Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaahed

Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaahed (1967 – 7 July 1999) was born in Yasin, in the Ghizer District, of the Northern Areas of Pakistan (now called Gilgit-Baltistan). After school he joined the Pakistan Army, and reached the rank of Havaldar.


NLI DeploymentAs a junior officer in the Northern Light Infantry, Jan fought against India in the Kargil War of 1999.


Tiger Hill in the Kargil Sector had been occupied by around 130 men of 12th NLI (Northern Light Infantry) unit of the Pakistan Army. These men were under the command of Subedar Sikander, who was given the responsibility to capture Indian territory (which was occupied by India in 1971 Indo-Pak war). Havaldar Major Lalak Jan was his 2IC (second in command). The men of 12th NLI were ordered by the Subedar to change their positions while firing back at the Indian forces.





Kargil WarOn 1 July, 1999, the 18th Grenadiers Battalion (India) launched a fierce attack on Tiger Hill, occupied by the Pakistani Army, under cover of heavy artillery shelling around the bunkers. Subedar Sikandar sneaked across the Line of Control and placed his men in well-entrenched positions, and managed to repulse the attack without any loss of life on their own part. Exact casualty figures for the attacking Indian 18th Grenadiers Battalion, are not available.


On the morning of 2 July 1999, hoping to use the cover of the mist, the 18th Grenadiers launched another intense attack on Tiger Hills. Realizing the great difficulty in holding their previous positions that had been spotted and zeroed-in by the Indian artilliery deployed below, Subedar Sikandar ordered his men to retreat to secondary positions around a secret bunker. Once the men were secure, he directed Lalak Jan to descend Tiger Hill and, amidst the Indian Artillery shelling, plant the landmines in the area in front of the Indian forces. Though this was deemed a nearly impossible task by all, the Subedar and the 2IC agreed that this task was very important, if they were to make a dent in the Indian offensive. Planting the landmines was the only way for them to neutralize the Indian armor and artillery, as the men of 12th NLI did not have any heavy/armour-piercing weaponry; their light-attack unguided (RPG-7)s were inadequate for the task. They were hoping that the mist under which's cover the Indians were attacking, would help Lalak Jan as well, and that the Indians would not be expecting such an audacious and surprising move from the men holed up above.


Fighting in MountainsAccepting the daunting task, Lalak Jan descended Tiger Hills in the mist. He was provided as fierce a cover as possible, to keep the Indians distracted. Lalak Jan, born and raised in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountain Ranges in northern Pakistan, used his natural mountaineering abilities to the fullest, and managed to plant the landmines in such a manner that the Indians would encounter them as soon as they tried to move forward to new positions higher up towards the hill.

Lalak Jan returned to 12th NLI's position, having successfully completed this mission.

The trap was now set; The men had to lure the Indian forces into it. Subedar Sikandar told his men to gradually reduce the firing to a standstill.


About two hours after firing ceased from the Pakistan side, the Indians ventured forward, hoping that they'd managed to clear the area of the 12th NLI. The landmines planted by Lalak Jan wrought havoc to their forward movements. The Indians are believed to have suffered heavy casualties, suffering losses in both men and armor. This incident was not publicized by the Indian side however, due to which the exact amount of damage is not known. The damage was severe enough, in any case, that 18th Grenadiers battalion did not attack the Tiger Hills positions for around half a week, until support arrived in the form of another Indian Unit, eight Sikh.


On 6 July, both the 18th Grenadiers battalion and the 8th Sikh launched a combined attack on Tiger Hills, in what many consider one of the fiercest battles of the Kargil Operation. Detachments of Indian soldiers launched an attack from the very high, steep side of the hills. The 12th NLI was not expecting an attack from this side, and it took them by surprise. The NLI fought this battle at a heavy cost. Over half the 12th NLI unit's strength was lost in the fighting that ensued, suffering 80 casualties out of the unit's total strength of around 130. Casualties including Subedar Sikander, who had commanded the unit in this battle so far. In the course of the fighting that ensued, some number of bunker fortifications held by the NLI unit were completely destroyed by the Indians, launching surprise attacks and dropping grenades into them.

