The night of Sunday, May 22, 2011, will be remembered as one of the most haunting nights in the history of Pakistan. While Pakistan was still reeling from the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad on May 2, the 16-hour operation against terrorists at PNS Mehran served to add salt to the wounds of the nation.
At 10:40 pm I received a message from some course mates while having dinner together that a “P3-C Orion has been hit”. I tweeted this instantly, seeking confirmation from the media as I did not know whether the aircraft was hit in the air or on ground. This was the first and last message I would hear from my friends, who were now engaged in the operation.
At 12:54 am my social media feed read: My junior Lt Yaser and guards in his Squad are in the operation theater, the doctors are not confirming their condition, but saying that they have been shot – O negative blood is needed at PNS Rahat.
Just a few minutes later, we learnt that our brave junior had breathed his last. A couple of my close friends had also been shot.
I remember playing cricket with Yaser; he was an amazing athlete and one of the brightest students at the College of Aeronautical Engineering, Risalpur.
His course mate Abdullah talks about his personality:
“I haven’t known a more genuine person. The academy really puts you to test and only a fortunate few come out victorious. Lt. Syed Yaser Abbas represented the best of his kind and always managed to pass with flying colors. As per tradition, we called him ‘Naval Yaser’ (since he was part of the Pakistan Navy). Yaser was very close to me. Any person who has been at a boot-camp, will realise that when we call our course mates, our brothers, we mean it in the truest sense.
Ever since the PNS attack, I have endlessly recalled and relived the memorable times I have spent with Yaser – teasing seniors, late night gatherings, group study sessions, sitting on the roof-top chatting until late night, watching T20 world cup matches, mast qalandar sessions and the MOHA, CS gaming sessions – the list is endless. Yaser would also be early to bed the night before an exam, while we crammed but somehow he still managed to get better grades than us. He was also the one in the group who always had a bag of eatables on hand.
Yaser’s most distinctive feature was perhaps his loud, hearty laugh that could be heard long before anyone saw him coming. He always insisted he was an introvert back home, but we never really got to see that side of him. He was always joking and fooling around.
Spontaneity was his forte. Yaser executed unplanned, last-minute trips with ease. He never shied away from helping anyone who asked for his help. Even if you asked him at 3 am to come over, there he would be with his car.
All of us had been, in the last four months, planning a reunion. Just a day before the PNS Mehran attack, Yaser told me, he probably wouldn’t be able to make it for the reunion because his leaves had been postponed. He asked that we carry on without him, to which I replied that we could wait until he was granted leave. Who would have known then, that he would be the cause of our much-awaited reunion. May Allah bless his soul.”
Yaser was chatting with his friend, Umair before resuming duty that night. His last Facebook status update reads: finding it hard to bear the unbearable, need guts!
And much like the proverbial teaching in the military: no guts, no glory – his bravery, courage and sacrifice will be remembered for a long time to come.
Written on the walls of College of Aeronautical Engineering are the words ‘The Few, The Proud’. Yaser is most certainly among the few who have made his college and everyone who knew him proud by being nominated for the Nishan-e-Haider.
With the media coverage Yaser has received, he may be known to many as the face of the PNS Mehran attack, but there are tens of thousands of young men like him who have died fighting for their country.
Terrorist sympathisers are quick to point out that it is the US who has brought their war into Pakistan among other defenses for these heinous attacks of terrorism. In the face of haunting attacks such as that on PNS Mehran, even the thought of a terrorist sympathiser among us is appalling.
I believe nothing can be more tragic for a nation, which is still confused about who their real heroes are.
Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi is an aeronautical engineer, a poet and a social activist who is the founding force & chairperson of the Pakistan Youth Alliance. He can be found on Twitter and Facebook.
*Photos by author
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
In regard to those mentioning the other lives lost…
Well, this one isn’t being singled out as more important than another. If you look, it’s his friends and family taking the initiative to bring it to the front.
I’m sure that others who died would get the same recognition if their friends and family did the same.
It’s just that nobody has made the effort and it’s hard for people on the internet to comment about a person when they know nothing about them. Not even a name.
But, nobody is stopping anyone from changing that.
Brave people live for ever…
What to say – since i am speechless.
A real sign of bravery and courage. We are proud of him and may his soul rest in peace.
From what we have gathered from the media, the first Orion was blown up at nearly 10:30 pm. It was less of terrorist attack and more, a commando rapid operation. In such operations the attackers exit immediately after achiving their object. In this case two Orion airplanes. It seems unlikely that the intruders were engaged by the security guards, the only force present at that time. Our Naval Commandos arrived and started operation at around 4.30 AM. Should we beleive that the terrorists were loitering around the Mehran base from 10:30 untill 4:30? If they had left immediately after destroying the target, which they must have, then what operation did start at 4:30, and against who? I hope we are not faced with yet another series of lies. Also, the worse nightmare, in this case, is it possible the Naval Commandos shot the rangers and security guards who were looking for terrorists in the bushes. So, 14 peple were killed; ten rangers and navy employees and four others from the same group. When will the true story come out. Is it possible Lt. Yasser got killed by friendly fire? Or was he near one of the Orion when it exploded, causing fatal injuries to the young naval officer. One thing is clear, the Naval Commandos were not present during the swift operation, thus should not try to give any authentic account of the operation.
You seem good at creating confusion … exactly like Pakistani politicians with double standards and twisted discourse.
Utterly disgusting
Khalid Latif has a very valid point . . .. quite plausible scenario!
Our brave nation has sacrificed a lot in the war against terror. We should address the international concerns by showing our commitment to this war.
The few………….the proud
This brilliant, vibrant young solidier could have done so much more for his country before he was cut so mercilessly in the prime of his youth. Shaheed though he is and we are very proud of him but i implore the policy makers and the generals in the GHQ not to let his sacrifice go in vain. The time has come to take this battle to its final conclusion …. which is a victory for the Pakistani state …. for the Pakistani nation.
GREAT JOB
Salutes from India for the brave Lt. Yasir Shaheed
Inna Lillahi….Rajeoon!
