A conversation between Sardar & Pathan which marked a pivotal moment in Kargil war

Brigadier MPS Bajwa (L); bodies of Pakistani soldiers being carried back across LoC (R) (Courtesy: FB | Heroes in Uniform)

Several important events had shaped the Kargil war of 1999, where Indian forces ultimately prevailed over Pakistan. One such event was the capture of a Pakistani solider by the 192 Mountain Brigade and an ensuing conversation between the commanding officers of the countries.

The incident helped India prove to the world that the neighbouring country was sending its regular troops across the Line of Control (LoC) and rebutted Pakistan's army claim that only "mujahideens" were the ones waging war.

Brigadier MPS Bajwa, who was then commander of the 192 Mountain Brigade, gave a detailed account of the incident to The Indian Express.

The story goes that a solider of Pakistan army, Sepoy Mohammad Arshad of 19 FF, was caught alive as he was lying injured among the dead bodies of Pakistani soldiers killed by 3/3 Gorkha Rifles troops in the Zulu Top sector.

Brig Bajwa told The Indian Express that the sepoy appeared to be in a state of trauma when he was captured by the Indian troops.

He said that the he was unable to understand the language of the Gorkha soliders since they were speaking in gorkhali. It was then that Brig Bajwa intervened and spoke to the Pakistani troop in Punjabi.

"Mohd Arshad kee haal hai, kaka tagro ho (How are you Mohd Arshad. Come on boy show some grit)," he asked.

The Pakistani soldier broke down upon hearing these words and told Brigadier Bajwa that speaking to him in Punjabi brought him relief. "You seem like a Commander. I've never met one in my service," he said. Grateful to the Indian troops for their help, the injured Pakistani prisoner of war admitted that his unit had warned him that Indian 'kafirs' would kill captured soldiers from his country.

A phone call between a Sardar & Pathan

Another related incident was when India returned the bodies of Pakistani soliders with full military honours.

Lt Col Mustafa, CO of 19 FF, spoke to Brig Bajwa on wireless communication and requested India to return the bodies of the Pakistani troops killed in action.

Brig Bajwa told IE in an old interview that the Pakistani officer said: "Hello Sir, this is Lt Col Mustafa from Frontier Force (FF) Regiment."

The Army veteran further said that the Pakistani officer invoked Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, saying that he was part of FF before the partition.

“Your boys have fought very well. My boys have been killed. And you know that this is a case of ‘izzat’ of the battalion. My request is that I be handed over the dead bodies as I would like to bury them myself. This is for the ‘izzat’ of paltan,” Brig Bajwa recalled Lt Col Mustafa as saying.

Brig Bajwa said that he asked the Pak CO for something in exchange if he wanted the bodies of his troops to be returned. In response, the Pak officer promised that his troops will return to their side of the LoC.

"Next fight will not happen, he said,” Brig Bajwa recounted him as saying.

He added that he was unsure of Lt Col Mustafa's promise and asked him how he could trust his word.

To this, the Pak CO said that he is a "pathan", suggesting that Brig Bajwa can trust him.

"He said 'I am a Pathan'. I told him that 'I am a Sardar’ (Sikh) and I will hand over the bodies as promised. This decision was made by me on the spur of the moment on the spot,” he told IE.

Notably, the Pakistani officer was told categorically that India will hand over the bodies in a proper manner with military customs and they [Pakistan] should not try to take back the bodies in gunny bags.

A video clip of the bodies being handed back to Pakistan was made to document the fact that regular Pakistani soldiers were fighting in the war.