Towards the end of the engagement, only Havaldar Lalak Jan and three other men remained. The onslaught of the Indians was continuing and they were rapidly advancing towards capturing the hills. Lalak Jan, now the senior most person around, placed his three men in strategic positions, assigning two to three positions per person, and ordering them to rapidly fire from different positions. These men, pitted against an enemy vastly superior in number and weaponry, managed to repulse the Indian onslaught, in a saga of sheer courage and great determination.




On 7 July 1999, the 18th Grenadiers battalion and the 8th Sikh unit launched yet another combined offensive. This time they succeeded in their attack. Two of Lalak Jan's men were killed, and Lalak Jan and his only other remaining comrade in arms, Bakhmal Jan were both seriously injured. Not giving up, Lalak Jan got hold of a LMG and while Bakhmal Jan provided him with the ammunition, and the two men desperately kept trying to repulse the Indian attack. Lalak Jan's left arm had been rendered useless after receiving bullet wounds to it. Bakhmal Jan, unable to sustain his grave injuries, died while supplying the ammunition to Lalak Jan.

From there on, in one of the most stunning demonstrations of determination and courage in military history.

More Fighting in MountainsAfter the Indian offensive had subsided, reinforcements (50 to 60 men) were sent to Tiger Hill under Captain Amer. When he saw the condition of Lalak Jan he told him to go back to the base camp on account of his severe injuries, his arm being shot and completely limp, and in no condition to be used. Lalak Jan told the captain that he did not want to die on a hospital bed, and would rather die in the battlefield. He reassured his Captain that he should not worry about the bullet wounds in Lalak's arm, that Lalak Jan could still be of some use in the battlefield.


Around this time, soon after Captain Amer's reinforcements arrived, the Indians started shelling from a secret, out-of-sight bunker in an adjacent hill. The command of the handful of troops at Tiger Hill had been taken up by Captain Amer. He realized that the fire was coming from a secret bunker and also directed fire towards it, but zeroing in and targeting the bunker proved exceedingly difficult. The exact reason for the failure of this fire by Captain Amer's forces is not confirmed. Three likely reasons come to mind however. The secret bunker might have been very well designed and protected by the mountainsides, the fire might not have been directed properly or thirdly, the bunker was not in range of the light weaponry possessed by the Pakistanis atop Tiger Hill.


There was only one way left to counter the secret Indian bunker; it had to be blown up from a closer range.

Lalak Jan, despite his injuries, volunteered for the mission, but his plea was rejected by the captain. Having significant experience of the mountains himself, the captain was of the opinion that he would be the best man to do it, himself. The captain relented in the end, on Lalak Jan's persistent insistence that his audacious landmine installation experience and his mountaineering skills would enable him to have a fighting chance to complete this task.


Final Operation and FightLalak Jan put a bag of explosives on his back, and while shouldering an AK-47 descended Tiger Hills for the second time, again amidst heavy Indian shelling. Managing to avoid being seen by the Indian forces, and utilizing his knowledge of the surrounding hills to take cover, he located the secret bunker and threw the explosives inside the bunker.

The bunker, which incidentally was also an ammunition dump, blew up in a very big blast. Lalak Jan managed to take cover, and the Indian Army lost 16 men inside and nearby the bunker. The other Indian soldiers saw Lalak Jan and opened fire on him. Surrounded from all sides by Indian fire, Lalak Jan made a valiant effort to resist and returned fire.


He sustained grave injuries, especially as a result of heavy mortar shelling.

DeathOn 15 September 1999, the commanding officer of 12th NLI sent two Special Service Group Comando groups to Tiger Hills to recover the body of Lalak Jan. The two forces were designated 'Ababeel' and 'Uqaab'(Eagle). Ababeel provided the fire cover while Uqaab went into the destroyed enemy bunker to retrieve the body of Lalak Jan. When his body was found, Havaldar Lalak Jan had his AK-47 firmly clinched to his chest.


