A Man who Refused to Surrender

 Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Ahmad 

Sitara-i-Jurat (SJ) & 

Bar Commander Jamalpur Fortress

On 21 November 1971, Eid day, when our fatigued soldiers had been operating in the most hostile environment for almost ten months, including a month of fasting, the Indian army felt emboldened enough to launch a full scale invasion at over twenty fronts in the east, west and north of East Pakistan. Divisions attacked our brigade positions; brigades attacked our battalion, company and platoon positions, supported by their armour, artillery and air force. When most of our defensive positions, rooted to the ground, could not be overrun, Indian forces after suffering heavy casualties resorted to outflanking moves. The aggressors could not capture, till the cease-fire.

On 16 December, not even a single town except Jessore, which was not defended for strategic reasons. For the Pakistani soldiers this was their finest hour, fighting against heavy odds with their backs to the wall inflicting heavy casualties, bloodied but unbowed when an Indian commander Brigadier, Hardit Singh Kler through a messenger asked for our Jamalpur battalion to surrender. Encircled by two brigades, the commanding officer of 31 Baloch Jamalpur Fortress Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Ahmad, Sitara-i-Juraat (SJ) replied in a message wrapped around a bullet. On 10 December, the two officers exchanged letters. The first, written by the Indian brigadier, was taken across the front line by an elderly man who delivered it by hand.

The letter read:

 To, 

  The Commander Jamalpur Garrison 

"I am directed to inform you that your garrison has been cut off from all sides and you have no escape route available to you. One brigade with full compliment of artillery has already been built up and another will be striking by morning. In addition you have been given a foretaste of a small element of our air force with a lot more to come. The situation as far as you are concerned is hopeless. Your higher commanders have already ditched you. I expect your reply before 6:30 PM today, failing which I will be constrained to deliver the final blow for which purpose 40 sorties of MIGs have been allotted to me. In this morning’s action the prisoners captured by us have given your strength and dispositions, and are well looked after. The treatment I expect to be given to the civil messenger should be according to a gentlemanly code of honour and no harm should come to him. An immediate reply is solicited". BY: Brigadier HS Kler - Commander.

The reply which was sent by Commander Jamalpur Fortness Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Ahmad a few hours, read: 

Dear Brigadier, 

"Hope this finds you in high spirits. Your letter asking us to surrender had been received. I want to tell you that the fighting you have seen so far is very little, in fact the fighting has not even started. So let us stop negotiating and start the fight. 40 sorties, I may point out, are inadequate, ask for many more. 

 Your point about treating your messenger well was superfluous. It shows how you underestimate my boys. I hope he liked his tea Give my love to the Muktis. Let me see you with a sten in your hand next time instead of the pen you seem to have such mastery over. Now get on and fight". 

Yours sincerely 

Commander Jamalpur Fortress!

 The Indian brigadier then called in his units to move closer to Jamalpur and establish road blocks. Starting morning, a number of sorties were flown by the IAF against the Jamalpur garrison. Brigadier Kler's troops were preparing for an attack on the Jamalpur garrision when the Pakistani commander, on the orders of higher command attempted a breakout. Faced with a cordon, Ahmed's troops tried frontal assault to break up the encirclement and were cut down by murderous fire by Indian troops. Pakistanis broke through the besieging enemy on night 10/11 December 1971.

 Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Ahmed was awarded Sitara-i-Jurat (SJ) & Bar for his exemplary leadership & later, he died as a Brigadier. 

Before his death, he had written & published a book regarding 1971 war, "The Stolen Victory".

Brigadier (R) Sultan Ahmad, Sitara-e-Jur'at (SJ) and Bar - The defender of Jamalpur!

 The messenger (in the middle) who was sent to the Commanding Officer of 31 Baloch Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Ahmad (SJ & Bar) by the Indian Brigadier.