Raja Aziz BhattiNH[a] (6 August 1928–12 September 1965) was a Pakistani military officer and the 4th recipient of Pakistan's highest military honour, the Nishan-e-Haider, which he was posthumously awarded for his brave defence of Lahore during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.[2][3]
Following the partition of India in August 1947, Bhatti served as a corporal in the Pakistan Air Force and later successfully applied to join the Pakistan Army in 1948, and was promoted to the rank of major in 1962. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Bhatti was killed in action while defending Lahore in the Battle of Burki. He was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider posthumously for his actions during the battle, and is known in Pakistan as Muhafiz-i Lahore ("the defender of Lahore").
However in December 1945, the Bhatti family relocated to British India, and Aziz Bhatti enlisted to join the Royal Indian Air Force as an airman in June 1946.[4] After the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, Bhatti joined the Pakistan Air Force and was promoted as corporal (Cpl.), and continued to serve in the air force until 1948.[4] Cpl. Bhatti was a prospective candidate to join the Air Force Academy in Risalpur and was known to be among the brightest members of the Pakistan Air Force in its early years.:220[1]
After served in the Pakistan Air Force as an enlisted man, Bhatti left the air force as a corporal in a favor of transferring to the Army, gaining officer's commission in the Pakistan Army.[4]
Official engagement with the Indian Army took place between 7–10 September when the Indian Army begin its push in an attempt to capture the Burki sector through artillery and armory with a view to enter Lahore.:178[9] During Indian Army's efforts to capture the Burki sector through the BRB Canal, the outnumbered military companies under Major Bhatti had forced the Indian Army to engage in hand-to-hand combat during the night of the 7/8 September 1965, and the fighting continued for the next three days despite Indian Army having numerical advantage.:178[9] Although the defense of the Burki sector through the BRB Canal had less importance in the views of military strategists working at the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi, its defense was fierce and tenacious, and the Indian Army had to halt its plans of capturing Lahore and focused on capturing the Burki sector and destroying the bridge connecting the BRB Canal.:178[9]:52[10] It is unclear why the Pakistan Army did not send the reinforcement teams to provide back up to Maj. Bhatti's teams and the questionnaire-based controversy was later generated on why Maj. Bhatti and his teams were left alone to fight bravely for a long time.:contents[8]
Bhatti declined an offer to take leave with his family in Lahore and instead told a sergeant, "Do not recall me. I don't want to go back. I will shed the last drop of my blood in the defense of my dear homeland."[11] Maj. Bhatti moved towards building up the trenches and positioned himself towards forward observation to view enemy movements, where he would often stand for a better view to direct howitzer fire.:231[12]
Bhatti was killed on 12 September 1965.[13][5] He stood up to observe enemy positions and direct artillery fire, despite warnings to take cover,:238[14][15] and was killed by shellfire.[4]:238[14] Maj. Bhatti was 37 years old at the time of his death.[4]
Memorials
The Gravestone of Maj. Bhatti with the Nishan-e-Haider citation.
Ancestral Home
Maj. Aziz Bhatti was buried in the courtyard of his ancestral home at Ladian, a small village near Gujrat, Punjab in Pakistan.[16] In 1966, the federal government accepted the recommendations and announced to posthumously award the Nishan-e-Haider for his gallantry and actions of valor during the defense of the Burki.[17]
Later the federal government funded to build the marble tombstone at his ancestral home in 1967 at his locality.[4]
The Presidential Nishan-e-Haider citation on his grave is written in Urdu and is actually a poem; and it reads with translation as:
"Rouge on the face of shahadat, pride of the country and the nation are these fearless warriors, a strike of their sword wipes out the mightiest of foes
this one who came out victorious in the struggle for the cause of ALLAH is lying here in the delight of the afterlife dream. Major Bhatti fought valiantly on Lahore Front, and is posthumously presented with the Nishan-e-Haider".[16]
Memorial at Barki
A memorial to Major Aziz Bhatti was built in 2019 at the site where he was killed defending against an Indian attack on 6 September 1965. The memorial is located approximately 500 metres north of the Barki Road/BRB Canal checkpoint on the west side of BRB Canal. The citation reads as follows in English:
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti known as "Muhafiz-e-Lahore (Defender of Lahore)" received Pakistan's highest award for his valor. He was born in Hong Kong in a Muslim Rajput family (belonging to Lahore) in 1928. He got commissioned in the Pakistan Army in 1950 (17 Punjab Regiment). Major Aziz Bhatti was posted to Barki sector Lahore, during the Indo-Pak War 1965. Being a Company Commander, he moved his platoon forward to this bank of BRBLC [BRB Link Canal] under constant fire of enemy tanks and artillery. He resisted for five days and nights in defending this Pakistani outpost on the strategic BRBLC without rest. On 6 September 1965, he left his company Headquarters and moved to his forward Platoon and stayed with them under incessant artillery & tank attacks. He positioned himself in this elevated place to watch every move of the enemy. This point was vulnerable to enemy tank & artillery fire. After five days of continuous fighting on the front he was offered to be relieved for rest but he refused and said "I do not want to go back, I will shed the last drop of my blood in the defense of my dear homeland." On 10 September 1965, Major Aziz Bhatti was hit by an enemy tank shell in the chest while observing [the] enemy move from this elevated place. He was awarded the highest gallantry award of Nishan-e-Haider on his supreme act of bravery.
Galleries
Tomb and gravestone of Maj. Raja Aziz Bhatti
The courtyard of the ancestral home of Maj. Raja Aziz Bhatti.
The grave of Maj. Raja Aziz Bhatti.
The entrance of the ancestral home of Maj. Raja Aziz Bhatti
Likeness of Major Bhatti at his memorial near the site of his death near the BRB Canal
Picture of the memorial to Major Bhatti facing east, near the site of his death near the BRB Canal
Popular culture and extended family
Bhatti is widely popular as the "Muhafiz-e-Lahore" (Defender of Lahore).[18][19] In 1968, a paintings exhibition was inaugurated in Lahore, Punjab in Pakistan depicting Pakistan's war heroes including the first sketched portrait of Maj. Aziz Bhatti.[20] In 1997, he was the subject of a popular and critically acclaimed biographicalwardramatelefilm, Major Raja Aziz Bhatti, produced by the ISPR and directed by Salim Tahir of the PTV.[21]
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