Unclaimed and Buried: The Pakistani Soldiers Left Behind on Indian Soil Since Kargil War
As India prepares to observe Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, honouring the soldiers and airmen who died reclaiming territory from intruders, a stark contrast remains across the Line of Control. In Pakistan, there is no state commemoration for the soldiers who perished in the freezing heights of Kargil, Batalik, Tololing, and Chotbalta. More than a quarter-century after the 1999 conflict, dozens of Pakistani soldiers remain buried on Indian soil, forgotten and forsaken by their own military establishment.
It is documented that the Indian Army provided honourable burials to several fallen Pakistani regulars, complete with full military honours and Islamic religious rites. While many remains were repatriated to Pakistan over the years through diplomatic or military channels, several dozen Pakistani soldiers, including officers, were never claimed. Today, they lie buried among the jagged rocks of the high-altitude battlefields where they fell.
Major Imran, a former Pakistan Army officer now residing in Canada, has meticulously documented the names and photographs of some of these abandoned officers on his website. Having served in the general area of conflict in 1999, he sheds light on several specific cases.
Captain Farhat Haseeb Haider of 9 Punjab/7 NLI: In early June 1999, his unit was ambushed by the Ladakh Scouts in the Chorbat La sector. While leading a counter-attack with 10 soldiers, he was killed. Though posthumously awarded Pakistan's Sitara-e-Jurrat, his body was never recovered by Pakistan. He remains buried under an unmarked boulder.
Major Abdul Wahab of 32 Baloch/6 NLI: Having volunteered for the conflict zone, he was deployed to the Batalik sub-sector. Critically wounded during an intense exchange of fire with Indian troops, he chose to hold his position alone to allow his men to retreat. He was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Jurrat, but Islamabad never sought his body from the slopes of Tololing.
Captain Muhammad Ammar Hussain of 1 Commando Battalion, SSG: Deployed on the slopes of Tiger Hill, he fought alongside Captain Karnal Sher Khan, launching fierce counter-attacks against India's 8 Sikh. Both were killed. The Indian Brigade Commander, Brigadier M P S Bajwa, was so impressed by Sher Khan's bravery that he ordered his body repatriated with a citation, leading to Khan receiving Pakistan's Nishan-e-Haider. However, Captain Hussain's body was left behind; he lies buried where he fell on Tiger Hill.
The story also includes a reported interaction between commanders. Brigadier Bajwa (retd) recalled a battlefield radio communication around July 27, 1999, with Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa, Commanding Officer of Pakistan's 19th Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment. Mustafa requested to speak with the Indian brigade commander, invoking the name of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who had served in the regiment before partition. The Pakistani officer reportedly said, 'Hello Sir, this is Lt Col Mustafa from the Frontier Force Regiment. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was part of the FF before Partition.' The request was related to retrieving bodies of his troops, citing the honour of his battalion.
These cases highlight a tragic aspect of the Kargil War: soldiers who gave their lives but remain unclaimed, buried in foreign soil, with no official recognition from their own country.
