Munir hails Pak Kargil War hero, but a letter from India revealed his bravery first
The gesture by Brigadier Bajwa (retired) stands in stark contrast to Pakistan's initial refusal to claim Khan's body, in an apparent attempt to conceal its military involvement in the Kargil War, as noted in a 1999 Indian press release.During the Kargil War, just like in 1947 and 1965, Pakistan initially denied its army's involvement, claiming, instead, that the intruders were "mujahideen".ASIM MUNIR LEADS TRIBUTES TO PAK KARGIL WAR MARTYROn Saturday, the Pakistani Army and the government marked the 26th martyrdom anniversary of Captain Karnal Sher Khan with military honours at his tomb in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Field Marshal Munir, alongside senior military officials and Sher Khan's family, paid tribute to the Kargil war hero who was posthumously awarded the Nishan-e-Haider."During the Kargil conflict in 1999, Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed, a symbol of unwavering courage and patriotism, sacrificed his life while defending the motherland with unparalleled valour. He remains an eternal source of inspiration for the Armed Forces and the nation," Pakistan's DG-ISPR posted on X on Munir's visit to Khan's village.INDIAN BRIGADIER'S LETTER LED TO SHER KHAN RECOGNISED AS HERODuring the 1999 Kargil War, Karnal Sher Khan of the Pakistani Army served as a Captain with the 12th Northern Light Infantry. At 17,000 feet in Gultari, Khan was leading his unit when the Indian Army launched a fierce counterattack to take over Tiger Hill, a strategic post.Two Indian Army battalions, with machine guns and artillery support, launched a fierce assault to claim the strategic heights, to push back the intruders in what came to be one of the bloodiest battles of the Kargil War.Captain Sher Khan's unit was heavily outnumbered.advertisementAfter being fatally wounded in machine-gun fire during close combat, Khan lost his life on July 5.His bravery earned him the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan's highest military honour, posthumously.PAKISTAN INITIALLY REFUSED TO CLAIM SHER KHAN'S BODYAfter the Indian Army captured Tiger Hill, Captain Sher Khan's body was recovered and identified through documents he was carrying. But it wasn't until Indian Brigadier Bajwa acknowledged his bravery that Pakistan recognised him and posthumously awarded him the Nishan-e-Haider."Yes, Captain Karnal Sher Khan of 9 NLI (Pakistan) fought against my unit (8 SIKH) at Tiger Hill, but Pakistan refused to take his body. The appreciation of his bravery was written by me and paper inserted in his pocket. Subsequently he was given the highest gallantry award," Brigadier Bajwa (retired) wrote on X in 2019.Pakistan, in fact, had initially refused to accept his body, revealed an Indian press release from 1999."The callousness and inhumanity with which they [the Pakistani forces] are persisting in this fiction is demonstrated in the current matter concerning the bodies of two officers of the Pakistan Army who had died in action on the Indian side of the Line of Control in Kargil. The body of Captain Imtiaz Malik of 165 Mortar Regiment was found at Point 4875 in the Mushkoh sub-sector. The body of Captain Karnal Sher of 12 Northern Light Infantry was found on Tiger Hill in the Dras sub-sector. The identities of these two officers were established by correspondence found on their persons. Both bodies are in the possession of the Indian Army authorities," the Indian Government said on July 15, 1999.advertisement"The above information was conveyed to the Pakistani government on July 12. We informed the Pakistani authorities that we would like to hand over the bodies to them. We did not receive any response," the Indian government added in the press release.India's Brigadier MPS Bajwa, who was struck by Khan's bravery, wrote a citation praising his gallantry and placed it in his pocket, ensuring his valour was recognised.Later after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told New Delhi on July 13 that Islamabad had asked the humanitarian-support body to talk to its Indian counterpart over the bodies of the two officers about which they had heard.Only after international scrutiny and reports of Pakistan disowning its heroes spread beyond borders did Islamabad accept Captain Karnal Sher Khan's body, before posthumously awarding him the Nishan-e-Haider in 2000.Twenty-five-years ago, Captain Karnal Sher Khan's own country refused to accept his body in its bid to conceal military involvement in the Kargil War. Now, decades later, Army Chief Asim Munir is glorifying his sacrifice, at a time when he's seen consolidating power, more so through self-promotion and strategic appearances. If not pure perception-building, this revival of Sher Khan's legacy, one even an Indian officer acknowledged, certainly serves a timely purpose.- EndsTune InTrending Reel
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