The heights that great men reached and kept,
were not attained by a sudden flight!
They, whilst, their companion slept,
were toiling upward in the night! May ALLAH SWT rest Yaser bhai’s soul in Jannatul Firdous, Aameen!
With all due respect to Lt. yasir shaheed that he sacrificed his life for Pakistan but why we forget the all other jawan and non commissioned soldiers and mango men and the police men who are killed by bomb blasts and stray bullets everyday. They are also shaheed and they should also be given the due respect and honor and should also be remembered like Late Yasir. May Allah save our country and May Allah rest all shaheeds in Peace.
As Salamu Aliakum
Yasir is my cousin And i would like to say that he made us proud. I grew up with him. He is GEM that sparkled when it was needed. i love him.
It is alarming that we had a poor security & safety system at such an important place in the process we lost ten brave trained personel and naval chief statement that we did not suffer too many looses makes me to think that Mr chief what else ?
I am a Col in the Indian Army and could instantly relate to this young offr’s life with my own days and coursemates in the military academy.
A brave man and a true friend – his sacrifice will inspire many more. May God bless his soul and give courage to his near and dear ones.
Pakistanis are under attack, who paint the the entire nation with one brush, as agents of America.
Their target is American interest, which constitute Americans and those who support Americans.
On having accounts of the attack and learning about the valour with which Lt Yasir put up resistance to protect the honour of the motherland, I could say only a soldier worth his salt could do so. Yasir made all of us, all Pakistanis very very proud. In fact, he give us the feeling of pride we all had started to lose in ourselves, as a nation standing up to protect the dignity and honour of our motherland. I believe if there were an award higher than Nishan-e-Haider, Lt Yasir makes a befitting nomination. All live and everyone dies, Yasir lives in eternity.
very sad to see our young people dying … for reasons unavoidable ….
this is NOT, has NEVER been our war .. we were a peaceful third world country before 9/11 progressing at turtle’s pace but now we are in stone age bcoz of the war imposed on us n our corrupt rulers … and the enemy is making full us of it not missing a single chance to kill soldiers, policemen, civilians in offices, masjids, streets and where not …
What the hell? Your people are dying in THOUSANDS… your resources are being destroyed in BILLIONS… and you still have the nerve to say that it is NOT YOUR WAR?!?!
I don’t care whether it was imposed on us, we voluntarily decided to own it, unwittingly got involved in it. This is now by all means OUR war. No war in a sense is truly someone’s if you look at it. World War became everyone’s war because Germany decided to attack Poland and other European countries. They could’ve cried in a similar fashion that since it is an unprovoked attack, it is not our war.
In an attempt to counter Indian efforts to destabilize Pakistan, we created a monster that just got cold feet and turned on us instead.
It literally kills me to see comments as foolish and naive as yours that while our thousands of loyal soldiers are fighting in Waziristan trying to find the motivation that it is our war – a war for our survival – people like you come along.
It MAY, just may not have been our war, but now it is. Kindly accept it and do something about it rather than keep getting beaten up and whining that it is not our fight.
Whosoever did this act cannot be a muslim. Killing innocent people is not what a muslim do. May Almighty decend his wreth upon the conspirators, protect innocents and give unity to muslims…
Sir, please stop misleading yourself. They were Muslims and they do think that they are the only real muslim. And they are dying for religion. It was revenge attack for OBL. Now wonder how many Americans were killed. For them a lot of people posting here are not true muslim. The religion has been hijacked by the fanatics and all the TV media seems to be finding the invisible hand when there are none. You can only fight when you know who your enemy is and the problem is that even after knowing you are refusing to believe.
May God bless him with eternal peace. Aameen.
The greatest asset……..Faith,… and the time come courageous Syed Yasser Abbas (shaheed) evaluated it for his next, as courageous Shaheed Rashid Minhaz who inspired someone to do something to get benefit from life here and here after (sure they are among us even…), being a Pakistani we proud on all of our Jawan who sacrifices their life for beloved country PAKISTAN, salute them…
Innalillahi wainna ilaihi rajiun….
every soul will die, it’s true, but even, Rasulullah cried when someone died, if I am not mistaken, he cried alot to see the dead body of a shaheed in a war.
May ALLAH place Lt Yaser among HIS beloved ones. ameeen…
I am glad to see that most of us has the vision to see the truth but at the same time I am disappointed to see that after all the loss we have faced as a nation there are still some who criticize those who have given their lives for all if us.There is nothing more precious than life and the fact us that this young,vibrant and genuinely capable young man of our nation has lost his life fighting against our common enemy.He of course had choices but he chose the path of martyrs to hiding and saving his life.Why can’t we understand that simple logic.His family has gone through an immense loss while we are sitting in our houses comfortably even changing the news channels when it gets too much for us.Who has given us the right to judge?What have we done for our nation??I think we should all question ourselves first before pointing fingers to others.I know there have been thousands of our men and women who have sacrificed their lives because of terrorism in Pakistan and they all deserve every honor but I want to believe that if he has been particularly nominated for Nishan i haider then there has to be a genuine reason and I feel just looking at him and knowing what he has done is a big inspiration for our youth.I am sure many ate ready to follow his path just by knowing him now.He has left a legacy that others are keen to follow .This in itself is commendable.May Allah gives his family courage and strength to deal with this loss and I am sure Allah has special place for him as he has promised for all shaheeds
I may be one of those despised Americans and know little about him but…
His facebook status combined with his reaction while on the phone with his mother it’s obvious that he was undoubtedly sincere in his role of protecting the people and the country.
The phone call information, though a seemingly small detail, is one of the most telling aspects. It was an explosion very close to him and it was impossible for it to not register as life threatening to anyone. He still went, seemingly, without hesitation. That would have caused lesser people to freeze in place, not take action.
I do hope that his name doesn’t get dragged into any conspiracy theories. Those few things are enough to know that a negative role in one of those theories is not in his character.
It is quite tragic.
when a nation has wrong priorities and manufactured enemies then its young one dies,history has been studed with such examples.May the soul of dead rest in peace.
