Major Shabbir Shaheed honoured on 54th death anniversary

WEB DESK: Pakistan’s leadership paid solemn tribute to Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed on the 54th anniversary of his martyrdom.

In a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Armed Forces, led by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of the Army Staff, alongside Naval and Air Force chiefs, honoured Major Sharif’s unwavering bravery and supreme sacrifice.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed describing him as a luminous symbol of national defence and an embodiment of extraordinary courage. The minister stated that Major Shabbir Sharif etched a new chapter in the history of faith and bravery, leading his troops with exceptional leadership and daring that shook the enemy’s strongholds. Naqvi highlighted that Major Sharif remains a unique soldier in Pakistan’s military history, being decorated with both the Sitara-e-Jurat for gallantry and, the Nishan-e-Haider.

Major Shabbir Sharif was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan’s highest military honour, for his extraordinary valor during the 1971 war. He had also been decorated with the Sitara-e-Jurat for gallantry in the 1965 war.

During the 1971 conflict, Major Sharif was tasked with defending a key post near Sulemanki Headworks. Leading from the front on the night of December 5–6, he successfully repelled enemy attacks, eliminating the commander of the opposing Indian regiment in close combat.

Throughout the day on December 6, he continued to hold the position despite repeated assaults, personally destroying advancing enemy tanks with a recoilless rifle. He was martyred after being struck by an enemy tank shell while defending the post.

“Major Shabbir Sharif’s heroism continues to light the way for all who serve the nation,” the ISPR stated, reaffirming the armed forces’ enduring reverence for the martyrs who protect Pakistan’s sovereignty and security.