Pakistan awarded him the Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan’s highest military award, for extraordinary gallantry. Only ten soldiers have ever received this honour. Jan was the first person from the Northern Areas of Pakistan to receive the award

Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed

Karnal Sher Khan (1970–1999) was a Pakistani Army officer and one of only 10 recipients of Pakistan's highest gallantry award, the Nishan-e-Haider. He was a Captain in the 12 Northern Light Infantry (NLI) and, previously in 27 Sindh Regiment of the Pakistan.

NameCaptain Sher Khan was born in Nawan Killi, a village in Swabi District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Karnal is localised form of Colonel. Karnel Sher Khan's home village of Nawan Kali (means: New Village) has now been named after him as Karnal Sher Killi (Village of Karnal Sher Khan).

Education and careerSher Khan got his early education in his native city and joined Pakistan Air Force as Aero Technician. He got training from PTTS (Pre Trade Training School), a renowned institute which produced two recipients of Highest gallantry award Nishan-e-Haider (Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed and Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed. When he was serving in PFT Wing PAF Academy, He was selected as Army Officer through ISSB. He rose to the rank of Captain in the 12 Northern Light Infantry (NLI) and, previously in 27 Sindh Regiment of the Pakistan.

Kargil conflictThe government of Pakistan awarded Captain Karnal Sher Khan with Nishan-e-Haider, the country's highest gallantry award. Captain Karnal Sher Khan was posthumously awarded Pakistan's highest gallantry award, the Nishan-e-Haider, for his actions during the Kargil Conflict with India in 1999.

The following is the official statement by the Pakistani Army:

"Captain Karnal Sher Khan emerged as the symbol of mettle and courage during the Kargil conflict on the Line of Control (LoC). He set personal examples of bravery and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. He defended the five strategic posts, which he established with his Jawan's at the height of some 17,000 feet at Gultary, and repulsed many Indian attacks. After many abortive attempts, the enemy on July 5 ringed the post of Capt. Sher Khan with the help of two battalion and unleashed heavy Mortar firing and managed to capture some part of the post. Despite facing all odds, he led a counter-attack and tried to re- capture the lost parts.But during the course he was hit by the machine-gun fire and embraced Shahadat or martyrdom at the same post. He is the first officer from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province to be awarded with Nishan-e-Haider

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed

Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was born in Awan family of Pind Malikan (now Mahfuzabad) in Rawalpindi District on October 25, 1944. Muhammad Mahfuz joined Pakistan Army on October 25, 1962 as an infantry soldier.

Incident leading to Martyrdom (Shahadat) At the time of India-Pakistan War of 1971, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was serving in Company “A” of 15 Punjab Regiment deployed on the Wagah-Attari Sector. On the night of December 17-18, his company was assigned the task of occupying Phul Kanjri village located in the same sector. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was assigned to Platoon No. 3, which was designated as the forward unit in the assault. Thus this Platoon had to face torrential volleys of enemy fire from concrete Pill boxes. When the entire Company “A” was about 70 yards from the Indian position, it was pinned down by an unceasing frontal and cross fire from automatic weapons. On top of that the enemy artillery also opened up its fire with the break of dawn. Mahfuz, whose machine-gun was destroyed by an enemy shell, charged towards the Indian defences. Muhammad Mahfuz advanced towards an enemy bunker whose automatic fire had inflicted heavy casualties. Even though wounded in both legs by shell splinters, when he reached the bunker he stood up and pounced on the enemy, in the encounter he was hit with a bayonet. Although unarmed, he got hold of the enemy and did another bayonet strangling with him. Due to serious injuries he died on the night of 17 December 1971.

His heroic feat led to the success of the Pakistani assault.

For his supreme courage, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was awarded Nishan-i-Haider, the highest Military award of Pakistan

Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar Khan Bhatti Shaheed

Raja Muhammad Sarwar Khan Bhatti (1910–27 July 1948) was born in Singhori village, Tehsil Gujar Khan, District of Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. Muhammad Sarwar was a captain in the newly formed Pakistani Army. Commissioned: 1944, Punjab Regiment. In 1947, he volunteered to take part in the battalion organised by the Pakistani Army that entered Kashmir on the order of the then Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah with the object of taking over Kashmir. His regiment managed to outflank the unorganized Indian troops and forced them to retreat out of the parts which are now known as Northern Areas in one of the battles of the First Kashmir War. He was killed by machine gun fire when advancing forward through a barbed wire barricade.