Sorry to hear about your friend, who sadly along with thousands of other Pakistanis, has been killed by militant terrorists. I bet he was brave and went beyond his patriotic duties, but there maybe a need to come to terms that due to his background, to be rewarded with the highest medal, even if the achievement was extraordinary and deserved, would be unlikely in such an establishment.
I hope the leadership and society finally realize the crisis, get accountable and abandon defunct policies. The earlier ignorance, corruption and denialism, hence, lack of security and professionalism and development, has cost too many lives.
Most of these militants and their enablers are Pakistani citizens, some of whom used to be part of the security establishment, who’ve chosen to betray their fellow countrymen as traitors. Hence, the inside knowledge and preparation for the attack.
The few ‘foreign elements’ amongst the militants aren’t the Indian/American variety that conspiracists fantasize about but evidence seems to be pointing towards citizens of neighbouring countries, such as Afghans, Uzbeks, Chechens and the full Arab spectrum, who seem to have imported a shared uncompromising ideology.
The solutions are all available. They just have to be followed through and implemented willfully. But to start, there has to be a sincere admittance to the problems and short-comings first…
Mr Yasir You have died a better death than I will. salute to you !
May the soul of Yasser R.I.P and himself and his family are in my prayers. He was a Shaheed as he died while on duty. I am not aware of the exact circumstances of his death as they have not been made available, however, I would suggest that Nishan-e-Haider be only given to him if his actions merit such distinction otherwise this may not bode well for the honor itself or its past recipients.
very sad to see this courageous sodier laid down his life for a nation who still needs to make up their minds about what they stand for. In times when our forces might as well be as unaware as any one of us, as to who they are up against.
very sad times and a very sad loss.
Salutations to you my young Shaheed brother,
You proved that you didn’t run away from the battle and was killed fighting. May soul your soul be pleased in higher skies and get closer to God for the blood you have for your nation. May Allah grant peace and contentment in the hearts of those who love you.
We all are proud of you Shaheed.
Stay Alive!!!
Till now i have been hearing all about Lt. yasir, but what about the ‘Jawans’ , i hardly hear anyting about them let alone any article or blog. Does anyone know them too or were they not part of anything?
its very sad how our people get killed, talked about for a day or two and forgotton, we are a nation with the weekest memory, which is the most damaging flaw to bring a country down. THE OFFICERS KILLED in this tragedy will not be remembered by no one except for thier families, there are millions of reasons for it, one is that we
This Kid lost his life, I feel for his family and loved ones. He gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Him and others who died in the attack deserve nothing but the best from rest of us. What I find outrageous is that somehow as a nation we are not angry enough to erase these religious fanatic terrorist from the face of earth. Why are we not spitting mad? What will it take for us to wake up? We owe this kid and so many other innocent civilian that these talibans have killed in the name of Islam?
“Those who are martyred in the name of Allah, dont call them dead, they are alive and they are being given rizq” BRAVO Yasir! You have made us Proud. Pakistan Zindabad. Pakistan forces Paaindabad. Kill these terrorists the only solution for peaceful Pakistan.
I feel so sad as if i lost my brother.Its high time that everyone should stand against terrorism.May god give him peace
well yasir was junior of mine in academy. although we did not interacted much, but he was a very decent and calm person. Yasir! God bless you and all who martyred in that incident. Amin
I was among those luckiest persons who were in Pakistan Air Force Academy Risalpur in 2006. If I remember right, there were some Naval cadets too and I think Yasir was senior than me (but I don’t remember his face). PAF Academy really puts courage, patriotism, skills and zeal in the personality of cadets which is unprecedented in civil academies. I was unlucky that I decided to resign from my service during training due to my dislike of some western way of training instead of using Islamic way of grooming cadets. Soon after resigning service, my roommate Flying Officer Bilal and some other coursemates of 97NGD died in Sargodha blast and now I heard the tragic death of Lt. Yasir. I also wanted to embrace martyrdom for the sake of Islam and my country but alas western mode of training compelled me to quit service. I salute all martyrs who embraced martyrdom for the sake of Almighty Allah.
A really well written ‘tribute’ to a hero of our time!
I know how it is losing a close friend! But after all he would always be remebered – that is the life we all seek to live! may be in future… students would learn about this hero in their text books with all the other heroes that we all had studied about! “Lt.Yasir… U made our generation really proud”
This is heart breakening news
Pakistanis all around the world salute you for yor sacrifice for the country.
I am proud of Yaser Shaheed, his family and Pakistan Army, as they lead from front; officers are first to steer in the face of death.
lt yasir has done what is expected of every soldier in uniform. i.e. save the integrity of ones motherland whenever the need arises. when some body dies doing this noble job he should be saluted.
I can not comments on this huge loss.
As long as there is no accountability of leadership both political & army, why would men like Yaser lay their lives on the line? I guess he knew it, yet he answered the call of duty. Condolence to the family.
Loss of young, capable individuals like Lt Yaser is too big a price to pay for any country. They are indeed the hopes of the country and community tomorrow. We pray for a tomorrow when all this senseless loss of life stops.
Even while you read this, many of our brave men and officers are standing alert at hazardous glaciated posts of Siachin, far flung outposts of Kel, Lipa, Nikru and other difficult areas of Kashmir and vulnerable posts along Afghan Border. Patrolling the Taliban invested roads and streets of Waziristan, demands highest degree of devotion, courage and the mental agility, for which these brave soldiers truly deserves our appreciation. They are there so we can enjoy our evening Big Mac after watching a movie in the Cinepex. I salute Yasir Shaheed, who fearlessly responded to the call of duty and laid his life. Well done Blogger and Dawn.
I was deeply saddened when i heard about him, though didn’t knew him, but you know as hearing from others he was very brave and inshallah his thoughts will inspire the new comers. Everyone has to die one day, but Allah Almighty provided him the grade of shaheed which every person doesn’t get.
