In Pursuit of Excellence

Sitting in a Brigade Headquarters buried in maps, staff tables, and piles of routine correspondence; there was a young officer who was keen about everything & did all with utmost perfection. He had recently joined the brigade engaged in operations in FATA after his mid-career course.
He had done so well that he had been posted on one of the top slots for young captains. One of his responsibilities was to control and monitor the move of convoys on the Road Opening Days. This was Captain Bilal Kamran; GSO-3 (Operations) of the brigade.
FATA has turned out to be a strange place in recent years. It is and, rough, mysterious, hostile, and it is unforgiving. Things happen at split of moments. A serene looking village turns into bullets belching hamlet suddenly; a solitary peak turns into a miscreants' stronghold any time; a road bend makes an ambush site in a moment and any roadside rock explodes with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Life of a common civilian and troop is often filled with such happenings.
On April 22, 2010, convoy moved from Miranshah to Khar Qamar, which was a routine but Captain Bilal Kamran somehow felt little uncomfortable deep inside. He knew the unit moving the convoy, the convoy commander, the officer in charge of the Quick Reaction Force protecting the convoy and every detail related to this move. Soon his fears became alight as telephones buzzed and wireless sets crackled.
The convoy had been ambushed en-route near Ahmed Khel pinning down the Quick Reaction Force detailed for its protection. The situation was bad and turning to worse. Troops were stuck up in middle of accurate fire by terrorists. Casualties had occurred and were likely to increase if situation was not bailed out by sending further reinforcements.
Decision was taken to dispatch the reserve Quick Reaction Force to extricate the pinned down troops. Now was the time that a courageous man like Captain Bilal Kamran volunteered to accompany the reserve force. Despite insistence by the other staff officers that Captain Bilal in person may not be required in such a situation but he convinced everyone that it would be most appropriate to accompany the reserve force to get the first hand information and carry out reconnaissance for future operations.
He left his headquarters and reached Amin Piquet where reserve force was located. Quick Reaction Force Commander also requested him to stay back at the post but he insisted to be with the force for his job. Captain Bilal Kamran, exemplifying the extreme courage and comradeship, willingly opted to help his comrades strangled at Ahmed Khel. When this Quick Reaction Force reached at Shina Khawar, it was also ambushed.
In such a precarious situation Captain Bilal decided to fight back the ambush under intense fore. Such was the ferocity of ambush that the soldiers could hardly come out of the vehicles. Captain Bilal gathered all his gust in dismounting to charge on the terrorists. In that process he received a volley of bullets in chest being daringly exposed to embrace Shahadat. There in the remote areas of FATA he performed an act beyond call of his duty to ascend another step on the ladder of excellence.
Captain Bilal Kamran joined his unit, 'Prince of Wales, 4th Battalion the Baloch Regiment" in 2003; a unit with rich traditions. Son of a widowed mother, he was suddenly burdened with difficult times in his school days after death of his father. For him life was a challenge ahead after having lived a privileged youth with his father who was employed in Pakistan Tobacco Company.
He took the challenge head-on and completed his education to join Pakistan Army. Lean times in youth had made him even more hardworking, selfless, humble and self-sacrificing. 'Excellence in life' was his motto of life. In 2008-09, his unit was deployed in Congo in support of peacekeeping operations. Being mature, diligent, meticulous and an officer who would always go beyond call of duty, he was appointed logistic officer of his contingent.
That set him on a working spree round the clock. Before a new sector was opened, or a small force was deployed, he would work restlessly, before and after deployment till the time the force had been supplied with all the essentials and little more to facilitate their task. In Congo, Muslims are a marginalized community.
On his own, he started working to renovate the mosques. He would visit remote villages, hutments and people to find out how he could help with renovation or constructing a mosque, and then would do it till completion. Once after a logistic mission, he was coming back that he encountered a road accident of Congolese. He stopped and helped every one out of situation to hospitals despite very precarious security environment. That was what Bilal was made of.
Bilal and many like him are the sons of great regiments and proud parents who lived a life of total commitment, selflessness and sacrifice to enrich the great heritage of Pakistan Army. The nation is proud of the families who offer their sons for the defence of the country. He attained excellence in everything he did, everywhere he was posted, and every assignment he was given.
His younger brother and sisters who have lost a brother after their father in such young age do not mourn his absence but are pursuing the life for excellence; the motto given by Captain Bilal Kamran Shaheed. His departure has left behind a tradition of excellence for his unit, his comrades and his family. He has been a beacon of light in his life and more than that after his Shahadat for others to follow.
(A Tribute to Captain Bilal Kamran Shaheed)