Capt Iqbal Shaheed (HJ), A Gallant SSG Officer Martyred At World Highest Battlefield Remembered On His Death Anniversary

Most of the people die on the bed others in accidents, but a few become immortal by laying their lives for the noble cause of safeguarding their motherland and set unprecedented examples of chivalry for others to follow.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2018 ) :Most of the people die on the bed others in accidents, but a few become immortal by laying their lives for the noble cause of safeguarding their motherland and set unprecedented examples of chivalry for others to follow.

Captain Muhammad Iqbal Khan Shaheed (Hilal-e-Jurat) was the one of the gallant SSG Officers of Pakistan Army, who embraced martyrdom over an altitude of 21,000 feet at the world's highest battle zone 'Siachen glaciers' on September 25, 1987 while defending his country against the enemy and became immortalized.

As the nation is going to celebrate the 54th Defence Day of Pakistan with great homage on Thursday (Sept 6), people of every walk of life including friends, relatives, well-wishers and collogues of Capt Iqbal Shaheed are coming to his residence to pay rich tributes to the great warrior of Pakistan on his 32nd martyrdom anniversary.

"Death is inexorable. One can die in a road accident or suffer the last rigours interminably on a bed but I want to face death and look it in the eyes like a true warrior," the 27 year old young army officer told his relatives and friends just two months before he left this mortal world as a bachelor.

Born at village Pashtoon Garhi in district Nowshera on November 15, 1960 at Haji Mir Ahmad Khan's residence, he got Commission in the Pakistan Army's ASC in 1982. He faced enemy at an altitude of above 21,000 feet in Siachen glaciers and fought like a lion. He faced two enemies; the Indian Army and the harsh weather with steadfastness, bravery and determination.

Noor Jehan, mother of Capt Iqbal, said he was highly devoted and obedient son. "During his visits to home, he met with all family members, relatives including our servant warmly keeping no distance being an officer.

"Captain Iqbal wanted to become an MBBS doctor in his early student life but later on changed his mind when he was BSc student at Islamia College Peshawar and wanted to join Pakistan Army to serve his country," she said.

He loved education as he often stressed on his brothers to attain higher studies. He was greatly impressed from the poetry of national poet, Dr Alama Muhammad Iqbal, she said.

She said just two months before his martyrdom, he wrote his will and handed it over to his close childhood friend Ghayasuddin and told him not to disclose it before his death.

The will of Capt Iqbal says, "I owe 16 days of fasting. I took a bank loan of Rs900 from a fund reserved for science student. The administration block of the Peshawar University would have the necessary particulars. I owe this amount and it must be paid to the Bank. My grave should be left unplastered and let it be only as high as the Shariah allows. No flowers, no sehra, no dupatta for my grave. All these are rituals. prayer is the real thing. There should be no chehlum or anniversary for me. Don't cook rice and call people and give alms on these occasions. Nothing of the sort is permitted by Islamic injunctions. Charity can be given at any time and not necessary at these occasions. Instead of cooking rice and calling people, let the amount be spent on paving a street or constructing a drain or give it to a mosque.

This way it will be a perpetual charity. There is no need for ostentation. If the amount received from the government after my death is of the order of Rs50000 or more, fully Rs40,000 be distributed amongst the poor and the deprived as atonement for the prayers I did not offer and the fast I did not keep. Stop my relatives from doing anything unIslamic after my death.

If they want to cook rice on a Friday or do something similar, don't let them. Let the amount be given in alms on another occasion. Anyone wanting to do me good after my death should recite Darood Sharif as often as possible and offer its blessings for my soul." He further wrote: "Let the green pack and the high neck jersey go back to the company stores and the bills for "langar" (mess), washer man and cobbler be paid." Later on August 23, 1987, Capt Iqbal wrote his last letter to his friend Ghayasuddin Khan, asking him to pray to Almighty Allah for his good health, grant him the courage to follow the right path and serve islam and bestow him the life of a victorious Ghazi or the death of a Shaheed.

Akram Khan and Shamus Khan, brothers of Capt Iqbal said they had fulfilled 'will' of his Shaheed brother in letter and spirit.

Every year his death anniversary is being observed with great reverence and respect but quite simplicity as his grave in Pashtoon Garhi has no epitaph, no flowers no sehra and no dupatta in consonance with his will.

Brigadier (Retd) Rasheed Malik (Sitara e Jurat), then Captain, who was accompanying Capt Iqbal in the 'Qiadat' Operation told APP that Capt Iqbal was a symbol of courage, valour and was a highly motivated person. "Capt Iqbal was a true Muslim and death was meaningless to him," he said.

He said the enemy had established scores of bunkers, trenches and posts at most strategic location in the illegally occupied territory of Siachen from where they (enemy) were consistently targeting Pakistani posts besides monitoring our activities at that time.

To give befitting reply to the enemy's unprovoked aggressions, an operation 'Quaidat' was launched in which Capt Iqbal was assigned the task of evacuation of casualties, provision of food ration and other necessary assistance to Pakistani troops.

"We took control of a number of key posts but several of our team members had either embraced martyrdom or received injuries during the said operation. We asked for help and Capt Iqbal swiftly reached by leading his platoon from the front side, inflicting heavy losses to the enemy," the eyewitness brigadier recalled.

"Capt Iqbal kept climbing the steep mountains of Siachen over 21000 feet with a gun in one hand and holding himself with the other in-spite of receiving serious bullet injuries on his legs but did not lose courage, determination and proceeded forward," Brigadier Retd Rasheed Malik recalled.

He destroyed many pickets on his way till he reached the highest picket on the Siachen Glacier, held by the enemy where he waged the fiercest battle and in the process embraced martyrdom on September 25, 1987.

Brig (Retd) Rasheed Malik said two officers including Capt Iqbal and Capt Salik Chema among 16 jawans were martyred and over 100 others injured during the said operation.

Captain Iqbal's body went missing for eleven months in snow, and was finally recovered during in action and brought to his native village on August 6, 1988 where a sea of people attended the funeral of the celebrated hero of Siachen.

In recognition of his supreme sacrifices for motherland, the Government of Pakistani awarded the second highest military award Hilal-e-Jurat to Capt Iqbal Shaheed besides named the one kilometer long newly constructed bridge on River Sindh that connected Attock in Punjab with Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after Captain Iqbal Shaheed besides a martyr monument at Khariyan.