While we celebrate Defence Day on 6 September we must honour memory of men who offered supreme sacrifice to defend their motherland. There is a long list of such valiant brave sons of this soil starting from Nishan-e-Haider recipient Capt Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed who laid down his life in First Kashmir War on 27 July 1948 and Naik Saif Ali Janjua who embraced martyrdom on 26 April 1948 and was decorated Hilal-e-Kashmir equivalent to Nishan-e-Haider and Major Tufail who offered supreme sacrifice on 7 August 1958.
Men like Shaheed Major Aziz Bhatti were given Nishan-e-Haider for displaying extraordinary courage against advancing Indian Army in Burki Sector of Lahore in 1965, while Rashid Minhas a young Pilot Officer died while trying to prevent hijacking of a jet to India in 1971. Major Shabbir Sharif was another icon awarded Nishan-e-Haider for extraordinary display of courage in 1971. The 11nth recipient of Nishan-e-Haider was Havaldar Lalak Jan who embraced Shahadat during Kargil war in 1999. All these men sacrificed their today so that rest of us can live with dignity as free citizens of Pakistan.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