During the Kashmir Operations soon after the birth of Pakistan, as Company Commander of the 2nd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment, Captain Sarwar launched an attack causing heavy casualties against a strongly fortified enemy position in the Uri Sector under heavy machine gun, grenade and mortar fire. But on 27 July 1948, as he moved forward with six of his men to cut their way through a barbed wire barrier, he died when his chest was riddled by a burst of heavy machine gun fire.

In recognition for his valor, Sarwar was postmumously awarded the Nishan-E-Haider, Pakistan's highest military decoration..

In addition Sarwar Shaheed College was named after his honor.

Sawar Muhammad Hussain Janjua Shaheed

Sawar Muhammad Hussain Janjua Shaheed was born in Dhok Pir Bakhsh (now Dhok Muhammad Hussain Janjua named after him in commemoration of his Gallantry) in Gujar Khan on June 18, 1949. He joined Pakistan Army as a driver on September 3, 1966 at a very young age of 17 years. Although he was only a driver he always yearned to participate in active battle.
DeathAt the time of 1971 war (between India and Pakistan) he was attached with an old army unit known as “20 Lancers”. While his unit was engaged in the frontline area of Zafarwal-Shakargarh, he himself never missed an opportunity of taking over a machine-gun and firing on the enemy, unmindful of any danger. It was on December 5, 1971 that while braving intense shelling and direct fire from enemy tanks and infantry, he went from trench to trench delivering ammunition to the frontline soldiers[citation needed]. It was documented by his company men that on the following day, he went out with four fighting patrols and undertook most hazardous missions. However, it was on December 10, 1971 that he spotted the enemy digging in near village Harar Khurd along the minefield laid out by Pakistan Army. He thus immediately informed the second- in-command of his unit. But simultaneously he moved, on his own initiative, from one anti-tank gun to another directing the crew to fire accurately at enemy tanks. On the same day, at 04:00 pm, while directing fire from one of the recoilless rifles, he was hit on the chest by a burst of machine-gun fire from an enemy tank and thus died in action.
Sawar Muhammad Hussain had the distinction of being the first Jawan (a rank of foot soldier in Pakistan Army) to be awarded Nishan-e-Haider for his gallantry

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas or Rashid Minhas Shaheed, NH, (February 17, 1951–August 20, 1971) was a Pilot Officer in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) during the 1971 Pakistan-Bangladesh War.[1] Rashid Minhas, a newly commissioned officer at that time, is the only PAF officer who received the highest valor for his actions. He is also the youngest and short-service officer, belonging to the Pakistan Defense Forces's lead aerial warfare service/branch, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), who received the Nishan-e-Haider in 1971.

Early life and educationRashid Minhas belonged to a famous Minhas clan of Rajput. Rashid Minhas was born on February 17, 1951 in Karachi. He belonged to a family that had settled in Gurdaspur from Jammu and Kashmir. After the creation of Pakistan the family migrated to Pakistan and lived near Sialkot. Some had migrated to Sialkot, stayed in the previous locations, or moved to Lahore. Rashid was part of the family group that migrated to Lahore. Mostly they are found in the NorthWest of Lahore, among other places. Rashid spent his early childhood in Lahore. Later the family shifted to Rawalpindi. Rashid had his early education from St Mary's Cambridge School Rawalpindi. Minhas was fascinated with aviation history and technology. He used to collect different models of aircraft and jets. He studied from Saint Mary's Cambridge School, Murree Road, Rawalpindi and completed his Matriculation at the age of 17. He also attended St Patrick's High School, Karachi and then attended Karachi University where he studied Military history and Aviation history.

DeathHaving joined the air force, he was commissioned on 13 March 1971 in the 51st GD(P) Course; on August 20 of that year, he was getting ready to take off in a T-33 trainer in Karachi when a Bengali Instructor pilot, Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman, gained his way into the back of the plane. He had been reported to have been watching Minhas closely for many weeks for his being new, young and inexperienced. In mid-air, Rahman knocked Minhas out with the intention of defecting to India to join his compatriots in the Bangladesh Liberation War, along with the plane.

