Saif Ali Janjua
Naik Saif Ali Janjua was a Pakistani military officer and posthumous war hero. A non-commissioned officer in the Azad Kashmir Regiment, he is best known for being the second recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider, which he was awarded posthumously for his actions of valor and gallantry during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-1948. He was also the only recipient of the Hilal-e-Kashmir award which was later declared as the equivalent of the Nishan-e-Haider.
He fought in the British Indian Army during the Second World War, and following the partition of India in 1947, he opted for Pakistan and joined the Pakistan Army. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, he served as a platoon commander and was killed in action in the siege of Bhudha Khanna in October 1948.
Early life
Saif Ali Janjua was born into a family of the Punjabi Janjua Rajputs to Malik Muhammad Masoom Khan on 23 April 1922 in Nakyal, Kashmir & Jammu, British India.Personal life
Janjua was married to Zohra Bibi and had three children, Muhammad Siddique, Muhammad Raffique, and Tasweer Begum.Military career
British Indian Army
Saif Ali Janjua was enlisted into the Corps of Engineers in the British Indian Army as a Sepoy on 18 March 1941. He served for four years during World War II and when the war ended, his unit sailed back to the Indian subcontinent and was stationed at Jalandhar and Lahore.Pakistan Army
When Pakistan received Independence in 1947, he opted to join the Pakistan Army. On 1 January 1948, with the support of Sardar Fateh Muhammad Karailvi, he established the Haidri Force which was named Sher-e-Riasti Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. Muhammad Sher Khan and later renamed to 18th Battalion. Due to his dedication and leadership qualities, Janjua was promoted to Naik and made Platoon Commander of the Sher-e-Riasti Battalion, now known as 18th Azad Kashmir Regiment.He inflicted heavy losses on the enemy at Bhudha Khanna and repulsed the attacks of the Indian Army's 5th and 19th Brigade at Pir Kalewa on 20 October 1948. While deployed there, he faced constant frontal and crossfire from opposition machine guns. He defended his post and imposed significant losses on the Indian Army. The enemy used every means to capture the post with the two companies' attacks and heavy shelling but he still managed to retain his post with just a handful of men.