AG Khan raised serious questions. That’s why an independent inquiry is needed to obtain answers. Raising questions is not actually parallel to supporting terrorists. I have no doubts about the bravery of Yasir Shaheed because he faced bullets on his chest; but we need to raise questions why all major aircrafts were lined-up at the same and small place and why there was no premptive plan for such attacks because the Game Theory is the part soldiers syllabus; which is the tool to examine all possible situations… We muslims are very emotional by nature.
Salute to Lt.Yasir Abbas and other seven brave men who sacrificed their lives in PNS Mehran attack.Also salute to the thousands of counless people who have lost their lives in this war against terrorism.For Mr.A G Khan, I think you have missed some crucial details about the events that took place.Just watch the interview of shaheed Yasir’s mother shown on every TV channel.You will be embarresd about what you wrote, IF you have some respect for others.And please dont compare people working in peace time with people working in war time.Its a 180 degree turn.I think he has done enough to make him worthy of Nishan-e-Haider!!
well as the dust settles down after the tragic incident which enraged the whole nation n raised serious security concerns for da whole nation..we just need to appreciate those who lost their lives in the line of their duty,,this is sumthing most of us hav never evn thought of..u need to hav guts to do this..n on our parts we need to hav sumthing in our heads to understand the wider scenario..just pray for the departed.
AOA
I live in Canada, I heard the news on the TV. I never met any of those who left us. I know one thing and I shared with all of my friends all the the time. Our enemies never ever defeated us in the battle filed they always always use traitors to defeat us, we will mourn off curse but for the brave ones wars come and go but his soldiers are immortal and we are one of them.
Last note If I can do any thing for the bereaved family I will do please contact me at: khanraheel@hotmail.com
Salutations
This is a befitting tribute from a friend and no more. Please continue with your tweeting but do not tweet your friends on sensitive duties.
The sacrifice and bravery of Lt. Yasir Shaheed will always be remembered, he is our hero who made the whole nation proud. May God bless his soul and give courage to his family. Pakistan Zindabad
May Allah Showered His Countless Blessing on all the Martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the noblest cause.
Rizwan has something to say; Everybody should read it twice.
Nation is proud of his brave son. It the time to fight with extremeism with clear mind and target. So Join hands to root out religious fundamentalism.
I am from Bangladesh. The attack at Mehran was shocking. I agree completely with the comments of Vikram. A.G.Khan is an idiot. It is the jealous donkeys and illiterate extremists who are destroying Pakistan and are a cancer in the region.
This is for A G Khan, ur mentality suggested that u r a pathetic terrorist sympathizer, people like u give our country a bad name. Lt Yasir will always live in the heart of every patriotic Pakistani.
I salute Yasir as he made the ultimate sacrifice
Now I don’t know exactly how things unfolded,but atleast he faced the terrorists n didn’t thought of saving himself.
But lessons must be learned,as they say if u get slapt once it might not be ur fault but if u get slapt twice it certainly is your fault. May Allah hive him Hannah n give his family Sabr ameen
NH is the highest national award for exceptional bravery and there are certain requirements to be met before it can be awarded to the deserving soldiers.There are many soldiers like Yasir who left behind a blazing trail by laying down their lives during the counter insergency operations.
It is a pointless discussion whether or not Yasir deserves an NH. His real reward lies in the life hereafter.
we cannot say no one knows how this tragedy happened, these ppl already had invaded GHQ in a similar fashion and this attack was no different, they went into the lahore police academy in the similar fashion twice,then they hit quetta cadets recently. why security is not beefed up near these places? It’s a shame that our security measures are not tough. I wonder who will be able to explain to the families of those who started out thier day just like any other day and at the end of it thier lives will be scarred forever. I also don’t believe we got problems from the inside only, there is bound to be an external help in which these attacks are coordinated and the way they are financed. Bet they be thinking now, why we let raymond davis go when we had found out what he really been upto.
I am ex-CAE Risalpur from many years ago but I can still relate to what all is written in the blog. It is a tragedy that we lost a such promising man so early in his life and all due to the incompetence of his superiors. He was probably the duty officer on the day. Being a duty officer is not a day job. Its on a rota. He was not to structure the security of the base but to follow the procedures that the base commander and his staff would have prepared. And those procedures, as we have seen were in-adequate. There was no layering of security. No matter what the navy says, the attackers were only challenged once they announced their arrival by unleashing their terror. In spite of the navy being under attack twice in the preceding month, the assets were not dispersed but laid out nicely as christmas presents for the attackers. Whether he was talking to him mom or not, he was not required to come out but he felt responsible enough to do so and that takes a lot more courage than all of us sitting here commenting on (and some criticising) his actions.
Thank you for writing this tribute. And shame on naval bosses.
I’m really sorry for your loss and for the loss of a great person from this world. Making one cry is the easiest thing to do, yet the contrary is one of the hardest, which as you outlined, Yasser was impeccable at.
It’s really sad times for Pakistan and unfortunately, there tend to be more sympathizers and supporters of the terrorists than the terrorized! Unfortunately, all these politicians who call themselves leaders of the population are worse than vultures and vampires, who live off the blood of the people of their own country yet cowardly don’t accept their heinous crimes. So who do we really look upto? Who does the upcoming generation call their Quaid?
P.S a very well articulated piece!
My Salam to all the Shaheed’s of Pakistan who lost their lives in fighting against terrorists.
I can clearly see where this country’s heading.
Truth can be hard to digest. All hopes dead. Those who kill them will surely fall.
It was a true tragedy and my heart goes out to all who sacrificed their life that night. We fully back our armed forces but at the same time emotions and backing is not enough we have to be very honest with ourselves. In my opinion Nishane Haider is just not justified in this case. There were other soldiers who died that night and then there are those who have been sacrificing their lives in the real battle fields in the northern and tribal areas and so far none have been awarded Nishane Haider. Nishane Haider is meant for an extra exceptional sacrifice and let’s keep it this way. Lastly again let’s not ignore the other lowly ranked soldiers who died too. Awards are not just for commissioned officers only.
Honestly speaking, Nishane Haider is a very noble honor and should be used in same way. I dont think this is the right thing to make it so common, that a soldier who died facing 6 or 7 gunmen in a 3 hour battle should be awarded with it. IMO, though.
