Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Nov 22: The civilians and Army celebrated 64th Poonch link up day with great enthusiasm and also recalled the supreme sacrifices of the soldiers and locals in a grand function organized at Pritam Stadium here today.
This function is celebrated on November 22 every year and the celebrations commemorate the historic link up carried out by Brig Pritam Singh’s forces and the forces from Rajouri at Danna Ka Pir on November 21, 1948.
The GOC of Ace of Spade Division Maj Gen K H Singh, MLA Poonch Aijaz Jan, MLC Jehangir Mir, DC Poonch A K Sahu, SP Shamsheer Hussain besides prominent persons of the area participated in the programme.
Today’s celebrations commenced with wreath laying ceremony at `Naman Sthal’, the war memorial. Maj General K H Singh besides other VIPs laid wreath and remembered the supreme sacrifices made by the soldiers defending Poonch. A cycle rally was also flagged off in this connection on Monday by the GOC.
A series of cultural events kept the crowd spell bound at Pritam Stadium. Display of traditional dance by the Army personnel, songs by the local children, a playlet in Poonch seize by school children and a breath taking display by the Pipe bands of the units based in Poonch enthralled the audience. The chief guest distributed the artificial limbs to the locals who were identified during the artificial limb fitment/ examination camp organized here recently. Wheelchairs were also provided to some physically challenged persons. A large number of ex-servicemen of the area also witnessed the occasion.
The celebrations culminated in the evening with light and sound show at the air strip constructed in 1948, recalling the glimpses of history amidst excellently coordinated documentary and enactment of various brave actions by the troops of Poonch bridge.
Meanwhile, a wreath lying ceremony was held by Nangi Tekri Battalion at General’s memorial Poonch to pay homage to Late Lt Gen Daulat Singh, Air Vice Marshal E W Pinto, AoC of WAC Lt Gen Bikram Singh , Maj Gen Nanavatty, Brig S R Oberai and Flt Lt S S Sodhi, who were killed in copter crash on Nov 22, 1963. The present memorial was constructed by 10 Infantry Brigade and all the units of 25 Div in 1980. The ceremony was also held at Krishna Ghati, Surankote and other locations.
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