Soldiers all #4

--



Major Raja Aziz Bhatti [Urdu: عزیز بهٹی] was a Pakistani soldier who received Pakistan's highest award for valor. He was born in Hong Kong in 1928. He moved to Pakistan before it became independent in 1947, living in the village of Ladian, in the district of Gujrat. There he enlisted with the newly formed Pakistani Army and was commissioned to the Punjab Regiment in 1950.
His father's name was Master Abdullah Bhatti, and his mother's name was Bibi Amna. He had four brothers, Nazir, Bashir, Sardar and Rashid, and two sisters, Rashida and Tahira. He himself had six children, four sons named Major Zafar Javed Bhatti, Dr Zulfiquar Ahmad Bhatti, Rafique Ahmad Bhatti, and Iqbal Javed Bhatti and two daughters named Riffat Bhatti and Zeenat Bhatti. Throughout his career, he was a brilliant officer and stood out in his class. He did very well at the Academy and was awarded the Sword of Honour best in his year's batch of 300 officers, and the Norman Medal. He received his honours from Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, who was later assassinated.
On 6 September, 1965, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 broke out between India and Pakistan. Major Bhatti was posted in the Barki area of Lahore sector. As the company commander, Major Bhatti chose to move his platoon forward under constant firing from Indian tanks and artillery. For three or more day's he went without rest. He resisted for five days and nights defending a Pakistani outpost on the strategic Ichogil canal. On 10/11 September, he was reorganizing his company and directing Pakistani gunners to shell Indian positions. In order to watch every move of the advancing Indian troops, he had to place himself in an elevated position in a house in Barki village, where he was exposed to Indian Artillery fire. He led his men from the front under constant attack from Indian Artillery batteries till he was hit by an enemy shell in the chest .(widow of Major Aziz Bhatti recieving Pakistans highest award from F M Ayub Khan)