On the 5th of July, as the nation pauses to honor the anniversary of Captain Karnal Sher Khan's martyrdom on the icy peaks of Kargil, my mind wanders back to the beautiful moments we shared. I reported to newly raised 27 Sindh in Okara on July 19, 1994. Leaving my first unit, 8 Sindh saddened me deeply, but little did I know that my new path was tied to a regiment that the Almighty was about to bless with a son who would become its ultimate pride and identity.
First Meeting at Okara Cantt
Around mid-October of that year, our Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Khalid Bhatti (late), announced that two Second Lieutenants from the PMA, Karnal Sher Khan and Ghulam Dastagir, were being posted to our unit. I was ordered to receive them. I prepared my uniform and reached the Okara Cantt Railway Station just after Maghrib. I found Captain Shabbir of 25 Sindh already there at the station. He joked that he was there to make fools out of the incoming officers by dropping them off at the distant firing range for the rest of the year. That stunned me because these officers were joining my unit, and I considered them my own. Thankfully, he left before the train arrived. When it pulled in, I easily spotted Second Lieutenant Ghulam Dastagir and gave him a formal salute just to playfully assert my seniority. But Sher Khan was nowhere to be seen. I sent soldiers to search the entire station. After a long wait, we headed back to the unit, only to discover that Karnal Sher Khan had already reached there ahead of us. Following army traditions, both officers were formally welcomed.
Character and Principles
Karnal Sher Khan was a man of medium height, incredibly simple, well-mannered, and deeply religious. Through his hard work and cheerful nature, he quickly made a home in everyone's hearts. Though junior in rank, his honesty, sense of duty, and immense courage earned him the respect of the entire unit. He was a devoted follower of the Quran and Hadith and an ardent admirer of Iqbal's poetry. He was always active, always smiling, and never hurt anyone with his words or actions. As his roommate in Okara for quite some time, I saw distinct sides to his personality. He was firmly against a life of luxury and owned a good radio to listen to BBC News but had little to no inclination towards Indian films and music. Whenever we bachelor officers gathered to watch television, Sher Khan would sit with his back to the screen. Once, we tried to force him to watch an Indian film by physically turning him toward the TV. He simply closed his eyes. When we tried to force his eyes open, he got furious and stormed out of the room. As it is said that those who are disciplined in peacetime display the greatest bravery on the battlefield, and Sher Khan proved every word of it. He was a man of principles.
Incidents of Truthfulness
Junior officers were strictly prohibited from driving unit vehicles. One evening, we had to go to the firing range, and I tried to use my seniority to make him sit in the front seat so I could drive. He respectfully told me that since driving was not allowed, I should not drive either. I got angry and ordered him into the front seat. He obeyed, but shortly after, I realized he was right. I stopped the jeep, asked him to move to the back, and handed the wheel to the driver. We barely spoke at the range, but I eventually admitted his stance to be correct.
In 1996, he and his company commander were conducting the small-arms firing competition. The results were not up to the mark because the unit was still in its foundational stages. When the Brigade Commander came to inspect, the results were altered to maintain the unit's reputation. The Commander was pleased, but Sher Khan immediately spoke up, telling him the complete truth about the altered results right on his face. We criticized him for a long time after that, arguing that sometimes one must lie for the sake of the unit, but he never agreed.
Another time, he was late for the morning PT parade. When asked why, he plainly said he could not wake up on time. The Adjutant advised him to make an excuse like being sick next time, but Sher Khan maintained that the truth was the only acceptable excuse. I have rarely seen such courage to speak the truth.
Playful and Fearless Nature
He was also wonderfully mischievous. Major Shaukat Hayat was an excellent officer but a weak swimmer who panicked in the water. Sher Khan would playfully insist on swimming across the UBDC canal with him. Major Shaukat would try to brush him off, saying he was tired, but Sher would persistently smile and insist until the Major lost his temper and chased him. It was always a hilarious sight. One day, while we were all sitting by the canal, some soldiers started shouting about a snake in the water. Without a second thought, Sher Khan dove right in, cut through the waves, and grabbed the snake with his bare hand. He stepped out, showed it to the cheering crowd, and tossed it back. That single swift action breathed a new spirit into the soldiers.
