Muhammad Akram
{{Short description|Pakistani Army Officer (1938–1971)}}
{{other people|Mohammad Akram Awan}}
{{original research|date=November 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Major
| name = Muhammad Akram
| honorific_suffix = NH
| image = Major Akram.jpg
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| native_name =
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| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1938|04|04}}
| birth_place = Jhelum, Punjab, British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1971|12|05|1938|04|04}}
| death_place = Hilli, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| placeofburial = Hakimpur, Rangpur, Bangladesh
| placeofburial_label =
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| allegiance = {{PAK}}
| branch = {{army|PAK}}
| branch_label = Branch/service
| serviceyears = 1956–1971
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| unit = 4th Frontier Force Regiment
| commands =
| battles = {{tree list}}
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| awards = 50px Nishan-e-Haider
| alma_mater = Pakistan Military Academy
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| website = [https://www.ispr.gov.pk/major-muhammad-akram-shaheed.php ISPR website]
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Major Muhammad Akram {{small|NH}} ({{Langx|ur|{{nq|محمد اکرم}}}}; 4 April 1938 – 5 December 1971) was a Pakistani military officer and the sixth recipient of Pakistan's highest military award, the Nishan-e-Haider, which he was awarded posthumously for his actions of valour in the Battle of Hilli during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Biography
Muhammad Akram belonged to Nakka Kalan, a small city in Jhelum District.{{cite web |last1=bc |first1=bloggerscouncil |title=Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed Family {{!}} Sarah Peracha Blog |url=http://www.saltnpepperblog.com/2009/09/two-nishan-e-haider-pride-of-my-family.html |website=www.saltnpepperblog.com |publisher=Sarah Peracha |access-date=9 September 2021 |language=ur| date=6 September 2009}} He was born on 4 April 1938,{{cite web |last1=ub |first1=urdubiography |title=Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed {{!}} Major Muhammad Akram History in Urdu |url=https://www.urdubiography.com/national-heroes/major-muhammad-akram-shaheed.html |website=www.urdubiography.com |access-date=26 May 2019 |language=ur|date=12 May 2012}} into an Awan family.{{cite web |author=District Government of Gujrat |url=https://gujrat.punjab.gov.pk/important-personalities |title=Important Personalities | District Gujrat |publisher=Government of Punjab |quote= to Dinga, a small City in Gujrat District,he belongs to Malik Awan family}} He was a military brat and his father, Malik S. Muhammad, was an enlisted personnel in the British Indian Army who later retired as a Havildar, an army n.c.o., in the Pakistan Army.
After securing his graduation from a local middle school in Nakka Kalan, Akram entered to join the Military College Jhelum– an ROTC and an army's OCS in Jhelum, Punjab.{{Cite web|url=http://militarycollege.edu.pk/new/alamgirian-shuhada/|title=ALAMGIRIAN SHUHADA – Military College Jhelum|website=militarycollege.edu.pk|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-18}}
{{Gallery|File:Major Akram Memorial.jpg|Major Akram's Memorial|width=190|height=250|align=left|mode=nolines|noborder=no}}In 1953, he dropped out from the Military College Jhelum due to his father's deployment, and had to take the High School equivalency exam where he took examinations in geography and intermediate education.
In 1956, he was enlisted in the Pakistan Army and posted with the 8th Punjab Regiment near India-Pakistan border.
In 1959, Muhammad Akram was selected to attend the Pakistan Military Academy but only spent a semester after being deployed in East-Pakistan as a Naik (equivalent to Corporal).
He received commission in the Army through his years of attendance at the army's OCS in Jhelum in 1961 in the Frontier Force Regiment, and was attached to the East Pakistan Rifles from 1963 to 1965.
In 1965, Capt. Akram was stationed in different parts of the West-Pakistan before being deployed in East-Pakistan as a quartermaster with the Frontier Force Regiment till 1967–68.
Nishan-e-Haider action
In 1968–70, Maj. Akram served with the 4th battalion posted with the Frontier Force Regiment, eventually becoming its second-in-command by 1971.{{cite web |title=Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed - Dost Pakistan |url=http://www.dostpakistan.pk/major-muhammad-akram-shaheed/ |website=www.dostpakistan.pk |access-date=22 October 2019}}
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, the 4th FF Regiment, which at that time was commanded by then Lt. Col. Muhammad Mumtaz Malik, was placed in the forward area of the Hilli Municipality (under Hakimpur Upazila, Dinajpur District), in what was then East Pakistan. {{citation needed|date=February 2013}} The regiment came under continuous and heavy air, artillery and armour attacks from the Indian Army. Despite enemy superiority in both numbers and firepower, Akram and his men repulsed many attacks, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. He was killed in action in the battle and was posthumously awarded the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan's highest military honour.
He was buried in the village of Boaldar, Thana/Upozila-Hakimpur (Banglahilly), District-Dinajpur. There is a monument, Major Akram Shaheed Memorial, in the midst of Jhelum city.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
Awards and decorations
{{Infobox award
| name = Nishan-e-Haider Recipient
| image =
| imagesize = 105px
| caption = Muhammad Akram received
the Nishan-e-Haider Award
| country = Islamic Republic of Pakistan
| date = 1971
| presenter = President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
}}
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Nishan-e-Haider.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War Ribbon.png|width=130}} | |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War.png|width=130}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Republic Medal 1956 (Pakistan).png|width=130}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="2" |Nishan-e-Haider (Emblem of the Lion) Posthumously | colspan="2" |Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War (War Star 1965) |
| Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War
(War Star 1971) Posthumously (War Medal 1965) (War Medal 1971) Posthumously (Republic Commemoration Medal) 1956 |
References
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External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Raja Muhammad Akram}}
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Category:People from Gujrat District
Category:Pakistan Military Academy alumni
Category:Pakistan Army officers
Category:People of East Pakistan
Category:People of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Category:Pakistani military personnel killed in action