Bhagat Singh remembered in Pakistan on 87th death anniversary

LAHORE – Bhagat Singh’s 87th death anniversary was observed in Lahore bytwo groups of people who demanded declaring him a “national hero” ofPakistan.

Singh was hanged at the age of 23 in Lahore on March 23, 1931 along withRajguru and Sukhdev. The capital punishment had inspired thousands ofpeople to take up the cause of the freedom movement. The Bhagat SinghMemorial Foundation (BSMF) and the Bhagat Singh Foundation Pakistan (BSFP)on Friday held separate functions at Shadman Chowk where they were hanged.

The participants paid rich tribute to the three freedom fighters. Somerelatives of Singh made a telephonic address.BSMF Chairman Imtiaz Rashid presented a resolution demanding the BritishQueen to tender an apology for hanging the three freedom fighters andcompensate their families. He demanded naming a road after his name andincluding a chapter in the school curriculum besides issuing a postalticket and installation of Singh’s statue at Shadman Chowk.

BSFP Founder President Abdullah Malik said: “Bhagat Singh raised his voiceagainst imperialism. He will be remembered as a great freedom fighter”. Hedemanded that the governments of India and Pakistan declare Singh and hiscomrades as “national heroes”. The events were held under strict securityin the face of threats from extremists.

Both the foundations have been demanding renaming the Shadman Chowk as‘Bhagat Singh Chowk’. However, the Hurmat-e-Rasool, a sister organisationof Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-u-Dawah, opposesthe proposal and suggests to rename it as ‘Hurmat Chowk’.