Story of A Kargil Martyr

Shaheed GULBAST KHAN was born to the family of Mr. Gul Aman in Gulmit village of Tehsil Gojal, upper Hunza. From early childhood he was a good palyer of cricket and Soccer. He started studies at Federal Government Boys High School Gulmit and continued there till getting his secondary school certificate (SSC). He then moved to Karachi for further studies.

By then he had established himself as a brilliant player of Cricket. He played at the level of Tehsil and Sub-division (Hunza). He did his HSSC (12th grade) from Karachi and then opted to join the Norhtern Light Infentry (NLI), the armed force of the northern areas of Pakistan. He was soon promoted to the rank of L/Naik.

He was one of the soldiers of NLI who were sent to Kargil during 1998. He fought bravely and was martyred by a mortor of the Indian Army in the Shakhma Sector of Kargil.

The picture above was taken at a tournament organized by Gulmit Cricket Club in his memory. The impressive tribute paid to him by his friends and colleagueswas lauded by the community. The framed picture is of Shaheed.Gulbast Khan. The two children, both in the front, are his sons. Mr. Gul Aman (in white traditional cap) is his father.

I know him because he was my maternal uncle (Mamu). At times, I sit and think for hours about why was he, and hundreds like him from both sides of the border, killed?

We may call them martyrs and feel good about it, but does that change the fact that they are no more with us. No more available for their children, their family and for the world?

I know that had he stayed longer than the twenty eight years he lived , he would have been of more help to all of us.