MIRPUR (AJK)-Like other parts of the country, Azad Jammu & Kashmir Wednesday observed Pakistan Martyrs Day across the liberated territory with due solemnity and reverence to commemorate the valiant soldiers who embraced martyrdom for defence of the motherland.
Special ceremonies to pay rich tributes to the martyred soldiers of the brave armed forces of Pakistan including the national premier spy agency ISI were held under the auspices of various public sector institutions as well as the civil society at all small and major towns in AJK. People went to the mausoleums of the martyred soldiers and placed floral wraths besides offering Fateha for the departed souls.
The ceremonies were arranged to mark the nationwide Martyrs Day of Pakistan across the country and AJK. The day was also marked with special ceremonies held in private and public sector educational institutions. In Mirpur, a special ceremony was held at the mausoleum of a young Lt-Col. Muhammad Imran Arshad Jirral Shaheed at central Eidgah Graveyard. The 37-year-old who was the commanding officer of an AJK Regiment, had embraced shahadat while fighting against the terrorists at Gat Baila at Maalim Jabba in Swat in KPK province on July 21, 2010.
A contingent of AJK presented salute to the shaheed sons of the soil amidst the lyrics of national and the AJK anthems. The ceremony was arranged by Mirpur district administration and the Government High School. Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Ch Muhammad Tariq, SSP Mirpur Raja Irfan Salim, ADC (G) Raja Imran Shahee, Additional SP Muhammad Munshi Khan, Secretary General National Events Organizing Committee Altaf Hamid Rao, Rashid Turaab and Javed Malik Anwar placed floral wraths on the graves.
Hundreds of the schoolchildren on this occasion sung the national and AJK anthems. Participants of the ceremony offered fateha for the departed soul besides praying for the integrity, solidarity, sovereignty, security and prosperity of Pakistan.
Paying rich tribute, speakers said that the people of Jammu & Kashmir  state always stood by the brave soldiers of Pakistani armed forces. They said, “The sacrifices of martyrs would bear fruit soon.”
Showing full solidarity with the families of martyrs, speakers said that the sovereignty and freedom of the Pakistani nation was due to the soldiers’ sacrifices. At several other places in AJK people from all walks of lives visited the mausoleums of the martyrs. Similar ceremonies were held in the capital city of Muzaffarabad and all other district and tehsil headquarters of the state including Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimbher, Rawalakot and Bagh Sudhanoti.