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Shafqat Baloch

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Saviour of Lahore

Shafqat Baloch
Nickname(s)Defender of Lahore
BornMachhar Khadi, Sargodha, British India
Died13 August 2010
Buried
Machhar Khadi, Sargodha
Allegiance Pakistan
Service / branch Pakistan Army
RankColonel
Unit17 Baloch Regiment
Commands17 Baloch Regiment
Battles / wars
Awards2x Sitara-e-Jurat

Colonel Shafqat Baloch Sitara-e-Jurat (died 13 August 2010) was a Pakistani military officer officer. He is known as the "Saviour of Lahore" for his actions during the 1965. He was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat twice, first for his service in the 1965 and again for his service in the 1971.[1][2]

Early life

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Colonel Shafqat Baloch was born in Sargodha, Punjab, to a Baloch family. His native village was Machhar Khadi, located on the outskirts of Sargodha.[1]

1965 War

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Military career

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On 6 September 1965, at 1:00 A.M., Major Shafqat Baloch was moving towards his assigned position with 90 troops from the 17th Punjab regiment.[3] The troops were moving cautiously due to reports of Indian incursions. Suddenly, a machine gun fired from a Pakistan Rangers military post. The Major ordered his troops to move towards the post, where they met a Ranger who reported an Indian assault, the overrunning of Gwanti post,[4] and the deaths of many unit members, including the Major in command. The Ranger was supposed to inform the higher command, but their telephone line was damaged.

Major Baloch ordered the troops to entrench near the Ichhogil Canal on the outskirts of Hudaira village.[4]

Major Baloch directed artillery fire precisely at the Indian troops, inflicting heavy casualties as they were unaware of the Pakistani presence. Then, Pakistani Anti-tank crews destroyed two Indian tanks, followed by infantry assault. The Indians retreated.[4]

Major Baloch's actions stalled the front for 17 days until the ceasefire agreement was reached. He was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat for his bravery.

Indian Account

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Lieutenant General Harbakhsh Singh stated in his account of the battle[5] that, as the General Officer (Commanding) (GOC) of the 7th Infantry Division tasked with capturing the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian Canal (BRB Canal), Major Baloch's account of the casualties was accurate. After the ceasefire, new information revealed that the Indians had suffered approximately 400 deaths. Later, Major Baloch was ordered by his superiors to settle the ceasefire line. He crossed the BRB Canal and reached the Indian positions, where Major Puri, an infantry commander, and Major Hira Singh, an armor commander, congratulated him for his resistance. The ceasefire conditions were accepted without arguments.

Baloch was promoted to lieutenant colonel and briefly served in the 1971 war in East Pakistan but was removed from service there. He was then promoted to colonel and received his second Sitara-e-Jurat.[6]

He died of a heart attack on 13 August 2010 at Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi (CMH Rawalpindi) and was buried in Machhar Khadi, Sargodha.[7]

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He was portrayed as a war hero in the film "Saya e Khuda e Zuljalal", with Asad Malik playing Major Shafqat.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "1965 War hero Shafqat Baloch dies". The Nation. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  2. ^ "The Battle at Hudiara". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  3. ^ Ayub Khan Saidookhail (1967). Hero Among Heroes. Saidookhail Traders.
  4. ^ a b c Pakistan Meets Indian Challenge. Al Mukhtar Publishers. 1967. p. 119.
  5. ^ Singh, Lt Gen Harbakhsh (1991). War Despatches: Indo–Pak Conflict 1965. Lancer Publishers LLC. ISBN 978-1-935501-59-6.
  6. ^ "1965 War hero Shafqat Baloch dies". The Nation. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  7. ^ "1965 War hero Shafqat Baloch dies". The Nation. 13 August 2010.
  8. ^ "Saya-e-Khuda-e-Zuljalal is not just another war movie, say the producers". DAWN.COM. 2015-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-16.