Oct 22 reminder of Pak’s atrocities, black day for entire humanity: LG

Jammu: Asking people to unite to defeat the evil designs of the enemies, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Kumar Sinha said that October 22 is a reminder of Pakistan’s atrocities and will always remain a black day for the entire humanity.
“The atrocities of Pakistan against the people of J&K have been exposed to the world,” LG said while paying homage to all the brave soldiers and civilians who were martyred in the October 1947 terror attack by Pakistan army which disguised as Pashtun Tribals.
He stressed the need to reach out to the young generation with the stories of valour and sacrifices of brave-hearts like Brig. Rajinder Singh, Maqbool Sherwani, Chief of Women’s Self Defence Corps Kanta Wazir, and other unsung heroes.
“Our youth must know how Brigadier Rajinder Singh, with a handful of soldiers, fought the Pakistani tribesmen, sacrificing his life to save Kashmir and Kashmiriyat,” he said.
He added that the youth must be educated about Baramulla's young man Maqbool Sherwani who resisted the Pakistani tribes and sacrificed his life and courage shown by groups of Kashmiri people to push back Pakistani militia.
“There is a need to remind the elderly and the younger generations about how Pakistan is killing our people and trying to divide us by disrupting communal harmony in Jammu & Kashmir,” he added.
He also asked the young generation to take inspiration from the sacrifice of Param Vir Chakra Awardee Major Somnath Sharma. To save innocent lives in Srinagar and Budgam, despite being heavily outnumbered, he along with his soldiers fought the Pakistani invaders and made supreme sacrifice.
He quoted Major Somnath’s last message- “The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are heavily outnumbered. We are under devastating fire. I shall not withdraw an inch but will fight to the last man and the last round”.
“This is the passion and love of our immortal heroes towards the motherland, protecting every inch of the land by putting their lives at stake,” he said.
“Sometimes it becomes necessary to turn the pages of history for the betterment of the present and future. As our great nation is celebrating 75th anniversary of Independence Day “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, we had decided to name institutions and roads after all such great personalities who have contributed to upholding the unity and integrity of Jammu and Kashmir,” LG observed.
“Under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir has embarked on the journey of progress and prosperity. We must unite to defeat the evil designs of the enemies. There will be challenges, but we will face them firmly and come out victorious,” he added.
Earlier in day, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) refugees on Friday observed October 22 as a "black day" here and paid tributes to members of Hindu and Sikh communities who were killed during the Pakistani invasion of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
The community members said at least one-third of the 24 vacant seats reserved in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature for PoK be opened for them to politically empower them.
SOS International -- an organisation of displaced PoK persons -- observed October 22 as a black day .
On the occasion, rich tributes were paid to thousands of people from Hindu and Sikh communities who were killed during the Pakistani invasion of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
Chairman, SOS International, Rajiv Chuni, said, With the revocation of the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, thousands of displaced families from PoK were expecting their longstanding demands to be fulfilled. But instead of giving us the promised 'achche din', the government has become completely unaccountable to the long-neglected PoK displaced community.
He said even the welfare packages started under the NC-Congress government in 2014 have been abandoned by the present J-K administration.
Half of the 26,319 displaced families in Jammu have not received a one-time settlement package of Rs 5.5 lakh so far, Chuni said.
Currently, the post of Provincial Rehabilitation Officer, Jammu, doesn't even have an office building, staff and funds, he said.
The children of the PoK families are yet to get reservations in higher, professional and technical educational institutions across the country on the pattern of migrant Kashmiri Pandits," Chuni said.
The decision to provide 8,500 jobs to the educated unemployed youth of the community has not been fulfilled either, he added.