ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s 1965 war hero who faced extreme torture in Indianprisons during his unlawful detention for 40 years has passed away today.
Maqbool Hussain, a soldier of Pakistan Army, breathed his last at CombinedMilitary Hospital, Attock where he was admitted for past few months.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed his sorrow overHussain’s death, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in astatement on Tuesday.
According to the military’s media wing, Maqbool Hussain will be buriedtomorrow with full military honours.
Hussain, a resident of Azad Kashmir’s Tral Khal area, was a sepoy for thePakistan Army who took part in the 1965 War against India. In 1965, thelate soldier was taken as a prisoner by the Indian forces, but he was nevergiven the status of a Prisoner of War (PoW), which provides him withcertain rights and benefits. He vanished and was declared missing on August20, 1965.
The Indians thought they could break down Sipahi Maqbool Hussain and takeinformation from him. They tried everything in their power, all sorts ofmental and physical torture, but they could never break Maqbool Hussain’sresilience. The torture grew to such an extent that they cut off SipahiMaqbool’s tongue, taking away his power to speak forever.
After spending 40 years in Indian jails, Sipahi Maqbool Hussain wasreleased in 2005, at the Wagha border prisoner exchange. Maqbool was givenas civilian prisoner status, not the status of a Prisoner of War. The manspent 40 years in Indian jails, subject to inhumane torture and negate buthe never said a word against his country, Pakistan. It is said that MaqboolHussain, whenever he bled, wrote “Pakistan Zindabad!” on the walls with hisblood.
When Sipahi Maqbool Hussain was released, he had already lost his sensesdue to the brutal torture he had faced at the hands of the Indians for 40years. When he was questioned about his identity, he kept replying bywriting: “No. 335139”, which was his Army bearing number.
He was awarded Sitara-i-Jurat on 23rd March, 2009.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) even co-produced a drama onSipahi Maqbool Hussain’s heartwrenching but patriotic story, directed byHaider Imam Rizvi.