I had long wished to visit the tomb of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, one of Pakistan’s bravest soldiers and one of the eleven recipients of the highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider. Finally, the opportunity came on November 10, 2025. This was my sixth visit to the monument or tomb of a Nishan-e-Haider recipient. For the related links, you may visit my page titled “Military Heroes.”
Naturally, I was very excited. According to my planned itinerary, this was going to be my last destination of the day. But due to some unexpected delays, we were running late. At one point, I even thought about cancelling the visit, yet I wasn’t sure when I might get another opportunity to travel to this area. So I decided to continue anyway.
By the time we reached Ladian, the hometown of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, the sun had already set. The tomb of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed is located at 32°48'4.32"N, 74°2'2.27"E. Inside the courtyard of his ancestral home.
Pakistan Army Museum, Rawalpindi.
On June 24, 2025. I visited the Pakistan Army Museum in Rawalpindi. It houses a wonderful collection of weaponry and war trophies. It also has a gallery dedicated to the recipients of Nishan-e-Haider, which displays beautiful portraits, uniforms and other personal belongings.
The museum also features a brief history of Major Aziz Bhatti, which is presented below.
Major Raja Aziz Bhatt was born in Hong Kong in 1928 in family from Gujrat. He was commissioned in the Punjab Regiment in 1950 and had the unique distinction of winning both, the Sword of Honour and Norman Gold Medal at Pakistan Military Academy. On 6 September 1965, Major Raja Aziz Bhatti was commanding a company in Burki area of Lahore Sector. Although two of his platoons were located on the home bank of the Righ Fall Canal, yet he chose to move to the forward platoon. From 7 September onwards, the enemy launched continuous attacks on his position with the full weight of artillery and armour. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti and his men, however, held on and continued to fight with determination. On the night between 10 and 11 September, the enemy mounted a major attack all along the sector, throwing a whole battalion against Major Raja Aziz Bhatti's platoon. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti was then ordered to pull back to the home bank of the canal. When he fought back his was to the ferry site with his last platoon, he found the enemy in occupation of the site. Here he led his men in a fierce charge and dislodged the enemy. He covered the withdrawal of his men and vehicles and was last to leave the enemy bank. Back on the home bank, Major Raja Aziz Bhatti organized his company to defend the canal. Undaunted by constant fire from enemy small arms, tanks and artillery, he continued to withstand the onslaught directing his men to return the fire. In the process, he received a direct hit on his left shoulder from an enemy tank shell and embraced 'Shahadat' on the spot.
Battle of Lahore, War of 1965.
Major Aziz Bhatti is one of the most famous war heroes of Pakistan. He is often called the defender of Lahore during the 1965 war. India attacked at dawn on 6 September 1965. In the absence of any large formations of defenders, they quickly captured areas between the international border and the BRB Canal. Major Aziz Bhatti, commanding two companies of the 17th Punjab Regiment in the Burki sector, faced the Indian Army’s repeated attacks aimed at breaking the line and crossing the canal to enter Lahore. Major Aziz Bhatti thwarted all these attempts and defended his area with unprecedented courage and zeal. His story of valor, sacrifice, and dedication to the defense of his country inspired the entire nation. He embraced martyrdom at his post on 12 September 1965, yet did not concede any territory to the enemy.
The Grave.
As I mentioned above, we reached there at dusk and soon it was completely dark. Fortunately, the place was open and there was some lighting available. I took some photographs; although I am not fully satisfied with the results, I will still share them with my readers. I hope they will at least give a fair idea of the place.
O Allah O Muhammad
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed
Date of Martyrdom: 12 September 1965
The proud martyr, an ornament of nation and homeland,
A fearless warrior, a devoted fighter, a brave and noble hero.
Having attained honor through Jihad in the path of Allah,
This true believer now enjoys the sweetness of peaceful, blissful sleep.
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"
Zareena Akhtar Bhatti
Wife of
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider
Born: Ladian — Tuesday, 10 February 1931
Passed away: Lahore — Thursday, 9 November 1995
“Surely, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”
The ancestral home.
The ancestral home of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed. (10.11.2025.)
The Family:
1. Nazir Bhatti2. Bashir Bhatti3. Aziz Bhatti4. Rasheed Bhattiand two sisters were:5. Rasheeda Bibi6. Tara Bibi
1. Major (retired) Zafar Javed Bhatti2. Dr. Zulfiqar Bhatti3. Rafiq Bhatti4. Iqbal Bhatti5. Rifaat Ara6. Zeenat
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed is probably the most famous among all the eleven heroes who received this highest gallantry award. The 1965 war was the first full-scale conflict between Pakistan and India, and national morale was very high. The supreme sacrifice of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed inspired the entire nation and captured its imagination.
It is also worth mentioning that another Nishan-e-Haider recipient, Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed, who earned this gallantry award during the 1971 war, was a relative of Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed. Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed was the maternal uncle of Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed - the real brother of his mother. This makes them the only family to have two recipients of the Nishan-e-Haider.
At the conclusion of my visit, I felt inspired by the supreme sacrifice of Major Aziz Bhatti, and I am sure his spirit will continue to inspire future generations to stand for the defence of our country. I also felt deep gratitude to our heroes, whose sacrifices allow us to live in our homeland with peace and honour. May we always remember their courage and try to live by the values they defended.
Tariq Amir
No comments:
Post a Comment