Abdullah was addressing the Police Commemoration day conference at Zewan, about 20 km from Srinagar. The day is observed as police day, to commemorate the martyrdom of police force and the sacrifices of officers and jawans, for the safety and protection of the country.

 

Omar said that the external dialogue process between India and Pakistan should not break, but, efforts should be undertaken to resume it. He said, the negotiating table is the only platform to put forth viewpoints and work out an amicable solution to all issues.

 

Abdullah welcomed the Central government’s decision to begin internal dialogue between Centre and the state and expressed hope that, the process of interaction between India and Pakistan, will resume soon.

 

Paying rich tributes to the martyrs of police force, the CM said, “Much improvement has taken place since 1990 and the acts of violence and militancy, have been checked to a greater extent, by the endeavours and sacrifices of the security forces, especially the personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police”, he said. He hoped that the peace and tranquillity, will take firm roots in the state with the passage of time and a day will come when, there would be peace.

 

Reiterating the government’s determination to uphold human rights and curb attempts at their violation, he asked the men in uniform to be loyal to the oath they have taken, to protect human lives and render justice to all without any consideration.

 

Omar emphasised the need for providing all assistance and help to the families of martyrs in their rehabilitation and life process. He said measures should be made for the welfare of the families of jawans and officers who have lost their lives for the cause of the nation.

 

Speaking on the occasion, the Director General Police, Kuldeep Khuda said that, the observance of Police Commemoration Day in Jammu and Kashmir is the part of celebrations of the day throughout the country.

 

October 21 is observed as the Police Commemoration day, after 10 CRPF personnel sacrificed their lives, while repulsing the Chinese attack in Ladakh on this day in 1959.

 

Khuda said that, during the period from September 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009 as many as 821 state police and para-military forces personnel laid down their lives, throughout the country, defending the sovereignty of India. This includes 36 personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir police force. He said 5279 personnel of police and security forces sacrificed their lives while fighting militancy in the state during the last 20 years. These include 889 personnel of state police, 470 SPOs and 131 VDCs.

 

The Director General Police also provided details of the welfare measures initiated by the police department for the families of martyrs. He stated that each martyr family is provided with six lakhs from the Police Welfare Fund, five lakhs as ex-gratia relief and Rs 7000 each under Savera Scheme, besides scholarship and free education to the wards of the martyrs in police public schools at Jammu and Srinagar. Each family also gets Rs 2.5 lakh SLI, raising the total amount to Rs 13.5 lakhs.

 

Earlier, the role of honour containing the names of martyrs, was carried in a procession of march past to the martyrs commemoration statue. The entire gathering present on the occasion remained standing in honour of the martyrs. The various contingents of state police force gave guard of honour to the martyrs and the police band played the music befitting the martyrs.