In mid-flight, Minhas regained consciousness, and realized that his plane was being hijacked. He desperately communicated to the PAF Masroor Base at 11:30AM, about his hijacking by Rahman. In his last words which is the conversation between Rashid Minhas and control tower, he gave information about the hijack. The last conversation between control tower and Rashid Minhas was:

0:23 “166 is Hijacked” (Rashid Minhas? Shaheed.

0:30 “166 Hijacked” (Rashid Minhas Shaheed).

0:38 “Hijacked by whom, over” (Control Tower).

0:40 “166 is Hijacked” (Rashid Minhas Shaheed).

0:42 “Hijacked by whom” (Control Tower).

0:50 “By whom, over” (Control Tower).

0:52 “166 is Hijacked” (Rashid Minhas Shaheed) Last Words.

Failing to overcome Matiur Rahman he crashed his own plane to avoid any security breach. The crash site of the T-33 was later found 40 km from the Indian border.

Other AccomplishmentsMinhas was well-known to his commandants and fellow officer's for his intelligence and Alpha grade record. He completed his O levels at the age of 16 with A grades in all of his subjects. After enrolling in the Air Force, he passed out of the PAF Academy with 3rd position and was awarded the Sword of Honor for his performance. Once during his training sessions at the Kamra Airbase he was in a test flight when his T-33 started leaking oil and he was instructed to eject and save himself, but Minhas decided that he would not let the plane crash and then very carefully he managed to land the plane back on the airbase. This act of bravery did not go unnoticed and he was given a letter of recognition by his commandant.

LegacyMinhas was posthumously awarded Pakistan's top military honour, the Nishan-E-Haider, and became the youngest man and the only member of the Pakistan Air Force to win the award. He also became a national hero. The Pakistan Air Force base at Kamra has been renamed in his honour. In Karachihe was honored by the naming of a main street, Rashid Minhas Road, after him. He is one of the most prominent and honored pilots in Pakistan. He has been honored by the Pakistani Media and numerous documentary dramas and films have been made on him. Since his childhood he used to write in his dairy that "We cannot live forever then why don't we sacrifice ourselves on our dear homeland, yes it is an easy job

Major Mohammad Akram Shaheed

Major Muhammad Akram (1938 – 1971), was a Pakistan Army officer who was posthumously awarded the Pakistan military's highest decoration, the Nishan-e-Haider, for his actions during the 1971 Indo-Pak. Akram was sent on several missions in 1971 India-Pakistan War, and was killed in Battle of Hilli, 1971.

Military Career Akram was born in Dinga Village, District of Gujrat, Punjab, while he belonged to the village of Nakka Kalan in the district of Jhelum. Ethnically, he belonged to Awan tribe of Pakistan. In 1959, Akram was accepted in Pakistan Military Academy and graduated from there in 1963. He gained a commissioned in 1963 as part of the Frontier Force Regiment. Akram participated in 1965 Indo-Pak September War as a Captain where he led several successful military operations against Indian Army. Stationed in Lahore, Akram, while commanded, a small company led several decisive operations against the Indian Armed Forces.

In 1969, Akram was promoted as Major. In 1971, as Major of the Pakistan Army, Akram fought in the war with India. In the Battle of Hilli for his leadership, bravery and eventually, rendering the ultimate sacrifice, Major Akram was posthumously awarded the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan's highest military award.

Death During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the 4th FF Regiment, which Akram commanded, was placed in the forward area of the Hilli district, in what was then East Pakistan. The regiment came under continuous and heavy air, artillery and armour attacks from the Indian Army. For an entire fortnight, despite enemy superiority in both numbers and fire power, Akram and his men repulsed every attack, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Akram died during this battle. Major Muhammad Akram (N.H) was buried in village-Boaldar,Thana/Upozila-Hakimpur(Banglahilly),District-Dinajpur. There is a monument, Major Akram Shaheed Memorial, in the midst of Jhelum city. He is called hero of Hilli. Anjum Sultan Shahbaz famous writer and historian has mentioned him in the book Tareekh-e-Jhelum and Shohdai Jhelum.