…….. and one more point! Rizwan’s comments are to the point and very analytical. A rare Pakistani indeed who knows the solution to a problem cannot even start without analysing, with emotion removed for the exercise, the cause of the tragedy and what possible actions could have been taken.
May Allah Bess your soul Ameen…I wish I could do the same what LT. Yasser did. I will die defending our country. May Allah give your family courage during such difficult times…Ameen.
Why the revolution, taking place all over Middle East, not happening in Pakistan? I will tell you why. Because Pakistanis are subservient, and in particular Pakistani Youth. A single incident of a Tunisian Youth burning himself to death in public because of no job and police brutality sparked such a major upheaval across the whole region and starting in a country which is extremely prosperous (compared to the sub-continent), majority population being middle class.
Pakistanis only complain and only look for aid from others, such as the West and China. They are not willing or too scared to take any steps themselves. May be I am wrong in my analysis. After all most of the ME regimes were run by dictators while we Pakistanis at least have democracy. Ha Ha!
I hope this incident opens the eyes of the countrymen and the realize the Frankenstein living amongst them. Whether we admit or not, the Pakistani nation has become radicalized to a large extent. If people cant even condemn these barbaric acts then i guess we are even worse than animals. Even animals don’t kill nondiscriminatory like these monsters are doing in the name of religion. The image of pakistan has been dumped in a garbage can which will take time to retrieve. Our army has failed to provide security to people and act decisively against these terrorists. May god bless the country.
Syed ..lets start a ‘India and Pak Reunification ‘ campaign on FB ..what say?
comments and suggestions welcome
A hero is someone who can fight and achieve their goals.
I think the bravery of Lt. Yasir should come to light. Otherwise, 5000 Pakistani security personals and 30000 rank and file have lost their lives like him in so called Global War on Terrorism.
VERY FEW people live a life worth living as he lived,,SALUTES!!!
What about the other soldiers. Do not deserved to be mentioned?
I was among those luckiest persons who were in Pakistan Air Force Academy Risalpur in 2006. If I remember right, there were some Naval cadets too and I think Yasir was senior than me (but I don’t remember his face). PAF Academy really puts courage, patriotism, skills and zeal in the personality of cadets which is unprecedented in civil academies. I was unlucky that I decided to resign from my service during training due to my dislike of some western way of training instead of using Islamic way of grooming cadets. Soon after resigning service, my roommate Flying Officer Bilal and some other coursemates of 97NGD died in Sargodha blast and now I heard the tragic death of Lt. Yasir. I also wanted to embrace martyrdom for the sake of Islam and my country but alas western mode of training compelled me to quit service. I salute all martyrs who embraced martyrdom for the sake of Almighty Allah.
May God bless syed Yasir abbas’s soul and give courage to his family. The whole nation is proud of him and he will always be remembered.
lt yasir ,fought courgeously.he sacrificed his life for our beloved country.he proved himself as a role moddle for young soldiers
Salute to the brave hero
Mr Khan, Lt Yasir was a childhood friend of mine. I find it not just disturbing and appalling but extremely disgusting that people like you still exist! You seem to be one of those who would go on to say “ok so what if he died he knew this could happen when he joined the force!”
You are questioning the integrity of the news that has come forward which itself is a sign how sincerely you sympathize with the family of the Martyred soul. He was fighting with only 4 people yes but how many were there?!? no one knows for sure but it is estimated that they were 13, perhaps the Navy should have come to you because you seem to be some sort of sherlock holmes. May be the Navy should have to carry out the investigation!
The brave officer was not crawling! instead he repelled the attack from the enemy which you seem to be a sympathizer of. I could go on writing about this all day but the fact of the matter is he could have hidden somewhere and lived but he chose to fight with the Terrorists managing to kill a few and then proclaimed shahadat. Even if you dont agree with what you are hearing of the whole incident it does not give you or anyone else any right what so ever to question the devotion of the Shaheed!
If you still dont agree then i suggest you go to a military training field and try to solve the simplest of math questions while someone keeps firing a gun and blows a bomb close to you, may be your brain would work normally but for us 99.99% of human beings it wont and yet during the terrorist attack Yasir was able to come up with a way to repel the attack managing to kill a few and significantly minimizing the damage.
Thanks to people like you I dont think my beloved friend and a national hero would get the Nishan-e-Haider but there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he certainly deserves it. May his soul rest in peace and may God give enough strength to his family to pass through this difficult time.
I echo what Vikram said, “Say NO to terror in any form” period.
Mr Khan Lt Yasir was a childhood friend of mine. I find it not just disturbing and appalling but extremely disgusting that people like you are still exist! You seem to be one of those who would go on to say “ok so what if he died he knew this could happen when he joined the force!”
You are questioning the integrity of the news that has come forward which itself is a sign how sincerely you sympathize with the family of the Martyred soul. He was fighting with only 4 people yes but how many were there no one knows for sure but it is estimated that they were 13 perhaps the Navy should have come to you because you seem to be some sort of sherlock homes. May be the Navy should have to carry out the investigation!
The brave officer was not crawling! instead he repelled the attack from the enemy which seem to be a sympathizer of. I could go on writing about this all day but the fact of the matter is he could have hidden somewhere and lived but he choose to fight with the Terrorists managing to kill a few and then proclaimed shahadat. Even if you dont agree with what you are hearing of the whole incident it does not give you or anyone else any right what so ever to question the devotion of the Shaheed.
If you still dont agree then i suggest you go to a military training field and try to solve the simplest of math questions while someone keeps firing a gun and blows a bomb close you may be your brain would work normally but for us 99.99% of human beings it wont and yet during the terrorist attack Yasir was able to come up with a way to repel the attack managing to kill a few and managing to minimize damage.
Thanks to people like you dont think my beloved friend and a national hero would get the Nishan-e-Haider but there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he certainly deserves it. May his soul rest in peace and may God give enough strength to his family to pass through this difficult time.
yasir has laid down his life for his country he has attained such a high position with his god that he does not care for these worldly nishans as far as awarding nishan haider is concerned it is the duty of concerned official to decide, taking into account the ground reality without getting emotional or sentimental .They will see the criteria for the nishan haider is fulfilled or not.
