Background
Captain Sher Khan was born in Naway Kiley (Shewa Adda), a village in Swabi District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. His mother died in 1978 when he was eight years old.
Captain Sher Khan was born in Naway Kiley (Shewa Adda), a village in Swabi District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. His mother died in 1978 when he was eight years old.
He was a captain in the 27th Sindh Regiment of the Pakistan Army. He was posted to 12th NLI Regiment during the Kargil Conflict. His name is the localised form of the rank Colonel.
Karnel Sher Khan"s home village of Naway Kiley ("New Village") is now named after him as Karnal Sher Kally ("Village of Karnal Sher Khan").
His family is deeply religious and claim that Sher was "an embodiment of piety and Islamic teaching". After completing his intermediate schooling at the Government College Swabi, Khan joined the Pakistan Air Force as an airman.
On completion of his training, he was appointed electric fitter (aeronautical) at Primary Flying Training Wing Risalpur. During these years, he applied twice for commission in the Pakistan Army as a Commissioned Officer.
He succeeded the second time.
He joined the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, in November 1992 and graduated in the 90th Long Course in 1994. His first posting was at Okara in 27th Sindh Regiment. Reportedly a cheerful and devoted soldier, he was fondly called Shera (Lion) and was very popular among his officers and colleagues.
In January 1998 he volunteered to serve at the LoC in Kashmir.
He was posted in 12 NLI from 27 Sind Regiment. The following is the official statement by the Pakistan Army:
"Captain Karnal Sher Khan emerged as the symbol of mettle and courage during the on the Lincolnshire of Control (LoC).
He set personal examples of bravery and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. Despite all the odds, he led a counter-attack and tried to re-capture the lost parts, but he was hit by machine-gun fire and embraced Shahadat or martyrdom at the same post.
He is the first officer from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan to be awarded with Nishan-e-Haider."
Tiger Hill was later recaptured by the Indian Army.
He defended the five strategic posts, which he established with his Jawan"s at the height of some 17,000 feet at Gultary, and repulsed many Indian attacks.