23rd September 2021 dawned today with a very sad news - the sad news of the demise of Lieutenant Colonel Talat Umer, Sitara-e-Jurrat (1971 war) إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ A war hero who shall live in military archive of Pakistan Army - forever.
Tall, very soft spoken and humane, young Talat Umer was a 1971 war hero and had fought war in the same battalion of Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed, NH. For his excellent performance in the war, he was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurrat. He had his early schooling in the prestigious Central Model School, Lahore, followed by Military College befor4e joining 39th PMA Long Course. For his towering personality, he was known as Father Williams from his Military College days. All along his military career, Colonel Talat Omar remained a symbol of courage and a true warrior as he followed footsteps of his brave father Colonel Haq Nawaz of 6 FF. If his personality is to be summed up, he was beyond any doubt An Officer and a Gentleman.
When we, the 55th PMA Long Course, landed in PMA, then Major Talat Umer was the WTO (Weapon Training Officer). Whenever we went to the ranges for firing of different weapons, we would come across him, who would address the course and open up with a joke that consumed all our tiredness of the day.
When we were in the third term, our platoon had a rather strict disciplinarian platoon commander, who really took a heavy toll of our numbers. We were in utter low morale and badly needed a messiah. To our very good luck, our platoon commander was selected as adjutant Saudi Military Academy and left us within days. Since this was not a planned turn over of platoon commanders, and none was at hand either, so Major Talat Umer was assigned to our platoon. He was a godsend and he was the man we really wanted to bandage our wounds and raise our spirits. As said before, he was humane, elderly like person who really knew how to revive our platoon and see us through the PMA gate on the eve of our passing out day.
Complete Tariq 1 platoon with the then Major Talat Umer at Mardan Regimental centre during the Exercise Qiyadat/Field Firing
He was so popular that cadets of other platoons flocked him wherever he was for a snap. In photo above, Salim Nawaz, Ishraque (late), Altaf and Shabbir join us for a group photo
The platoon catwalk with Major Talat Umer
The final term group photo of our platoon with Major Talat Umer, SJ
An Evening with Colonel Talat Umer at Lahore Defence Club: After the passing out, although we have met Colonel Umer in individual capacities, it was on 20th June 2013 that some of K-4 / Tariq-1 officers had an opportunity to have meet Lieutenant Colonel Talat Umer, SJ at Defence Club Lahore on a dinner and reminisced memories of the days of the fourth term when we were protected by the then Major Talat from any more harm. Adventurous as he always was, he extended an invitation for hunting across River Ravi, but unfortunately this could never materialize.
We met again in 2016 during the course get together in Lahore.
Souvenir for Colonel Talat by the organizing committee of the Lahore Chapter
The last gathering with Colonel Talat at Lahore gettogether in 2016. I wish we had met him more !!
“O soul at peace! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing. Enter, then, together with My [righteous] servants! Enter My paradise!” [Surah Al-Fajr:89: 27-30]
Attending Colonel Talat Umer's last rituals and burial, Colonel Nauman Siddiqui writes: Colonel Talat Umer was a larger than life figure who shifted to his heavenly abode in the evening of 23rd September. He was bid a befitting farewell by Pakistan Army, being an SJ, whilst his family, friends and students also turned up in significant numbers in these Covid days, to bid a somber and solemn good bye. The occasion was representative of his towering status. His course mate and one of our platoon commanders Colonel Shuja Ullah Tarrar laid a wreath on behalf of 39th Long Course while our platoonmate Abid Qadri, IGP (retired) laid a wreath on behalf of our platoon and the 55 PMA Long Course.
May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, protect him from the adhaab of khabar, grant him the shade of His (SWT) arsh, make his journey through Siraat, Raad and Qantara easy, give him the sharaab from Kauthar, elevate him to the highest ranks, protect from the fire, grant him Jannatul Firdawas and Sabar to the family. أمين
2 comments:
What a great man he was, talk handsome, polite and a brave professional soldier who proved his mettal in 1971 war.
He was an excelent WTO n a wonderful Platoon Commanded.
May Almighty Allah rest his soul in peace
Breing in Lahore, I would occasionally come across him in Garrison Golf Club where he would come with some of his friends. We always found him carrying himself gracefully. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Thank you JHB for a nicely arranged tribute for him.
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