Lt. Syed Yaser Abbas made the supreme sacrifice to save PNS Mehran. He intercepted the terrorists within minutes, before they could destoy other aircraft and helicopters parked at the base. He deserves the highest gallantry award “Nishan-e-Haider”.
The nation can also honour our heroes by declaring all out war on terrorism, violence in the name of religion must stop, Islam is a religion of peace. Any individual or organisation involved in terrorism must be destroyed. This is the supreme national duty of the government, the nation demands immediate action to restore peace in the region and the world.
A few details between the lines that need to be picked up; there were 3 PC3 parked, 2 got hit and the 3rd survived. Also there were 11 Chinese engineers in the proximity that were saved from being taken hostage. There must be something these guys did that contained the damage.
Considering the loss, it is important to be critical as a nation but not at the cost of that young boy who did pay the ultimate price. He and all other soldiers defending the country are our Hero’s.
The real failure is on part of the top Naval Brass (showing off their BMW 7Series) in deploying a comprehensive security strategy. We must demand their resignation, as a minimum.
To Mr A.G.Khan : U are a man with very limited thinking prowess, it doesnt matter how he died, all that matters is he died protecting the people and assets of this country. every man woman or child who has lost their life in this battle of ours against TERRORISM is worthy of a Nishan-e-Haider and if Yaser is the one to receive it then so be it.
May Allah Bless His Soul With Peace and Tranquility in the Eternal Afterlife. Aameen.
My condolences to the family of Lt. Syed Yaser Abbas. Yaser you have done a great pride to your Parents, to Pakistan and certainly to Ahle-Bait (a.s). The name Abbas linked with your name is nothing but a defined form of Wafa and Commitment and you have proved that by giving your own life. You are a Shaheed of our age and times and will be remembered forever. I personally plan to visit your gravesite during my next visit to Lahore.
This is jst sad on a whole new level..a young guy a the start of his career and life brutally killed to prove a point by extremists… and to think this is jst the latest name added to the longg list of people who have become victims of this endless war!
my pointless but heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends..stay strong!
I hope that the people of this country stand up to this anarchy once and for all!
My heart and prayers go out to Lt Abbas’s family and friends, may Allah give peace to the departed soul. Rest assured his blood will not go in vain. I strongly support the government’s decision to honor him with Nishan-i-Haider as well as to the SSG and Marines who lost their lives fighting the terrorists. This country need heroes like Lt Abbas and the Marines who gave their lives defending the country. Very well written piece. Thanks for giving us an insight into our fallen hero’s life. May Allah bless Pakistan!
May the soul of Yasser R.I.P and himself and his family are in my prayers. He was a Shaheed as he died while on duty. I am not aware of the exact circumstances of his death as they have not been made available, however, I would suggest that Nishan-e-Haider be only given to him if his actions merit such distinction otherwise this may not bode well for the honor itself or the its past recipients.
Dear Ali Abbas,
Thanks for this article and for sharing your thoughts with us.
Yes, we must always remember all our shaheeds without any exception. I’m sure there are some valid reasons behind this nomination that cannot be brought out to the public. If Yassir is recommended by his superiors then he must be honoured with Nishan-e-Haider.
Your last line says it all: ‘I believe nothing can be more tragic for a nation, which is still confused about who their real heroes are”. Allow me to add here that we need to determine first who are our enemies are. Once we solve the first part of this equation, the second will be solved automatically!
With my sincere condolences and sympathies for his family as well as all families of our shaheeds
This is an excellent piece. I have lost many to the madness of war. Some of them still breathing. Thing is no matter the reason, honoring this young man is what matters. May he be in eternal peace. Ameen.
Dear Bloggers.
This is insane and insensitive to question a fallen soldier’s circumstances of death to establish if he should be praised or not.
Some ignorant people making comments here do not even know that aero-nautical engineers in Navy or Air-force are not trained for combat as the regular officers he could have planned nothing. It took 17 hours for the trained Commandos to gain control over the enemy. What ever happend that day the fact is that youg Yasir was shot by terrorist and we should cherrish him as a Shaheed!!!
I have family members who have served with the PAF and the situation Pakistan is going through is truly tragic.
The eulogy expressed by Mr Zaidi is very personal for a friend who he lost during this attack. I am amazed at hostile views being expressed by some. Grow up man…. and get out of stupor.
A salute to a great soldier. its easy to sit in drawing room and write comments online but real fighting on a battle field need guts, courage and bravery. Like others i can smell jealousy from the comments of A G Khan. Yasir dint keep on sitting in his room, instead he rushed to the scene and faced the terrorists bravely. We the whole Pakistani Nation salute to yasir and to all those who laid their precious lives for our country. May Allah bless thr souls. Amin. (Guys please understand the difference between commenting like a coward while sitting in AC room and fighting bravely in real scenario).
let us salute Yasir & others like him…the heads of the forces do not deserve any sympathy whose apathy,ineptness & hollow promises have exposed them of being incompetent goofs on whom billions of tax payers money are being spent…??
Hi, Jan_ News reported that Yasir was chatting with his mother when he heard fire, he had no time to fight as soon he came out of telephone room he got killed. My requrest is that if he receives Nishan Haider….. Then every body including rangers, tow mans, and fire fighters should get same Nishan Haider( Because they actully fought for country). We salute them.
No one in the outside world knows what actually happened, but ppl who were there know it the best. thats the reason he has been recommended for the highest award possible. we might never know the reality. every shaheed is a shaheed , no matter at what level he fought. but there are very few exceptional ppl who go beyond the call of duty. and they should definitely be appreciated as much as possible. plz think that PM is not on a mission to vaguely distribute this award to anybody who died in a mission. yaser has surely done an extra-ordinary job, otherwise we might have ended with the whole burnt and destroyed naval base along with a critical hostage situation.
