Ahsan Malik Ahsan Malik was the Pakistani commander who defended Kamalpur in the Indo - Pakistani War of 1971 . He was a Captain at that time serving in 31 Baloch of Pakistan Army . Defence of Kamalpur . The defence of kamalpur , a hamlet on the border , by Capt Ahsan Malik and his 140 men would be an epic in any country ' s history . He had 70 soldiers of 31 baluch and the same number of para - military troops ; all fought well against all odds . Attacks against Pakistani border outposts in the north had begun in July . These were mounted by mukti bahini , mainly former members of east Pakistan ' s regular forces , but failed to make any impression . Further attacks on kamalpur , a kilometer from the border , came on 22 October and 14 November , the latter being made by 13 guards battalion ( of kler ' s bde ) which established blocking positions to the south . Malik was cut off and his CO lt - col Sultan Ahmed , SJ , tried to relieve him and the other two outposts ( naqshi and baromari , to the east ) without success . On 30 November ( all this before ' war ' broke out ) major Ayub of 31 baluch tried to re - supply Malik ' s tiny garrison but failed . He tried again on 4 December and was killed . Kler tried to take kamalpur on the run , using mukti bahini troops , and failed . He then mounted a battalion attack by 1 maratha light infantry on the 40 men and four 120mm mortars of 83 mortar battery ( whose soldiers we had last seen guarding the VIP lounge at Dacca airport ) and overran them , suffering one casualty . Kler then ' decided to lay siege to Kamalpur and break down its will to resist ' , according to Sukhwant Singh . ' Getting wary because of casualties , successive failures and demoralization among the attacking troops , he decided to starve out the garrison by a prolonged siege ' . A bde is demoralized by a company ? Sukhwant Singh knew that there was no Pakistani artillery in this sector , only two troops of mortars , but states that kler was , . . . further handicapped inasmuch as one of his battalions had just been reorganised from a unit raised initially for counter - insurgency with no support elements . In tracking a weak platoon post , another battalion brought out some weaknesses of leadership under fire . The battalion reached its objective with relatively few casualties . As expected , the enemy turned artillery ( he meant mortar ) fire on the objective . A mortar bomb landed on the trench occupied by four men close to the commanding officer . He saw limbs fly and lost his nerve . Captain Ahsan Malik did not lose his nerve when much worse was happening in his area At about 09 : 30 on 4 December ' after withdrawing his troops from close siege ' . Kler ' hammered the post with seven sorties of MiG 21s firing rockets and cannon and this was repeated twice later that day ' . General Gurbax Singh himself entered affairs by sending Captain Malik a note by a mukti bahini courier . . . whatever you decide to do , we have every intention of eliminating Kamalpur post . It is to save you and our sides casualties this message is being sent to you . . . he sent another note after a further air strike and this was met , as has been the other messages , by increased firing by Malik ' s men . But it could not go on . Malik received the order by radio to surrender , which he did at 1900 that day . ' He had ' , as sukwant singh goes on to say , ' put up a courageous stand . . . and surrendered after holding a brigade of besiegers for 21 days . . . manekshaw sent a personal congratulatory message to Malik commending his defiant stand ' ( a gentlemanly gesture on the part of a fine officer ) . Maj - gen gurbux singh decided to meet Malik but , while being driven towards kamalpur by kler , their jeep went over a mine . Singh was badly wounded in the feet and had to hand over to maj - gen gandharav nagra of 2 mountain division ( which was outside the theater of operations ) ; kler was also wounded but carried on .