Major Gen Naseerullah Khan Babar Passes Away

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Major General Naseerullah Khan Babar Laid To Rest

PESHAWAR Jan 10 (APP): Former NWFP Governor and Ex-federal Interior Minister Major General ® Naseerullah Babar, who died here on late Sunday night, was buried in his ancestral graveyard in Pirpai Nowshera district.

Large number of people including politicians, PPP leaders and workers,high ranking government officials, Ministers, MNAs and MPAs attended the funeral prayers of the veteran leader of PPP.Head of his own faction of JUI(S), Maulana Sami-ul-Haq led the funeral prayers of Naseerullah Babar late.

Naseerullah Babar died at a hospital in Peshawar due to protected illness. He was 82. Major General ® Naseerullah Babar was born in 1928 in Ismaeil Khel near Akora Khattak Nowshera district, Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa.

He was a senior central leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and served as Governor of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from 1975-1977.

Hailing from Babar tribe, Naseerullah was a former Pakistan army general and former Inspector General of Frontier Corps. He served as Governor of NWFP during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s government as well as interior minister during Benazir Bhutto’s second government from 1993-1996.

In his long career in the Army, Babar served in the artillery Corp, Aviation during the 1965 war against India and in the 1970’s he was appointed IG Frontier Corp, he retired as major General in 1976.

During the 1965 war with India, Babar single handedly captured an entire Indian company of soldiers (over 70 POWs) and was awarded Sitara-e-Jurat for this action.

In the 1971 war, he commanded an artillery brigade in support of 23 Division and later commanded an infantry division till he was wounded and evacuated from the battlefield. He also has the distinction of being awarded SJ & Bar.

After retirement, Babar join politics and contested the 1977 election on a Pakistan Peoples Party ticket from his home district of Nowshera.

After the imposition of Martial Law he famously threw away his Hilal i Jurat (with bar) and other army medals at the presiding officer of a military tribunal, when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged by the military regime of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

 

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Remembering Our Warriors

Babar “the great”

DJ conducted an extensive interview with one of Pakistan’s real warriors. Maj Gen (Retd) Naseerullah Khan Babar, SJ and Bar is an authentic hero. In wide ranging discussions, A H Amin takes him through his early life to his career as a soldier and a politician.

17. You earned an sj in 1965 for singlehandedly capturing an Indian company or company plus while you were a helicopter pilot in the war. Please describe that incident?

After the conclusion of the operations in Rann of Kutch (successful), I was assigned the task of assisting in preparation for Operation Gibraltar. Various training camps had been established in May 1965, and co-ordination and assessment of standards of training attained was essential. Brig Ishaq, Commander Rawalpindi Sector was incharge. Resultantly I had to visit 12 Division area frequently.

On 1 Sept 65, also, I had been asked to take Brig Ishaq from Murree to Rawalakot. On arrival at Murree, I learnt that Chamb had been attacked and our forces were outside Chamb. On arrival at Rawalakot we heard the same news and kept hearing so while we were there till about mid-day. On completion of his work, I suggested to Brig Ishaq that we should visit Chamb and see what the impediment was. Brig Ishaq readily agreed and we departed for Bhimber the Brigade hqs. On arrival, we heard the same news vis-à-vis Chamb and after a quick lunch, departed for Chamb area. We were totally unprepared as we neither had weapons nor maps. While I was in one of the helicopters with my 21C, Maj Latif Awan, Brig Ishaq was in the other helicopter. I

n order to ascertain the direction of Chamb, in the absence of maps, we landed in the gun area, in Padhar Nullah. Brig Ishaq decided to go back and did so in the helicopter. After having ascertained the general direction we took off in the second helicopter in the general direction of Chamb. En route, we again landed near a tank and met Major Zafar Majeed, who again indicated the general direction and we took off. It was getting late afternoon. Soon we saw a post and I asked Maj Latif Awan to land near it. Being an avid collector, the intent was to pick up a couple of weapons, from what we perceived was an abandoned post. Maj Awan told me that it was getting late and we indulged in the weapon picking on return.

While we were flying, we learnt on Arc-44, that Brigade Commander Brig (later Lt Gen) Abdul Hamid Khan had been ambushed. I began to get in touch with them and asked them to direct the helicopter, if they could see it so that we could pick up the Brigade Commander.

In the meantime, I was told by Maj Latif Awan, that we should return as it was getting late (winter afternoon/evening).

It was then that I saw the post again and asked him to land. Since I was busy in conversation with the ground, I did not see any personnel in the post. However, Maj Awan informed me that there were some men. Presuming, that they must be dead/wounded, I asked him to land and on touching down, I got out of the helicopter and shouting towards the post, asked the occupants to stand up. It was then that we realised that there were a large number of people.

