Ex-servicemen and relatives of prisoners of war (PoWs) will take out a candle march on Saturday at Sector -17 Plaza near fountain on 16 Jul 2016 from 7 p.m onward to nudge the Centre to take up their case aggressively with Pakistan government and ensure their return.
Capt Channan Singh, who is spearheading the procession,along with team of Sanjha Morcha( Ex-Servicemen joint Action front) and other ESM organisations,veterans along with their families and supporters from all walks including students,advocates will take out process as scheduled.
There are 54 PoWs still languishing in various jails of Pakistan and have details and proofs of many of the prisoners lodged in Pakistan jails but the government was not doing enough to bring them back.
Ex-Servicemen Says
“We don’t need Dawood or Hafiz Saeed, we need our 54 lions who had fought for the nation,” “if the government didn’t listen to them, the United Front of Ex-servicemen would stop Samjhauta Express, Amritsar-Lahore bus service and also hold a gherao at Pakistan high commission in Delhi”.
Baljinder Kaur, daughter of Sepoy Balwinder Singh who is one among the 54 PoWs, says they wanted to attract the government’s attention. She commented,
‘achhe din’ will only come when our dear ones will be released from dingy cells of Pakistan jails.
The report of south Asian human rights commission regarding the PoW of 1971 war in Kot Lakhpat Jail visited by the human rights team which found the POWS in a Pakistani jail was sent by the South Asian Human Rights Commission with Canada-based Shitaldas Kaler and Amrit Rai Singh as members.
The duo had gone to Kot Lakhpat Jail in 2003 to visit Sarabjit Singh, an Indian, who had been sentenced to death in Pakistan on spying charges. While the duo was in the jail, its attention was drawn by shouts emanating from a particular barrack of the prison:
“We are 1971 POWS. We have been rotting here for the past 35 years. Please get us out of this hell.”
They then found out that 11 of the POWS were lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail while some were in other Pakistani jails and many had died. Kaler says:
“These Indian POWS are living in a miserable condition in Pakistani jails.
Why our Indian Government does not act.Lets ask the Government to wake up and get them released on humanitarian ground and boost morale of the defence forces
ALL EX -SERVICEMEN OF TRICITY ARE REQUESTED TO JOIN THE MARCH AS A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS OUR BROTHRES LANGUISHING IN PAK JAILS.
KINDLY BRIG CANDLES ALONGWITH EVEN MATCH BOXES FOR THE GREAT SHOW OF SOLIDARITY.
COME ONE COME ALL
Col Charanjit Singh Khera
Gen Secy
Sanjha Morcha
9988266450
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