Colonel Sher Khan Shaheed

Colonel Sher Khan (1970–1999) (Urdu: کرنل شیر خان) was a Pakistan Army officer who is one of only eleven recipients of Pakistan's highest gallantry award, the Nishan-e-Haider. He was a Captain in the 27 Sindh Regiment of the Pakistan.

Name

Captain Sher Khan was born in Nawan Killi (Shewa Adda), a village in Swabi District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Karnal is a localised form of Colonel. Karnel Sher Khan's home village of Nawan Kali ("New Village") has now been named after him as Karnal Sher Killi ("Village of Karnal Sher Khan").

Early life

Captain Sher Khan was the youngest of his two brothers and two sisters.^{[citation needed]} His mother died in 1978 when he was eight. He was brought up by his paternal aunts. His family is deeply religious and they say that Sher was an embodiment of piety and Islamic teaching.^{[citation needed]}

Education and career

After completing his intermediate schooling at the Government College Swabi, he joined the Pakistan Air Force as an airman.^{[citation needed]} On completion of his training, he was appointed electric fitter (aeronautical) at Risalpur. During these years he applied twice for commission in the Pakistan Army as a Commissioned Officer. He succeeded the second time.^{[citation needed]} He joined the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, in November 1992 and graduated in the 90th Long Course in 1994. His first posting was at Okara in 27th Sindh Regiment. Always smiling as a devoted soldier, he was fondly called Shera (Lion) and was very popular among his officers and colleagues.^{[citation needed]} In January 1998 he volunteered to serve at the LoC in Kashmir, he was posted in 12 NLI.

Kargil conflict 

Captain Sher Khan was posthumously awarded Pakistan's highest gallantry award, the Nishan-e-Haider, for his actions during the Kargil Conflict with India in 1999.

The following is the official statement by the Pakistan Army:^[1]

"Captain Karnal Sher Khan emerged as the symbol of mettle and courage during the Kargil conflict on the Line of Control (LoC). He set personal examples of bravery and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. He defended the five strategic posts, which he established with his Jawan's at the height of some 17,000 feet at Gultary, and repulsed many Indian attacks. After many abortive attempts, the enemy on July 5 ringed the post of Capt. Sher Khan with the help of two battalion and unleashed heavy Mortar firing and managed to capture some part of the post. Despite facing all odds, he lead a counter-attack and tried to re-capture the lost parts. But during the course he was hit by the machine-gun fire and embraced Shahadat or martyrdom at the same post. He is the first officer from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province to be awarded with Nishan-e-Haider."