Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

Muhammad Shabbir Sharif ( ; c. 28 April 1943 – 6 December 1971), was a Pakistani

military officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warrant officer. However, absent c ...

and the seventh recipient of Pakistan's highest military award,

Nishan-e-Haider Nishan-e-Haider (NH; or 'Emblem of the Lion') is the highest military gallantry award of Pakistan. The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded only to members of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It recognises the highest acts of extraordinary bravery in the f ...

, which he was posthumously awarded for his actions of valor during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He is the only recipient to have ever received both the

and Sitara-e-Jurat for his bravery, and is regarded as the most decorated officer in the

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...

. His younger brother,

General Raheel Sharif General (Pakistan), General Raheel Sharif (Urdu: ; born 16 June 1956) is a retired four-star army general of the Pakistan Army who served as the ninth Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan), chief of army staff from 29 November 2013 to 29 November 201 ...

, was the ninth Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army.

Early life and education

Sharif was born on 28 April 1943 in a Punjabi Muslim Bhatti Rajput Family at Kunjah,

Gujrat District Gujrat ( Punjabi, ) is a district of Gujrat Division in the Pakistani province of Punjab. The Gujrat District was created by the British Government in 1846. According to the 2023 Pakistani census the population of the Gujrat District is 3,219 ...

to Major Muhammad Sharif. He attended St. Anthony's High School, Lahore. While at

Government College Lahore The Government College University (colloquially known as GCU; Punjabi, Urdu: ) is a public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded as Government College, Lahore, in 1864 under British administration, it became a university ...

, he received a call to join

Pakistan Military Academy Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) is a military academy located nearby Kakul village in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Established in October 1947, it is the only service academy in Pakistan that trains cadets to serve as army of ...

(PMA)

Kakul Kakul (Kakol) is a village situated in the Tehsil and District Abbottabad, at an elevation of 1300 metres, 5 km northeast of center of Abbottabad city near the Thandiani Hills. Abbottabad is a District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pa ...

. He used to play squash and won an Army level swimming medal while he was in 4th Frontier Force Regiment.

Military career starting

He was commissioned in

on 19 April 1961. After successfully completing his training and being awarded the Sword of Honor, he was posted to the 6th Battalion of the

Frontier Force Regiment The Frontier Force Regiment is one of the six infantry regiments of the Pakistan Army. They are popularly known as the ''Piffers'' in reference to their military history as the PIF (Punjab Irregular Force) of the British Indian Army, or as the ...

Nishan-e-Haider action

In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the Pakistan Army launched an offensive on the Western front against the enemy. Sharif, as commander of a company of 6 Frontier Force Regiment, was ordered to capture high ground overlooking Grumukhi Khera and Beri, a village in the Sulemanki Sector. On 3 December 1971, in a well-organized action, he fought alongside his men and held Indian attacks at bay. He cleared the Jhangar post by passing through the minefield laid by the enemy and swimming across a water obstacle, the 'Sabuna distributary', whilst under intense enemy fire and led his company to capture the objective. On the afternoon of 6 December, the enemy launched an offensive preceded by air strikes and heavy artillery shelling. After casualties among the crew, he took over as a gunner on an anti-tank gun and started firing on the enemy tanks. While this fight was on, one of the enemy tanks fired at him thus killing him. His last words were quoted as: “Don’t lose the bridge.” It was the same bridge he died defending from the Indian Army's attack.

Family

His younger brother, General Raheel Sharif was the Chief of Army Staff (November 2013 - November 2016), the highest rank in the Pakistan Army. He is also the relative of another Nishan-e-Haider holder,

Raja Aziz Bhatti Raja Aziz Bhatti (6 August 192812 September 1965) was a Pakistani military officer and the 4th recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider, which he received posthumously after he was killed in action during the Indo-P ...

In popular culture

An Indian

Malayalam film Malayalam cinema, also referred to as Mollywood, is a segment of Indian cinema dedicated to producing films in the Malayalam language, primarily spoken in Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands. It encompasses both the mainstream film industry ...

, '' 1971: Beyond Borders'', was not inspired by the story of Major Shabbir Sharif.

Awards and decorations

Other awards he won are: * Sword of Honor

References

External links

*
Major Shabbir Sharif
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharif, Shabbir 1943 births 1971 deaths People from Gujrat District St. Anthony's High School, Lahore alumni Government College University, Lahore alumni Pakistan Military Academy alumni Pakistani male swimmers Pakistan Army officers Recipients of Sitara-e-Jurat Pakistani military personnel killed in action Recipients of Nishan-e-Haider People from Punjab Province (British India) 20th-century Pakistani sportsmen