Indian Army is considered one of the world’s most professional and ethical forces, and this was yet again evident, after it showcased its commitment to its motto ‘a soldier is a soldier first and anything else later’ by restoring the damaged grave of a decorated Pakistani officer in Jammu and Kashmir’s Naugam sector.
The grave is of late Major Mohd Shabir Khan, who was killed by the Indian Army soldiers in 1972 at a forward location along the Line of Control (LoC). Khan was a recipient of Sitara-e-Jurat, the third-highest military award of Pakistan.
While restoring the grave of the late Pakistani Army personnel, Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Army said that a martyred soldier, irrespective of the country he belongs to, deserves honour.
Chinar Corps tweeted a photograph of the epitaph on grave which read, ”In memory of Major Mohd Shabir Khan, Sitar-e-Jurrat Shahid 05 May 1972, 1630 H, killed in counter attack by 9 Sikh”.
“In keeping with the traditions & ethos of the #IndianArmy, #ChinarCorps resuscitated a damaged grave of Major Mohd Shabir Khan, Sitara-e-Jurrat, Pakistan Army, who was Killed in Action (KIA) at a forward location along LC in Naugam Sector on 05 May 1972,” Chinar Corps posted on its Twitter account.
“A fallen soldier, irrespective to the country he belongs to, deserves respect & honour in death. #IndianArmy stands with this belief. This is #IndianArmy for the world,” the Army’s tweet read.
The Indian Army’s gesture comes in stark contrast with the Pakistan military’s barbaric actions in the past. In January 2020, Pakistan’s Border Action Team was accused by India of decapitating a porter and taking away his head. BAT comprises of Pakistani Army personnel and terrorists.
In yet another barbaric incident, an Indian Army jawan and a Border Security Force (BSF) head constable were killed and their bodies mutilated by the Pakistan military on May 1, 2017.
Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on October 15 stated that Pakistan is desperately trying to infiltrate terrorists into the Indian side before the onset of the winter. The Army chief assured the nation that his force is determined to eliminate the terrorists trying to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir.
