day of renewal of pledge to strengthen the civil defense harmonious to the need of the modern age for the sake of serving the country whenever required to meet any emergency, speakers said that in view of the importance of the civil defense, the government was taking effective steps to raise awareness among various classes of the civil society including students for getting the civil defense training so that they could also extend their due share for serving the country whenever required, they added.
Recalling the horrific memories of the devastating year 2005 earthquake in Northern parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining KPK province and September 24 last year deadly earthquake in Mirpur Azad Kashmir, the speakers said had there been sufficient civil defense arrangements for rescue, there would have been lesser loss of men and material due to the history’s worst natural catastrophes. They said that this tragedy had highlighted the significance of the role of the civil defense to deal with any emergent situation.