Chandigarh: In a tribute to soldiers who laid
down their lives fighting the 1965 Indo-Pak war, the Punjab
government has decided to develop and preserve the historic
battle field of Asal-Uttar, also known as `cremation ground of
Patton tanks`, in Khemkaran Sector in Amritsar.
The initiative would serve dual purpose -- as a memorial
of those braveheart soldiers and a tourist spot, Punjab
Defence Service Welfare Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan said while
presiding over an Armed Forces Flag Day function here today.
Sekhwan asked the Director of Sainik Welfare Punjab to
submit a detailed proposal in this regard.
During the 1965 war, Indian soldiers had destroyed and
captured over 100 M47 American Patton tanks of Pak army.
The Minister said he would also talk to the state
education minister for sending children from various schools
to visit the state war museum recently set up near Ludhiana
and the war memorial in Jalandhar, to motivate them to join
armed forces.
Expressing the state government`s commitment to ensure
implementation of all welfare schemes for ex-servicemen and
their families, Sekhwan assured that there would be no paucity
of funds for the purpose.
PTI
