The Supreme Sacrifice

Major Shabbir Sharif  was a Pakistani Army officer who got martyred during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. For his outstanding valour, as a result of which he laid down his life for his country, he was awarded the Pakistan Army’s highest award, the Nishan-e-Haider.  for his actions. He is the only person to ever receive both a Nishan-e-Haider and Sitara-e-Jurat for his bravery, and is regarded as the most decorated officer of the Pakistan Army.

Sharif’s military career began when he was commissioned in the Pakistan Army on April 19 1964, after he successfully completed his training at the Pakistan Military Academy for which he was awarded the Sword of Honour. He was subsequently posted the Sixth Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment.

In 1971, when the Indo-Pak War began, Sharif commander a company of the Sixth Frontier Force Regiment during the Pakistan Army offensive against the enemy. He had been ordered to capture the high-ground overlooking Grumukhi Khera and Beri, a village near the Sulemanki Headworks which was defended by more than a company of the Assam Regiment supported by a squadron of tanks. He cleared the Jhangar post by passing through a minefield laid out by enemy and swimming across the Sabuna Distributary, a while under intense enemy fire. He and his Company repelled over 15 Indian attempts to recapture the high ground, and held the area, killing forty-three Indian soldiers and destroying four tanks in the process. On the afternoon of December 6, the enemy launched more air strikes and heavy artillery shelling. After many of his soldiers were wounded, he took over as a gunner on an anti-tank gun. During this time he was directly hit by a tank shell and embraced martyrdom.

Sharif was born on April 28, 1943 to a Rajput family in Gujrat to Major Rana Muhammad Sharif. He attended St Anthony’s High School and Government College Lahore. His younger brother, General Raheel Sharif served as the Chief of Army Staff from November 2013 until November 2016. He is also the relative of Major Raja Aziz Bhatti.

biography

Born

April 28, 1943

death

6 December 1971

Place of birth

Kunjah, Gujrat District, British Raj

Place of death

Okara District, Punjab, Pakistan

Years of service

1964–1971

Rank

Major

Unit

6 Frontier Force Regiment

Awards

Nishan-e-Haider

Sitara-i-Jur’at

Sword of Honour