Pakistan Army observed the 51st martyrdom anniversary of Lance Naik Muhammad Mehfooz Shaheed, recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider, on Sunday in Mehfoozabad, old Pind Malkan, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
According to ISPR, Major General Shoaib Bin Akram laid a floral wreath at Lance Naik Muhammad Mehfooz Shaheed’s mausoleum. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Army presented a guard of honour.
Various people from different walks of life, civil and military officials, and relatives of Shuhada attended the wreath-laying ceremony.
According to the Military’s Media wing ISPR that various people from different walks of life, including civil and military officials as well as relatives of the martyr, attended the wreath-laying ceremony.
Lance Naik Muhammad Mehfooz was born on 15th October 1944, in Pind Malakan, a villiage in Rawalpindi. He was enrolled in the Pakistan Army on 25th October 1962. After training, he joined the Pak Army 15th Punjab Regiment.
During the 1971 war, Lance Naik Muhammad Mehfooz was part of the Pul Kanjry operation in the Wahga-Attari sector. On the night of 17th December, while capturing the objective, his company was halted at about 70 meters short of Indian positions.
His machine gun was destroyed due to enemy shelling so he took another machine gun from a martyred soldier and effectively engaged an Indian machine gunner who was inflicting heavy causalities on his company.
In the process, Muhammad Mehfooz was critically injured and his machine gun was destroyed. Unruffled by his wounds, he leaped forward and strangulated the enemy to death.
In the meantime, he was bayonetted to martyrdom by another enemy soldier from the same bunker.
The next morning, a ceasefire was ordered and the enemy commander himself praised the martyr while handing over his body.
Acknowledging his chivalry, then-Indian commander Lieutenant Colonel Puri said, “during my entire service, I have never seen such a courageous being. Had he been in my force, I would have recommended him for the highest gallantry award.”
