Nation honours sacrifice of Major Aziz Bhatti during 1965 war: ISPR  

RAWALPINDI: Director General (DG) Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar on Friday said that the nation honours the supreme sacrifice by Major Raja Aziz Bhatti on his 55th martyrdom anniversary, ARY NEWS reported. 

Taking to Twitter, the DG ISPR said that Major Raja Aziz Bhatti received Nishan-e-Haider for his courage during the 1965 war.

“His stellar leadership and courage beckons us to defend Pakistan, come what may.,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that born in Hong Kong in 1928, Aziz Bhatti moved to Pakistan before Independence in 1947, living in the village of Ladian, Kharian, Gujarat. There he enlisted with the newly formed Pakistani Army and was commissioned to the Punjab Regiment in 1950.

Aziz Bhatti was posted in the Burki area of Lahore sector. As the company commander, he decided to move his platoon forward under constant and heavy firing from Indian tanks and artillery. For three or more days he went without rest. He resisted for five days and nights defending a Pakistani outpost on the strategic BRB canal.

On 6 September 1965, as a Company Commander in the Burki area of the Lahore sector, Major Aziz Bhatti chose to stay with his forward platoon under incessant artillery and tank attacks for five days and nights in the defence of the strategic BRB Canal.

Throughout, undaunted by constant fire from enemy small arms, tanks and artillery, he organized the defence of the canal, directing his men to answer the fire until he was hit by an enemy tank shell and embraced martyrdom on September 12, 1965.

He was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider (Sign of the Lion), on March 23, 1966 which is Pakistan’s highest military award for gallantry for the exemplary courage he displayed until his martyrdom.