Ahsan Malik
Ahsan Siddique Malik was a Pakistan Army officer who defended Kamalpur in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He was a captain at the time, serving in the 31st Battalion, Baloch Regiment. Defence of Kamalpur. Guerrilla attacks against Pakistani border outposts in the north began in July 1971. Mukti Bahini, Bangladesh liberation army, consisting of Bangla speaking Muslims and Hindus men foot soldiers supported by discriminated outlawed Bangla speaking Pakistani soldiers, took on the fully equipped and oppressive Pakistani artillery stationed at the Kamalpur garrison. Initial attempts to over power advanced stationary Pakistani Army failed because the sympathizers  of Pakistani army, Urdu-Bihari speaking Muslim legionnaires "Rajakars" ruthlessly slaughtered influential Bengalese and innocent villagers of Kamalpur. Small children, elderly women were kidnapped and used as baits. Bargaining diplomacy saved the Kamalpur Garrison on this occasion. Despite the initial setbacks Bengali liberation forces didn't stop there. Further attacks on Kamalpur, a kilometer from the border, came on 22 October and 14 November, the latter being partly supported by the Indian Army's 13th Battalion, Brigade of the Guards (of Kler's brigade), which established blocking positions to the south. Malik was cut off and his CO, Lt. Col . Sultan Ahmed tried to relieve him and the other two outposts (Naqshi and Baromari, to the east) without success. On 29 November Major Ayub of 31 Baloch tried to resupply Malik's tiny garrison but failed. Kler tried to take Kamalpur on the run, using Mukti Bahini troops, and failed. He then mounted an attack by the 1st Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry on the forty men and four 120mm mortars of 83 Mortar Battery and overran them, suffering one casualty. Kler then 'decided to lay siege to Kamalpur and break down its will to resist', according to Gen. 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. 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 reorganized from (a unit) raised initially for counterinsurgency with no support elements. In tackling 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  mortar fire on the objective. A mortar bomb landed on the trench occupied by four men close to the commanding officer (Colonel). He saw limbs fly and lost his nerve.' At about 0930 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 in the day'. Maj. Gen. Gurbux Singh (commander of the north region) himself entered affairs by sending Capt. Malik a note via a Mukti Bahini courier: '...whatever you decide to do we have every intention of eliminating Kamalpur  post. It is to save you and our side casualties this message is being sent to you ...' He sent another note after a further air strike and this was met, as had 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. Sukhwant Singh stated, 'He had put up a courageous stand ... and surrendered after holding a brigade of besiegers for 21 days ... Sam Manekshaw sent a personal congratulatory message to Malik commending his defiant stand.' and wrote  'Militarily his performance was excellent'. Maj. Gen. Gurbux Singh decided to meet Malik personally but, while being driven towards Kamalpur by Kler, their jeep went over a mine and he was badly wounded. When Capt. Malik's force was taken in, it was found that his company was nearly out of ammunition, barring a few hand grenades and a few bullets each. They were ready to fling themselves on the enemy with daggers and bayonets if it came to that, until they realised that the piece of territory they were defending was already a different country. When he returned to  Pakistan, he was decorated with a Sitara-e-Jurrat which is the third highest military award in Pakistan. Later on, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army at the time, acknowledged the bravery of Malik's men in a letter written to his Pakistani counterpart. He even wrote a personal letter to Malik.