Muhammad Mahfuz
Encyclopedia
Lance Naik
Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was born in Jat family of Pind Malikan (now Mahfuzabad) in Rawalpindi
District on October 25, 1944. Muhammad Mahfuz joined Pakistan Army
on October 25, 1962 as an infantry soldier.
-Pakistan
War of 1971, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was serving in Company “A” of 15 Punjab Regiment
deployed on the Wagah-Attari Sector. On the night of December 17–18, his company was assigned the task of occupying Phul Kanjri village located in the same sector. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was assigned to Platoon No. 3, which was designated as the forward unit in the assault. Thus this Platoon had to face torrential volleys of enemy fire from concrete Pill boxes. When the entire Company “A” was about 70 yards from the Indian position, it was pinned down by an unceasing frontal and cross fire from automatic weapons. On top of that the enemy artillery also opened up its fire with the break of dawn. Mahfuz, whose machine-gun was destroyed by an enemy shell, charged towards the Indian defences.
Muhammad Mahfuz advanced towards an enemy bunker whose automatic fire had inflicted heavy casualties. Even though wounded in both legs by shell splinters, when he reached the bunker he stood up and pounced on the enemy, in the encounter he was hit with a bayonet. Although unarmed, he got hold of the enemy and did another bayonet strangling with him. Due to serious injuries he died on the night of 17 December 1971.
His heroic feat led to the success of the Pakistani assault.
For his supreme courage, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was awarded Nishan-i-Haider, the highest Military award of Pakistan
.
Lance Naik
Lance Naik is the equivalent rank to Lance Corporal in the Pakistan and Indian Armies and before 1947, in the British Indian Army, ranking below Naik. In cavalry units the equivalent is Acting Lance Daffadar. Like a British Lance Corporal, he wore a single rank chevron....
Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was born in Jat family of Pind Malikan (now Mahfuzabad) in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
District on October 25, 1944. Muhammad Mahfuz 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...
on October 25, 1962 as an infantry soldier.
Incident leading to Martyrdom (Shahadat)
At the time of IndiaIndia
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...
-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...
War of 1971, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was serving in Company “A” of 15 Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)
The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment...
deployed on the Wagah-Attari Sector. On the night of December 17–18, his company was assigned the task of occupying Phul Kanjri village located in the same sector. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz was assigned to Platoon No. 3, which was designated as the forward unit in the assault. Thus this Platoon had to face torrential volleys of enemy fire from concrete Pill boxes. When the entire Company “A” was about 70 yards from the Indian position, it was pinned down by an unceasing frontal and cross fire from automatic weapons. On top of that the enemy artillery also opened up its fire with the break of dawn. Mahfuz, whose machine-gun was destroyed by an enemy shell, charged towards the Indian defences.
Muhammad Mahfuz advanced towards an enemy bunker whose automatic fire had inflicted heavy casualties. Even though wounded in both legs by shell splinters, when he reached the bunker he stood up and pounced on the enemy, in the encounter he was hit with a bayonet. Although unarmed, he got hold of the enemy and did another bayonet strangling with him. Due to serious injuries he died on the night of 17 December 1971.
His heroic feat led to the success of the Pakistani assault.
For his supreme courage, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed was awarded Nishan-i-Haider, the highest Military award of 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...
.
External links
- http://www.shaheedfoundation.org/nishanehaider.asp
- http://www.geopakistani.com/index.php/Diamond-Members-Section/Drama-Section/Nishan-E-Haider-eXclusive-only-on-GeoPakistani.com.html
- http://www.tirmizivlog.com/2010/04/24/lance-naik-muhammad-mahfuz/ Detailed post with video tribute on Lance Naik Muhammad Mehfuz Shaheed.