Bhagat Singh's martyrdom day to be observed in Lahore

Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

Hoshiarpur, March 19

Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, Pakistan, will pay tributes to martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru at Shadman Chowk in Lahore.

Foundation chairman Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi told this correspondent from Lahore over the phone that the foundation would hold a function to pay tributes and light the candles on the 92th death anniversary of Bhagat Singh and his companions on March 23 at 4 pm at Bhagat Singh Chowk (Shadman) in Lahore.

He said the foundation had sent an application to Chief Secretary, Punjab (in Pakistan); Inspector General, Punjab police; Home Secretary, Punjab, DIG operations; Additional Inspector General, special branch, CCPO Lahore; and Deputy Commissioner, Lahore to provide foolproof security to observe the martyrdom day.

Qureshi said their application was not even considered by any of the said officers and they were yet to receive a reply. “So, we have now filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court requesting to direct the Punjab government and the police to provide us security. The court would be hearing our writ on Monday. Separatists and terrorists are threatening me not to observe the day. They even came to my home last night and threatened me of dire consequences if we hold the programme, but I am not afraid. We will definitely hold the programme to pay homage to the martyrs,” said Qureshi.