Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif attended the Quran Khawani and Dua arranged for the departed souls of provincial home minister Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) Shaheed and other martyrs at Model Town, here on Wednesday. Rich tributes were paid to the sacrifices of Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) and other martyrs on this occasion. Paying homage to Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) Shaheed, the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) was a brave man who had sacrificed his life for the peace of the nation and the country.
He said "though he is not in the world but will always remain alive in our hearts." He said the sacrifice of Colonel Shuja Khanzada would be remembered forever and the nation would remember the brave son of the country forever. The Chief Minister said Shuja Khanzada Shaheed had embraced martyrdom and his sacrifice would not go waste. He said sacrifices of the martyrs in the war against terrorism would bring fruit and the menace of terrorism would be eliminated from the country and it would become a haven of peace. He said "the blood of Shuja Khanzada Shaheed is a debt on us and we will not rest content till the accomplishment of his mission."
He said "we equally share the grief of heirs of Shuja Khanzada Shaheed and other martyrs." Shahbaz Sharif said rich tributes were paid to Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) throughout the country, adding Shuja Khanzada Shaheed had set a glorious example of valour and bravery.
He reiterated that the country would be purged of the scourge of terrorism by following the same path and it would be made an Islamic welfare state in the real sense in the light of the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. The Chief Minister said "martyrdom of Shuja Khanzada Shaheed gives us a lesson that we should utilise all our energies for making the country a haven of peace and joint efforts should be made for eliminating poverty, ignorance, unemployment and social injustice from the country."
He said there was a need of round the clock hard work and struggle for ensuring just distribution of resources, supremacy of law and justice and maintenance of peace in the country. He expressed the hope that "we will succeed in steering the country out of quagmire of problems and making it a haven of peace and security." Shahbaz Sharif while announcing to name an institution after Shuja Khanzada Shaheed said that Cabinet Committee should submit final proposals in this regard.
Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Tanvir Aslam Malik, Iqbal Channer, Zakia Shahnawaz, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Muhammad Shafiq, Haroon Sultan, Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, Parliamentary Secretary Rana Muhammad Arshad, Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Secretary Home and senior officials attended Quran Khawani and Dua.
Meanwhile, on the direction of CM Shahbaz Sharif, Quran Khawani and Dua was offered for Shuja Khanzada Shaheed and other martyrs of Attock after Asar prayers throughout Punjab in which a large number of people participated. Special prayers were offered for the departed souls.