LAHORE – Lion of Kargil, Captain Karnal Sher Khan 19th martyrdomanniversary is being observed today.
He was awarded “Nishan-i-Haider” for exemplary defending the snowy peaksduring Kargil Operation and his name has written in golden words inhistory. He embraced martyrdom on July 5, 1999 while successfully defendingthe Kargil’s five strategic posts at the height of 17000 feet on Line ofControl.
Eight times Indian Army tried to attacked the strategic posts of Gultry atKargil and every time Karnal Sher Khan was there to defend the snow hiddenpeaks.
Captain Karnal Sher Khan’s grandfather also took part in Kashmir ‘Jihad’ in1948 and valiantly liberated large area of Kashmir valley which is now AzadKashmir. His grandfather had wished someone from his family wouldaccomplish the liberation of Kashmir. His grandfather gave Sher Khan titleof ‘Karnal’ (a localized version of colonel).
In interview with a private TV channel, Karnal Sher Khan’s younger brothertold presenter Moeen Akhtar, that his brother always recite Pashto’s twoverses “If whole world become heaven I will not give the mud of mycountry’s land. If my countries need my blood I will shed my blood for mycountry.”
Sher Khan was born on 1 January 1970. He was commissioned in the Army on 14October 1994. Captain Karnal Sher Khan emerged as the symbol of mettle andcourage during the Kargil conflict on the Line of Control.
He set personal examples of bravery and inflicted heavy losses on theenemy. He defended the five strategic posts, which he established with hisjawans at the height of 17,000 feet at Gultary, and repulsed many Indianattacks.
After many abortive attempts, the Indians on 5 July 1999 ringed the postsof Captain Karnal Sher Khan with the help of two battalions and unleashedheavy mortar fire and managed to capture some part of one of his posts.
Despite facing all odds, he led a counter-attack and re-captured the lostparts of his post. But during the course, he was hit by the machine-gunfire and embraced “martyrdom” at the same post.