by Imran
There is this “Akram Raja Conference Room” at Islamic Republic of Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul. It’s a house of significance every bit it’s hither the assessment abilities of a Platoon Commander (one prestigious too pivotal appointment at the Academy) acquire questioned too judged twice inward every preparation term (that would live on every 3 months on the calendar). Academy follows a typical grading arrangement too a Platoon Commander has to evidence his objectivity too impartiality inward the assessment of his cadets (and I assure you lot it’s ane huge task). Coming dorsum to Akram Raja Conference Room, it was named after Lieutenant Colonel Akram Raja Shaheed, Hilal e Jurrat (the minute highest honour for gallantry inward Armed Forces, succeeding solely Nishan e Haider). The officeholder was bestowed upon the honour to honor his shahadat piece leading his battalion inward fix on during 1971 Indo-Pak war. He led the unit of measurement inward the battlefield, he had raised every bit Commanding Officer the same year, 35th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment, “The Charging Bulls”.
To my skilful luck, during my days every bit Platoon Commander, 35 FF Regiment was the preparation battalion of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Military Academy stationed at Tobe Camp, Abbottabad. I visited the unit of measurement to pay homage to their brave son. There was a warm welcome too post tea, I was shown roughly the snapshots from Unit History inward the Tea Bar. I learnt almost a brave counter fix on past times the unit of measurement on Indian Defences at Jarpal (a hamlet close Zafarwal, Sialkot) too laying downward sixty lives for the honor of the motherland. I cry back taking a few snaps dorsum then, a portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Akram Raja Shaheed too a pic of the trunk of the brave Colonel amongst a tribute inscribed below it past times the Indian Commander. I had shared both the pictures on flickr dorsum then.
It was late that I was browsing through the Indo-Pak War History too piece reading almost the events on Sialkot front end during 1971 war, I came across the draw of piece of job concern human relationship of a brave fix on past times 35 FF on Indian Defences at Jarpal – Bara Pind. Captivating was the account, too it tempted me to see the house of fix on that lies on the outskirts of Zafarwal, a edge town at Sialkot.
Setting assort out of Lahore on a Dominicus morning, I was lone this fourth dimension too had plans to encompass a dyad of locations. As I was having breakfast at a way-side restaurant, a 3rd place got printed on my boarding carte through a tweet from ane of the acquaintances to which I gratefully obliged. It eventually turned out to live on a long campaign (of which I shall non live on roofing the details) less 3 precise lessons I learnt that day, too the same are presented herewith for the produce goodness of my readers;
In Punjab whatsoever route interconnecting 2 cities volition definitely live on nether ‘expansion’ too ‘expansion’, love reader is a boring too laborious trouble ane time it comes to the Highway Department.
All roads connecting the pocket-sized towns inward Punjab demand a condition update every bit “kacha fair – weather condition tracks”. These were built sometimes dorsum (definitely much before I was born) every bit a ‘one fourth dimension measure’ thence leaving no legal provision for subsequent evolution amongst local administrative bodies.
The 3rd is somewhat to a greater extent than national inward approach every bit it crosses the provincial boundaries of Punjab. Road sanity (in measurable units), love reader, is straight proportional to the distance (in kms) of your machine from Lahore.
Coming dorsum to the primary draw of piece of job concern human relationship of events, Bara Pind – Jarpal was the minute halt on my route for which I plied on Shakar Garh – Zafarwal Road. The expanse is the due north – western component division of the Shakar Garh Bulge that saw Indian Offensive inward both 1965 too 1971 wars (owing to its sensitive proximity to the Jammu – Kathua route link). For the ease of comprehension I shall encompass a brief overview of the province of affairs that afterward Pb to the counter fix on of 35 FF on Jarpal.
A Brief Overview
In 1971, Shakar Garh Bulge was defended past times an Infantry Division (12 infantry battalions) supported past times an Armoured Brigade facing an Indian Offensive Corps (27 Infantry Battalions) amongst supporting armour too artillery. Pakistani Plan envisaged simulating offensive activeness South-West of Shakar Garh Bulge to invite Indian Offensive into the Shakar Garh Area too containing the enemy due north of Road Zafarwal – Shakar Garh. In this North – Western side of the bulge, an Indian Infantry Division supported past times an Armoured Brigade was to advance too capture expanse upto Zafarwal – Dhamtal.
Indian 54 Infantry Division supported past times xvi Armoured Brigade commenced advance too past times nighttime 15/16 December had secured expanse along draw Ghazipur – Jarpal. Jarpal saw some tough resistance past times Pakistani Infantry. There were publish of dashing attempts to restore the province of affairs past times 2 Armour Regiments of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Army from the side of Bara Pind, but amongst no success. By the nighttime 15/16 Dec, inward hamlet Jarpal, Indian 3 Grenadiers had taken upward defensive positions supported past times a Squadron of 17 Poona Horse. This battlefiled was to witness an unparallel draw of piece of job concern human relationship of valour on the subsequent night.
The Daring Counter Attack
On nighttime 16/17 Dec, 35 FF, a newly raised but highly motivated unit of measurement was ordered past times the Brigade Headquarters to launch a twenty-four hours fix on on Jarpal at 0530 hours without whatsoever back upward from Armour or Artillery. In fact initially a nighttime fix on amongst a Tank Regiment too 35 FF was planned at 0430 hours but later called off. The trouble given to 35 FF was almost suicidal, every bit the same attempts before past times 2 Armoured Regiments had been unsuccessful too at that spot was no Artillery Support. It meant a direct exposure to the killing the world inward front end of heavy defensive forces of enemy Infantry, Armour too Artillery inward wide daylight. The unit of measurement did non hesitate too commenced the fix on every bit per invention amongst the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Akram Raja leading from front. Under the heavy enemy fire, such was the ferocity of the fix on that the leading elements kept pushing frontwards too were reported to get got reached inside fifty yards of the enemy defences. The unit of measurement faced the brunt of enemy accurate burn inward the daylight too suffered heavy casualties including sixty soldiers embracing shahadat. Lieutenant Colonel Akram Raja displayed unmatched valour too dashed amongst the paltan leading from front end too every bit a consequence of an accurate volley of enemy burn vicious to the the world inside 150 yards of enemy defences. His trunk was found, though fallen on the world but withal inward an agressive posture amongst both hands firmly belongings his weapon pointed towards enemy. The Indian’s were all praises for the fighting spirit of the battalion too the Indian Commander inward mortal mentioned the bravery of the Commanding Officer of 35 FF. He was awarded Hilal e Jurrat, the minute highest honour for gallantry inward Armed Forces for the valour displayed. It’s ironic that a ceasefire was accepted past times Islamic Republic of Pakistan the same twenty-four hours i.e. 17 December 1971, hours after a sher dil battalion fearlessly dashed correct into the middle of enemy. Dear reader, amongst peachy observe too a feeling of honor, I visited the monument at Jarpal that bears the testimony to the peachy sacrifice past times 35 FF, the Charging Bulls for the defense of the motherland too paid my homage to the peachy warriors.
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