- Havildar Lalak Jan remembered for exceptional bravery during Kargil conflict.
- ISPR says he refused evacuation despite sustaining critical injuries.
- Says his sacrifice remains symbol of courage, resilience, selfless service.
The Pakistan Armed Forces on Monday marked the martyrdom anniversary of Havildar Lalak Jan Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider, paying tribute to his extraordinary courage and supreme sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, along with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, joined the Armed Forces in commemorating the day, paying tribute to what it described as his unwavering devotion and supreme sacrifice in defence of the country.
The military’s media wing described his conduct during the war as an example of unwavering devotion and sacrifice in defence of the country.
On this day in 1999, ISPR said, Lalak Jan held his post through wave after wave of enemy attacks, refusing to fall back even as the fighting intensified around him. He was critically wounded during the assault but declined evacuation — choosing instead to stay and lead his men until he was martyred.
“Despite sustaining critical injuries, he refused evacuation and continued to lead by example, fighting with indomitable determination until he embraced martyrdom in the line of duty,” the statement said.
ISPR called his sacrifice a shining symbol of courage and selfless service, one that the armed forces and the nation continue to draw on. It said his story still carries weight for soldiers today, pointing to the same ideals of duty and honour that he embodied more than two decades ago. The statement ended with a pledge from Pakistan’s people and its military to defend the country’s sovereignty with the same spirit Lalak Jan showed on the battlefield.
Lalak Jan was born on April 1, 1967 and joined the Pakistan Army on December 10, 1984, eventually serving with the Northern Light Infantry Regiment. When fighting broke out in Kargil in 1999, he was among those who volunteered for the toughest ground — a forward post perched on a rugged mountain peak, directly in the path of Indian attacks.
He continued repelling repeated assaults of the Indian forces, inflicting heavy losses on the attacking side.
However, on July 7, heavy mortar fire tore into his position and left him critically wounded. He held on to his position anyway. Refusing to be evacuated, he kept fighting until his injuries overtook him and he was martyred.
