Recognizing fallen martyrs

Making a difference8

By Adam Thomson

On Thursday, I visited the Police Lines headquarters in Islamabad. I was accompanying the UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, who wanted to pay his respects to the fallen martyrs of the Pakistani police service and to publicly recognise their sacrifices in serving Pakistan and its citizens. Mr Hague laid a wreath at the police monument and met the families of policemen who have lost their lives as a result of terrorist atrocities. Since 2001 over 3,500 policemen have been killed in Pakistan by terrorists. Many more civilians have been killed or injured as a result of terrorist atrocities. Meeting the brave and courageous families of these innocent victims really brought home to me and my Minister how great the sacrifices are that the people of Pakistan are making.

Sadly, today I am again reminded of these sacrifices after two attacks on the police in two days. The suicide bomber who attacked a police station in Kolachi town, near Dera Ismail Khan town on Saturday killed ten security personnel and injured three policemen. A second attack, which targeted the Gaddafi police post near Chowk Kumharanwala in Multan on Sunday left seven people injured, including three policemen.  My thoughts and sympathies are with those who have been killed and injured, and with their families. The UK will continue to stand with Pakistan to fight the scourge of terrorism, which destroys so many lives in Pakistan and across the world.

Following his meeting on Thursday with acting Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, William Hague repeated the determination that the UK and Pakistan share to defeat terrorism and violent extremism. He said that “Pakistan is on the front line of terrorism, making bigger sacrifices against terrorism than any other country on the planet, and it is right that the UK should stand with you to combat terrorism.” I echo those words.

William Hague will be holding a Q and A on twitter on Wednesday 29 June and is inviting questions following his visit to Pakistan. This is your opportunity to ask questions about the work the UK is doing with Pakistan, on countering terrorism and in many other areas.  I encourage you to tweet your questions to his twitter name @WilliamJHague and use the hashtag #askFS at 7pm Pakistan time on Wednesday 29 June. The Foreign Secretary will answer as many questions as possible and you can follow the Q&A on their twitter channel, ukinpakistan

 

8 comments

  2. So first we start a purpose less war then we try to lay homage to those who have died because of it?? What a joke and i am a bit shocked you would be a part of this FK

  3. At least someone still has some humanity left in them, our own leaders are too busy looting us to care who lives and who dies.

  4. War is war and even fallen corrupt police officers are heros because they died protecting those that call them corrupt. Well done mr thomson you seem like a person who cares.

  5. Sadly the affairs are such that immediately we start thinking whether its just lip service/ PR stunt …. lately the only way our “allies” “stand with pakistan” is to criticize us, to feed the popular media in western nations …. and then add a small comment towards the end “… oh yes pakistan is making a lot of sacrifices”

    Mr.Thompson and Mr. Hague, please a request, instead of holding a Q and A session with us and telling us how much you appreciate us as a nation …. please hold a Q and A session with bloggers in the western nation, AND DEFEND PAKISTAN … clearing all the misconceptions being reported there … tell us and we will help you in making your citizens understand the quagmire we, as a nation, are in at the moment

  6. policeman – standing in the scorching heat the whole day, having to release any criminal they catch (bcause of political pressure), getting abused by public for not improving general public security, pushed by seniors to “earn” more on the streets, wearing the thick black uniform……. salute to all!!! thanks Adam for taking the time out and visiting these unsung heroes

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