What a tragedy. Even if I am an Indian by nationality, my heart goes for him as if i lost my brother. There shouldn’t be a second thought in condemning these terrorist attacks. Say no to Terror in any form.
Mr. A G Khan , i seriously question ur credibility. criticizing ur protector sitting @ home is rather easy than fighting terrorists in the line of fire. I suggest u pick up a weapon and guard a post if u have a plan.
Hey Vikram.. I’ve gotta tell u something..Alot of people like me dont consider India an enemy now..there is a new guy in the town who goes by the name of “Taliban”, They have sooo replaced India!!!… So you guys are off the hook now.. Cheers ..lol
Mr. Durrani,
Most of us never understood why you guys take us to be your enemies. Besides, it appears from a distance that Pakistanis usually need an enemy to unite themselves or … Not really sure why.
I am just happy that India is not considered “the” enemy anymore by some of you. It’s a good start
great thoughts and collabrative sympathies….
no disrespect for the fallen soldier but really what is the true account of his death. From what we’ve heard so far he was talking to his mom on the phone (while being on guard duty of a sensitive military installation) and upon hearing blast, he went out of the room just as terrorists were entering the bldg and he was shot to death instantly. Second account is that he went out near the burning plane and thats where terrorits hiding in the dark took him out. None of these accounts mention him going down fighting. He probably didn’t get a chance to even fire a single shot and yet the eulogies are full of his bravery and act of valor. Medal of NH goes to someone who has displayed extreme valor and bravery against heavy odds. He was on his home turf with plenty of guards under his command and they were up against an army of …. ONLY 6 terrorits. So instead of getting emotional and getting swept with nationalistic and religious fervor, why don’t we demand enquiry to see the true FACTS come out. It took crème de la crème i.e SSG-N more than 12 hrs to retake the base & yet they were able to kill only 2 terrorits with 2 others managing to escape while being surrounded by 1500 security personnel. At the same time, terrorists were able to take out at least 2 SSG-N commandos. Navy wants us to believe that was an act of supreme bravery & courage on part of our forces. No Sir, sorry. I call a spade a spade. This was sheer incompetency, dereliction of duty and criminal negligence on part of our so called Defenders of the nation.
No offence Rizwan, but mindsets like you are a disgrace, just FYI, I dont know who this kid was, how he fought, and under what circumstances he perished, all I know is that a young, bright prospect is alive no more, just because, he chose to be there, at that point in time!!…and just on that point, I would give him all the respect he deserves….I am truly baffled by people like you, sitting in the comfy lounges, living the mom-pop life and being judgemental, truly baffled by the sheer audacity and proposterity trickling from your post, ‘oh yeah, he should have done this, he should have done that’, Who gave u the right to judge in the first place!!…..You want to call a spade a spade ehh?…how about, He is dead, u r not…He was there, u were not…..how about YOU stand up and improve the incompetency…but no, u would not, cuz people like you & me, can only talk because we are morally decayed!!!! I sincerely hope that u r not as miserable in ur real life, as u sound from ur post. PEACE!
I agree with Rizwan too. There is no doubt loss of his life is a tragedy. Pakistanis should learn to defend their military installations and borders from internal and external forces. The way things are right now I have serious doubts if our army can protect us from any invading force. Its time to wake up and face the reality. Denial is not an option for this nation.
What an idiotic comment!!! The very fact that he was there has allowed you to type this e-mail from the comfort of your home! Even if he was talking on the phone, the very fact that he had decided to dedicate his life by joining Pak Navy deserves more appreciation that one would give to you for putting a really as bluntly as I can…..a totally stupid comment!!
I totally agree, we need to be practical rather then emotional.
I agree with Rizwan, Although, I am very sad as he died so young but NH is given in very unique situations. His commanders have lost all their credibility to recommend anything except their own resignations. They are collecting sympathies while hiding behind this beautiful young man’s grave.
Dear Rizwan ,, Let me explain more that you know. LT SYED YASIR ABBAS shot 3 terrorist to death. After that he was shot. And it started like this. That Lt Yasir was head of Rapid response Sqad and he heard the blasts at the enterence of PNS Mehran. Lt Yasir was not trained only in services and he was not suppose to lead a sqad like that of fighters. He was aeronautical engineer of a helicopter.
Anyways the attackers were very very trained and they also had help from NAVY personal at the base.
The attackers had night vision and bullets that do not spark at gun fight. And much more advanced weapons. Before dying at ambulance, officers asked him how many attackers did you see. He said 25.
So Dear Rizwan the account that he killed 3 terrorist were from the guards who fought with him. When Lt yasir was shot and he became injured in the Gun battle, his own guards had so much courage that they started fighting BACK and did well enough to save one P-3 Orion Plane and all the helicopters.
The attackers could never had been so successful if they had not helped from Navy personal inside the base. Do you know who are those people. Those are not anyone But people like you MISTER RIZWAN.
Hasnain, pray tell how you are privy to this information? The point others are making is that as tragic as yasir’ death was, based upon information that has reached the general public and those in the armed forces this was someone with no tactical experience getting killed in the early moments of the surprise terrorist attack. Does this mean that we do not grieve for his death? off-course not, I grieve not just for his death but for all the others who died in this attack, but it would be a big jump to say hat yasir deserved the nation’ highest military medal. Till now the exact number of terrorists is not even known, and this is days after the attack ( 4, 5, 6, 15..?? ). Tragic as yasir’ death was/is, it’s not deserving of Nishan e Haider. Please look at the history of those who have received it in the past. Instead of getting emotional we need to take a close hard look at the circumstances that allowed terrorists to overwhelm a naval base, root out their enablers and take the country off the destructive path that it’s on.
And for all the attacks on the readers that have questioned the wisdom of nominating yasir for the nation’ highst military award, get your heads out of the sand and learn some critical thinking. Fallin for the same old simplistic cliches will not solve the nation’ problems.
peace
AGKhan sahib, i wish while you were fighting with Yasir, you could have shared your strategic & tactical knowledge with him….you may not agree with him being given an award but shame on your comments for the soldiers who gave their lives for this unfortunate land
I don’t know Yaser, but I am nevertheless a PN Engineering College Graduate, and the second Batch of NUST.
