Sawar Muhammad Hussain
Encyclopedia
Sawar Muhammad Hussain Janjua Shaheed (Urdu
: محمد حسین) was born in Dhok Pir Bakhsh (now Dhok Muhammad Hussain Janjua named after him in commemoration of his Gallantry) near Jatli
in Gujar Khan
on June 18, 1949. He joined Pakistan Army
as a driver on September 3, 1966 at a very young age of 17 years. Although he was only a driver he always yearned to participate in active battle.
(between India
and Pakistan
) he was attached with an old army unit known as “20 Lancers”. While his unit was engaged in the frontline area of Zafarwal
, Shakargarh
, he himself never missed an opportunity of taking over a machine-gun and firing on the enemy, unmindful of any danger. It was on December 5, 1971 that while braving intense shelling and direct fire from enemy tanks and infantry, he went from trench to trench delivering ammunition to the frontline soldiers. It was documented by his company men that on the following day, he went out with four fighting patrols and undertook most hazardous missions. However, it was on December 10, 1971 that he spotted the enemy digging in near village Harar Khurd along the minefield laid out by Pakistan Army
. He thus immediately informed the second- in-command of his unit. But simultaneously he moved, on his own initiative, from one anti-tank gun to another directing the crew to fire accurately at enemy tanks.
On the same day, at 04:00 pm, while directing fire from one of the recoilless rifles, he was hit on the chest by a burst of machine-gun fire from an enemy tank and thus attained shahadat in action.
Sawar Muhammad Hussain had the distinction of being the first Jawan (a rank of foot soldier in Pakistan Army
) to be awarded Nishan-e-Haider
for his gallantry.
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
: محمد حسین) was born in Dhok Pir Bakhsh (now Dhok Muhammad Hussain Janjua named after him in commemoration of his Gallantry) near Jatli
Jatli
Jatli is a town in Gujar Khan Tehsil, Punjab, Pakistan. Jatli is also chief town of Union Council Jatli which is an administrative subdivision of the Tehsil.-History:...
in Gujar Khan
Gujar Khan
Gujar Khan is a city in Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the headquarters of Gujar Khan Tehsil, the largest tehsil of Punjab. It is approximately 55 kilometres southeast of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan and 220 km to the north west of Lahore, capital of Punjab...
on June 18, 1949. He joined Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
as a driver on September 3, 1966 at a very young age of 17 years. Although he was only a driver he always yearned to participate in active battle.
Shahadat
At the time of 1971 warIndo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
(between India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) he was attached with an old army unit known as “20 Lancers”. While his unit was engaged in the frontline area of Zafarwal
Zafarwal
Zafarwal ) is a town situated in the Narowal District of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at 32°21'0N 74°54'0E with an altitude of 268 metres . It is 7 km away from Indian-administered Kashmir. Zafarwal was part of the Kashmir region during the rule of Ranjit Singh. It was transferred to him...
, Shakargarh
Shakargarh
Shakargarh , the headquarters of Shakargarh Tehsil, is a city in the north-east of Narowal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It borders Jammu to the North and Sialkot to the west The city is located at 32°16'0N 75°10'0E and is situated at the west bank of the Ravi River.-Demographics:The total area of...
, he himself never missed an opportunity of taking over a machine-gun and firing on the enemy, unmindful of any danger. It was on December 5, 1971 that while braving intense shelling and direct fire from enemy tanks and infantry, he went from trench to trench delivering ammunition to the frontline soldiers. It was documented by his company men that on the following day, he went out with four fighting patrols and undertook most hazardous missions. However, it was on December 10, 1971 that he spotted the enemy digging in near village Harar Khurd along the minefield laid out by Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
. He thus immediately informed the second- in-command of his unit. But simultaneously he moved, on his own initiative, from one anti-tank gun to another directing the crew to fire accurately at enemy tanks.
On the same day, at 04:00 pm, while directing fire from one of the recoilless rifles, he was hit on the chest by a burst of machine-gun fire from an enemy tank and thus attained shahadat in action.
Sawar Muhammad Hussain had the distinction of being the first Jawan (a rank of foot soldier in Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
) to be awarded Nishan-e-Haider
Nishan-e-Haider
Nishan-e-Haider or Nishan-e-Hyder is the highest military decoration given by Pakistan . It was established in 1957 after Pakistan became a Republic, however, it was instituted retrospectively from Independence in 1947...
for his gallantry.
External links
- A profile of Sawar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed
- http://www.tirmizivlog.com/2010/04/25/jawan-sawar-muhammad-hussain-janjua-shaheed/ Detailed post and video tribute on Jawan Sarwar Muhammad Hussain Janjua Shaheed.