Pre-Martyrdom Reflections
In 1995, he was posted to the 12 Northern Light Infantry and was absolutely overjoyed. When a civilian friend warned him of the dangers and offered to use his influence to stop the transfer, Sher Khan smiled and tauntingly asked if he could use those same powerful references to stop the Angel of Death from coming too, knowing full well that whatever is destined to happen will come to pass at any cost. The friend was left speechless. When he went home on leave, he asked his elder sister to pray for his martyrdom. She got upset about how a sister can pray for her own brother's death. He replied that he was not asking for death but for an eternal life, promising to carry her across the bridge to paradise on the Day of Judgment if Allah accepted his sacrifice. At his farewell dinner at the Officers Mess, he tearfully said he was walking away but would be brought back wrapped in the Pakistani flag.
Family's Sacrifice and Recognition
When I traveled to Swabi for his martyrdom celebrations, I spent a memorable time with his brothers, Anwar Sher and Sikandar Sher, and his father, Khurshid Khan (late). Anwar told me about receiving the news of his brother's martyrdom in Dubai and the difficulties in bringing Sher Khan's body back to Pakistan. At the time, the Pakistani military was not officially claiming the body due to operational sensitivities. Amidst this painful confusion, his father began to fear the worst that Sher Khan had perhaps done something wrong or acted against the state. It was right then, in that state of agonizing doubt, that he asked Anwar to deliver a clear message to the senior military leadership. He declared that if claiming his son would put Pakistan's image and national security at stake, he would rather disown him completely. He would look at the remains and outright deny it was his son, choosing instead to just bury whatever was left of him. Upon hearing this, my father wept and said the entire nation could never repay the debt of Karnal Sher Khan.
Anwar also told me how exceptional a marksman he was. Once on their roof, Anwar challenged him to hit an object tossed in the air. Sher replied that anyone could hit an unaware enemy from behind. A real man challenges the enemy first, then strikes. He placed his air gun backward over his shoulder, used a small mirror to aim, and hit a crow only after firing a first shot to startle and challenge it. On the battlefield of Kargil, Sher truly lived by that philosophy.
The Final Battle and Legacy
Today, on the 5th of July, we remember how he was assigned to defend a vital forward position. Facing overwhelming enemy firepower, he and his men bravely pushed the opposition back. On this exact day in 1999, Indian forces launched a massive artillery backed assault to recapture the post. Despite a severe numerical disadvantage, Captain Sher fearlessly led a counterattack. He successfully repulsed the assault but sustained multiple bullet wounds, finally embracing the martyrdom he had always prayed for. His unmatched courage forced even the enemy to bow in respect. Officers of the Indian 18 Grenadiers and 8 Sikh Regiment watched in awe as the brave Pakistani captain led the fierce charge. An Indian officer who witnessed his ultimate sacrifice was so moved that he placed a praise filled note in Sher Khan's pocket. A very professional and brave Indian Brigade Commander Mahendra Pratap Singh openly acknowledged that their steps were entirely disrupted by Sher's fearless leadership. For his supreme gallantry, he was awarded Pakistan's highest military honor, the Nishan-e-Haider, and our unit, the 27 Sindh Regiment, was proudly renamed Sher Haidri.
Recent Tribute and Eternal Honor
Last year, upon a gracious invitation from his family, I visited Sher Khan's shrine. This deeply moving visit was carefully coordinated by the Peshawar Corps. During the occasion, I had the profound privilege of conveying the heartfelt sentiments of Corps Commander Lt. Gen Omer Bokhari to the martyr's family. The Commander expressed deep compassion for Sher Khan's extraordinary bravery and assured them that the Peshawar Corps would forever support his family. He emphasized that Pakistan could never truly repay the immense debt of Karnal Sher Khan and that the nation will never forget his ultimate sacrifice.
Ae rah e haq ke shaheedo wafa ki tasweero
Tumhe watan ki hawayein salam kehti hain
