Major Muhammad Tufail

Introduction of Major Muhammad Tufail:

Brief Description:

Major Muhammad Tufail Arian was born on 22^nd June 1914. He was an armed major in the Pakistan Army and he was the second major/officer in Pakistan who got Nishan-e-Haider due to his bravery and effort against the enemy[1]. His martyrdom ceremony is experiential by full admiration and commitment at “Chak 253/EB Tufailabad”. He was on the post of Commissioned in the 16^th Punjab Regiment in the year of 1943[2]. The Indian Army occupied the area of “Lakshmipur” East-Pakistan. Pakistan’s army of chief gave the task to take back the area of Lakshmipur. He was leading and commanding his troops, he divided his platoon into three parts and gave the order to attack from different positions. There were three major attacks of Pakistan and the Indian army, despite it, he was injured by the machine-gun fire and continued his fight against the enemy. He was seriously injured; he was giving the heat in the battle and fight like a brave soldier and like a lion at the front-line attacker. There was bullet fire coming from the machine gun, he saw the enemy location and drop a bomb to him at about the distance of 15 yards. After some time, the enemy guns were at the silent, and Muhammad Tufail was brought to the hospital but despite it, he was badly injured. The area was successfully recaptured and three Indian men were caught as prisoners. He was brought at the train and during the hospital treatment, much of his blood was bleed and he got martyred on a stretcher on 7th August 1958[3].

Life of Major Muhammad Tufail:

Major Muhammad Tufail was born on 22^nd June 1914, “Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India”. He was from the “Punjabi family Arian”. His family of “Gujjar” descent and got his education from the native area. After that, he got his higher education from the D.A.V College “Jalandhar”. He was interested in the army and joined the “Indian Army”. He got training at the “Indian Military Academy” from “Dehradun” in the year of 1941. He got the commission post in the Indian Army into the “1^st Battalion” of the “16^th Punjab Regiment (1/16^th) in 1943 of the Indian army”. He was in the force of the Indian army and was giving the services in the Punjab Regiment. After that, he joined the Pakistan Army and was on the administrative post between the year 1947-1958 of the Pakistan Army. He gave the services from 1947-1954 and appointed from the “Federal Government” to the “Provincial Governments” and served the services as an advisor and the trainer permanently dispatched to the East-Pakistan Rifles in 1954[1].

The career of Muhammad Tufail:

Muhammad Tufail started his career from the “East-Pakistan Rifles” and gave the services in the army as a “Commanding Officer” in the Military Company which was near to the “India-Pakistan Border”. In the year of 1957, the Indian army crossed the border and occupied the “Lakshmipur” area of “East-Pakistan”. Some people were living in the houses and their animals, they have to leave that area due to the Indian army occupied[1].

Respond of Pakistan Army:

In the meantime, Pakistan Army got the news of the area occupied by the Indian Army. The Pakistan Army retaliates and Major Muhammad Tufail had ordered to quick response against the Indian Army. Major Tufail gave the briefings to the platoon and divided the platoon into three teams that were for the quick response against the Indian Army battalion[1].

7^th August 1958 day:

On the day of 7^th August 1958, Major Muhammad Tufail made a slow “quadrupedal movement” near the Indian Army posts and involved in a firefight with the enemy forces as adjacent as 15 patches to make them eliminate from their spots. His team was leading from the backside of the post and on the other hand, two teams were from the right side while the enemy was at the front side. Major Muhammad Tufail was the first person who got the injury coming from the front from a bunker. The bunker was near to him, he threw a grenade on the post and slaughtered the machine soldiers. He killed all the Indian Army that was inside the post and he was injured out from the bunker. He fought against the Indian army from the front of the machine gun, close to the enemy. He extinct the enemies from the front post that was targeting the Pakistani army troops by throwing the grenade[1].

The action of Major Muhammad Tufail:

On the other hand, the bravery of Major Muhammad Tufail protected many lives of Pakistani Army troops. His action was not forgotten able for those that were protecting the country and the nation. When his team was leading from the backside of the battalion bunker and the Indian army was retreated from the original position, the four were dead at the spot and the other three were caught as the prisoners[1].

Medical Treatment;

He brought by the train to the hospital and received immediate medical treatment. His wounds were so deep and much of his blood was already bleed. His last words were that said to the junior officer “I have completed my duty; the enemy is on the run”. On the day of 7^th August 1958, Major Muhammad Tufail was yielded from his wounds. At that time, his age was about 43-44 years[1].

Buried:

Major Muhammad Tufail was buried in the “Burewala” in the province of Punjab. Later the federal government established a tomb of marble in 1967[1].

Telefilm on Major Muhammad Tufail:

After the death of Major Muhammad Tufail, the telefilm was telecast by the Pakistan Television (PTV). He became the 2^nd Pakistani Army officer who was awarded by the “Nishan-e-Haider” by the President of Pakistan and presented by “Ayub Khan”. The citation was written in the Urdu Language on the grave on the marble. The citation was written as[1];

Citation:

After the establishment of Pakistan, Major Muhammad Tufail served with Difference in the 13^th of Punjab, he was leading towards promotion to Major in the year of 1958. He was affiliated with the East-Pakistan Rifles and was trusted as the commanding officer of the quick response teams of the close-quarter combat to liberate the district Lakshmipur by undertaking the difficult mission. The success of these efforts came with the display of tremendous courage despite being mortally wounded while being under fire[1].

The flag hoisted in the East-Pakistan:

The “Green and white flag with the star and Crescent” was hoisted by the Pakistani Soldiers at the Lakshmipur in East-Pakistan. On the day of 7^th August major Tufail sacrifice his life to save his mutinous soldiers and was later presented the Nishan-e-Haider[1].

References:

1.            wikipedia. 8th August 2020; Available from: wikipedia

2.            nation. 8th August 2020; Available from: nation

3.            Pakistanarmy. 8th August 2020; Available from: Pakistanarmy