Major Shabbir Sharif paid rich tribute

Homage was paid to Major Shabbir Sharif, a valiant warrior who displayed unparalleled courage while defending the motherland and embraced “Shahadat” on December 06 at Sulemanki Sector during 1971 war.

He earned the highest gallantry award of Nishan-e-Haider. He also enjoyed the unique honour of being the proud recipient of Sword of Honour from PMA Kakul and Sitara-e-Jurrat during 1965 War.

A battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment in which Major Shabbir Sharif was commissioned, celebrates “Shabbir Day” annually with great solemnity and gratitude. A contingent of Frontier Force Regiment performed honour guard duties at the grave of the martyr to pay homage to the valiant son of Pakistan Army at Miani Sahib graveyard.

Major-General Fida Hussain Malik General Officer Commanding laid wreath on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff and offered Fateha. Senior Officers of the Piffers Group, former Chief of Army Staff General (r) Raheel Sharif, including other family members of the Shaheed were also present on the occasion. Major-General (r) Zahoor Malik and Major General (r) Ghaziuddin Rana laid floral wreath on behalf of the Piffers, while wreaths were also laid on behalf of the Commanding Officer and all ranks of the unit. It may be mentioned that Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed is the most decorated soldier of Pakistan Army.

In 1971 Pak-India war, Pakistan Army decided to launch an offensive on the western front against the enemy. Major Shabbir Sharif, as commander of a company of 6 Frontier Force Regiment, was ordered to capture high ground overlooking Grumukhi Khera and village Beri at Sulemanki Sector. The objective was defended by more than a company of the Assam Regiment supported by a squadron of tanks. On 3rd of December, 1971, in a well-organised superhuman action, he and his men fought valiantly and held two Indian battalions at bay by killing 43 soldiers and destroying four enemy tanks. Major Shabbir Sharif cleared the Jhangar post with utmost courage by fearlessly passing through the minefield laid by enemy and swimming across ‘Sabuna distributary’ under intense enemy fire and led his company on high bund. On the bund, hand to hand fight ensued and he succeeded in clearing the enemy from their fortified trenches. The enemy launched several counter-attacks to take back their position but Pakistani troops proudly stood the ground and repulsed more than 15 attacks and inflicted heavy losses to the enemy.  On the night between 5/6 December, during one of the attacks, Major Shabbir Sharif jumped out of his trench, got hold of Indian Company Commander Major Narian Singh of four Jat Regiment and killed him single handedly in a hand to hand fight. Valuable information was obtained from the documents recovered from the pockets of Indian Major. On the afternoon of 6th of December, 1971 enemy launched yet another counter-attack preceded by air strike and heavy artillery shelling. Major Shabbir Sharif took over the duty of the gunner from his crew and started firing on the enemy tanks. While this fight was on, one of the enemy tanks fired at him which proved fatal and resulted into martyrdom of Major Shabbir Sharif. Thus Pakistan Army lost one of its outstanding young officers who fondly came to be known as ‘Superman’ by his colleagues and superiors alike. He was posthumously awarded ‘Nishan-e-Haider’