In the post still keen on souvenir hunting, I returned to the helicopter and told Maj Awan that I will go into the post and he should land on the main bunker and after collecting the weapons, we shall take off.

He cautioned me that there may be a minefield around the post. I then asked a Sikh to come out and asked him to lead me into the post, when he confirmed that there was a minefield. once inside the post, I was informed that they had received some shelling in the morning, two ors had been wounded (since dead) and that their company commander, Major Negi had left them in the morning on pretext of getting supplies.

At this moment, I saw two Indian fighter aircraft headed towards the post (possibly having sighted the helicopter) they were coming in to attack. They made a pass over so as to align themselves for an attack. I immediately indicated to Major Awan about air threat and that he should take off. He did so. Just then the iaf aircraft came in for an attack and I asked the Indian troops to go to ground.

Simultaneously, some paf Sabres came on to their level and shot down both the aircraft. The debris falling near the post.

I then realised that it was a company post of 5 Sikh Light Infantry, with heavy weapons like 106 RR, a mortar and mmG from a support battalion (pattern in Indian army). I then asked them to place their weapons G-3s (1965 issue) on the parapet and move out and kept pushing them. Once they were out I asked the jco to “fall them in”, he did so. I then asked two ors to carry a G-3 each. I then addressed them and we began to march in the general direction of our fdls.

By now it was near nightfall en route, I met Maj (later Maj Gen) Abdullah Saeed and asked him to relieve me of the burden. He refused moving on I met Maj (later Lt Gen) f.a. Chishti) 2IC of an artillery unit, I asked him for a vehicle. He refused as they were re-deploying. We moved on and at nightfall reached Moel Post, asked them for some tea for the pws and informed Kharian (where Maj Latif Awan had proceeded) that I was safe.

After tea and in the dark (blessed was the full moon) we moved towards Padhar. On arrival at Padhar (Corps Artillery Mess) at 2000 hrs, I asked the pws to sit in the volleyball ground and informed that I was proceeding for dinner and that they would get their meal at Bhimber. When I entered the mess and informed (Brig Amjad Chaudhry Comd Corps Artillery) and his staff, they would not believe me and came out to see for themselves. after a quick dinner, I requested for transport as by now I was fairly tired having 7-8 miles or more. I was once again refused and informed that the vehicles will be free once the bridging equipment had been delivered at Tawi (faulty intelligence that bridging was required at Tawi). At about 0230 a.m, I was provided the transport and asked the pws to demonstrate their battalion embussing drill. They did so in exemplary fashion and we left for Bhimber.

At around 0500, we arrived at Bhimber and the panic started about escorts! However, I handed them over to the Brigade hqs, after assuring them that I would look after their interest. I was picked up at 1000 hrs, along with the souvenaires (Two G-3 rifles) and returned to Dhamial to receive a dressing down from Col (later Lt Gen) A.B Awan for having involved myself in the venture.

When the pws were interrogated, they narrated the incident. isi. late Gen Riaz Hussain (the then dg isi) informed the President fm Ayub Khan) at a briefing in the evening (2nd Sept 65) and sought his permission to publish the item in the newspapers as it would raise morale of troops.

Resultantly, it was published in all newspapers on 4 Sept 65. Since I was not contacted/asked, I was assigned to carry Gen Musa from Kharian to Chamb so as to brief Gen Yahya. He was accompanied by Gen Bakhtiar Rana, Comd 1 Corps. On seeing me Gen Musa asked me if I had seen the day’s newspapers I said “no” and he asked me to get the newspapers from his U8F aircraft. The newspapers carried the story. At this Gen Bakhtiar Rana gave me a dressing down that the army has spent so much money on my training and I was involving myself in such frivolous activity. I was awarded the Sitara-e-Juraat for bravery.

I presented one of the G-3 rifles and the 106 MM RR to the Aviation Mess and am the proud possessor of the second weapon. Souvenair hunting had its rewards!

I have given such detail because the Citation was written without consulting me and thus does not reflect the true position.

I may add that on 8 Sept 65, I met Brig Shami at Khem Karan at 1000 hrs. He asked me details of the event. The same evening he endeavoured a repeat and was martyred. The subtle difference was that Maj Awan was my 2IC and acted at my biddance, whereas, he was accompanied by Brig Bashir, who not only abandoned him but discarded his badges of rank en route. Needless to add that they were confronted by only three people.


Remembering Our Warriors Babar “the great”