I have had many colleagues in the Navy as well as other armed services. I really do not care about the incident. It is my view that if a person has died, there are one of two things we can do, either we can criticize or we can cherish, and I believe the latter is better.
And in the end, we should never support the attackers, because they destroyed the Assets of Pakistan. By any accounts, they didn’t do us any good.
Mr. A G Khan, should understand Lt. Yasir lost his life in an attack on the PN base. Whether he was th OOD, or the Platoon commander or whatever, we should not be jealous of him or the attention he received. It was HIS DESTINY. We should only cherish his memory, and be supportive towards him and his family.
Khan and Zeeshan, should we recommend you as chairmen of fact finding team to go and find out the facts??? Ofcourse they are doing it for a reason and when time comes will let every one know what he did and why? and even if they don’t none of any one’s business. He was not selling potato chips there. At this moment I would suggest to laud these brave men and stop talking jibberish. If you were that smart and had a plan you would have been where he was standing. Its always easier said than done.
I pray ot the almighty that Yasir Abbas is blessed with what he deserves for sacrificing his life for our safety.
We are proud of you Yasir! and further proud of your parents who taught you to be one of the best among the countrymen.
Am Speechless No Words for My Dear Lt.Yasir i salute you man …..while every chap in our youth is the son
of Your Mother i wish to be like you MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH BESTOW HIS MERCY AND BLESSINGS Upon “you”
can we learn some lesson …. from this attack .. whn mothers loss their beautiful sons …….. so plz z z stop this …. innocent killing ….. SYED YASIR is a great MAN…. he lives in every HEART ….
I went to college with him( 1st year-2003) ..He used to teach me Maths.. The time we spent together at AMC mess is now a cherishable memory.. Incredible person.. RIP
is demanding a “sitara e haidar” by his family justified?
hundreds of Army officers have died since this so called war of ours…..no one demanded anything
Zeeshan!
His family has not asked for Nishan e Haider; rather prime minister has sent a recommendation to the president for this award.
I dont understand why you dont like him to be given this military award….
You should know that the correct name is “Nishan e haider” and not “Sitara e Haider” the highest military award in Pakistan.
It does not require justification. It requires recognition. Yasir did not surrender like 250 soldiers in Waziristan, 2007. He went to fight the terrorists, disallowing him to get to other assets in the base.
Mr Zeeshan you are not only raising question marks upon the spirits of the martyred soldiers at PNS MEHRAN but you have also let the down the sacrifices made by thousands of other soldiers who laid their lives while fighting by calling that this is our so called WAR.
I have heard and read lot about the bravery of these men and especially Yasir, I am also suprized on this. Do you know exactly what Yasir did? How he was killed, no one knows. Why he is being awarded the highest award?
Your comment reminds me of the Pakistani anchors who went overboard in trashing the Indian commandos for failing to take control of Taj Hotel even after 3 days.
It is not easy to fight these terrorists who have nothing to fear and have come to embrace death. What makes you think you could have acted in a better manner if you were in charge. Can you imagine what such comments can do to crush the hearts of the bereaved family of the soldier.
when you get shot or bombed, tell us how good your planning was. we wud like to know how planning can help avoid the unavoidable. The time of his death had arrived. secondly he was brave enough to go out there, forget planning!!
You have amazed me by your thinking, so Pak Govt should punish him? YOU ARE SICK MY FIREND and that kind of thinking is exactly what Insha’Allah we Pakistanis will get rid of one day. You disgust me.
In a fire fight the attacker always has the advantage ,he has surprise on his side. When a post is raided or a patrol is ambushed however well trained ,committed and alert you maybe it is very difficult to regain control . He died for his country respect him
I heard Yasir’s mother saying that she heard the huge blast while talking to Yasir on phone, and Yasir rushed to the scene to protect the naval warplanes.
I am sure he was not able to invite you or media personnel to demonstrate his bravery live on the camera for breaking news. I am sure in that case you would accuse him for this obvious reason.
Mr A.G khan …..It takes gutts to stand in line of fire…. He was not a platoon commander …thats Army !!!!!
he was on night duty …which changes daily ……….Lthough details are not yet out …..But he went out there when he was probably 80 % sure that he would die….And also he didnt died at spot he came back wounded and gave first hand info of terrorists …….People like us can only talk for hours and days but when it come to face bullet ….we will be far behind hiding somewhere
Good point Mr. Khan…but tell me were you there with the other 10 Nishan-e-Haider recipients or do we know what we did? We rely on the military institution to do its job in that regard. All I care is that Pakistan Navy lost someone in his youth who could have been a real asset. Remember, it is really easy to critic in hindsight, especially in the comfort of your home!
Its hard to understand why only one soldier is being talked about, what about our remaining men? Were they not brave, did they did not shed their blood?
Asif, you nailed it. I believe there were 14 people that were killed in this incident. But sadly enough only person is being mourned. I guess because he was the only officer. Such is the sorrow state of our minds.
Absolutely thoughtless comment. there are certain instances when you do not have time to plan and execute. its just a DO OR DIE situation. and in this case it the situation involved his country’s assets. it is a brilliant act on his behalf because many of us would have preferred to hide than go out and check.
And please do not make uninformed comments. He was not a platoon commander, he was just one of the officers on duty that night, not a “platoon commander”, not a commando. just an ordinary officer who did something very heroic.
A G Khan,, Yar why do you have this pessimistic view. I recommend, that he is hero of our nation and he should be treated as one. One old saying “good people die early”. Salute Yasir. The nation is proud of you..
Saying of Ali (A.S.)
“This world is not a permanent place; it is a passage, a road on which you are passing. There are two kinds of people here: One is the kind of those who have sold their souls for eternal damnation, the other is of those who have purchased their souls and freed them from damnation.”
I strongly believe that Shaheed Yasir and many others like him are from the better kind of people. Shaheed key jo mout hay oh qoum key hayat hay.