Lieutenant Colonel Sajjad Ali: A death-row felony in Pakistan and a Padma Shri in India

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir was not too long ago conferred with the distinguished Padma Shri award. In the glittering ceremony on the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the previous Pakistani soldier who performed a pivotal half in India’s victory in East Pakistan was bestowed with the award by President Ram Nath Kovind.Elated at being acknowledged, Lt. Col Sajjad in an interview to WION remarked, “It’s like a dream come true….I thought things are forgotten but I found Indian people, Indian govt and your system does not forget. The small role I played, has been remembered.”President Kovind presents Padma Shri to Lt Col Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir (Retd.) for Public Affairs. He is an unbiased researcher and creator on the Bangladesh Liberation War. He joined the War of Liberation and took part in lots of battles alongside the Indian Army. pic.twitter.com/xhuCupSCto— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 9, 2021Lt Col Quazi Sajjad was a Pakistani soldier who had joined the forces out of desperation. Born on April 11, 1951, Sajjad had joined the 78 Field Regiment Artillery in Pakistan in 1971.However, upon seeing the unspeakable act of cruelties inflicted by the Pakistani military upon the commoners, he converted, carrying the confidential Pakistani paperwork which helped the Indian Army achieve a sizeable benefit over the enemy.Jinnah’s Pakistan was a graveyard: Sajjad AliTalking about his change in allegiances, Sajjad remarked, “I was part of the elite 14 Para Brigade but the horrors from East Pakistan moved me. I decided to desert and crossed into Jammu and Kashmir from the Samba border. I had Rs 20 with me, along with the pant and shirt I was wearing. But I gathered whatever I could on Pakistan’s war plans and got in touch with the Indian Army,”He additional said that Jinnah’s Pakistan had develop into a graveyard for the likes of Sajjad, “Jinnah’s Pakistan became a kabristan (graveyard) for us. We were treated like second-class citizens, with no rights. We were a deprived population. We never got a democracy as was promised; we only got martial law. Jinnah said we would have equal rights but we didn’t have any. We were treated as servants of Pakistan.”Indian Army devastated the Pakistani Army based mostly on Sajjad’s intelligenceAfter crossing over, the Indian border safety drive questioned Sajjad and took him to Pathankot the place he was additional grilled by senior officers. However, when Lt Col Zahir introduced officers with the confidential paperwork, he was shifted to a secure home in Delhi from the place he coordinated with the Indian intelligence.Reportedly, Sajjad gave particulars of Pakistani minefields, artillery place, helicopter pads to the Indian facet. As a end result, the Indian Army penetrated 56 miles into Pakistan’s Shakargarh and captured the strategic city of Zafarwal.According to a Zee report, he later educated Mukti Bahini in guerilla warfare to tackle the Pakistani military. Pointing to the supply of his inspiration to take the choice, he stated, “We heard the call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, calling people this time struggle is for freedom and independence.. I could train the Mukti Bahini.”Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahma had an enormous function within the liberation of Bangladesh as nicely. He is known as the “father of the nation”. Although Bangladesh doesn’t have a secular structure anymore, Sheikh Mujibur had proposed the identical in 1972.Do you already know #Bangladesh Mukti Bahini was educated by India at #SFF coaching centre in #Chakrata space of #Uttarakhand throughout ’71 struggle#IndiaChinaBorderTension pic.twitter.com/GkXDQBawGy— Neeraj Rajput (@neeraj_rajput) September 2, 2020 Akin to India, the newly liberated Bangladesh additionally owed an incredible debt to Sajjad and honored him with medals such because the Bir Protik, the equal of the Vir Chakra for gallantry in India, and the Swadhinata Padak, which is the nation’s highest civilian honor.Death sentence lively on the pinnacle of Sajjad for the final 50 yearsIt is pertinent to notice that an enraged Pakistan after attending to know Sajjad’s function put up a loss of life sentence in opposition to his identify.“The commanders started suspecting…Indian Airforce comes in and bombs and goes away. Some helicopters come, Sajjad must be sitting on them. I was not on the plans. It was my map..court martial was ordered and I was given death sentence. Order was to capture me alive and we would execute. We will parade u on TV, they say, Rakhey Allaha Marey Ki.”Reflecting upon the loss of life sentence issued in his identify for the final 50 years, the Lt. Col said, “It is an honour for me that there is a death sentence issued by the Pakistan Army against me. My family suffered a lot because of Pakistan. My father’s small house in Dhaka was burnt down. My mother and sister were chased by the Pakistani soldiers from their house till they were able to get a refuge,”Read More: Liberals want a lesson in historical past, PM Modi really participated in Bangladesh liberation battle and there’s a ton of proof to again thisWhile Lt. Col. Sajjad Ali wears the loss of life sentence as a badge of honour, it displays nicely on the half of the present Modi authorities that it selected such a deserving candidate for one of many nation’s highest civilian honor.