Major General Abrar Husain is remembered as a hero of the Battle of Chawinda, the 1965 clash in the Sialkot sector.
Where a smaller Pakistani force stopped a much larger Indian offensive.
Leading elements of 6 Armoured Division with the attached 24 Infantry Brigade, he held the line when the enemy pushed toward Chawinda.
Under his leadership every breakthrough attempt was beaten back.
For his leadership, he received the Hilal-i-Jur’at.
Major General Abrar Husain at Chawinda: steady nerves, hard orders, and a line that never broke
The Indian plan brought three infantry divisions and one armoured division into Sialkot.
Opposite them, Pakistan’s overstretched 15 Division needed armour fast.
Resultantly, 6 Armoured Division was inducted and Abrar Husain was given meagre reserves, and a simple order: stop the enemy.
Over the next days, Chawinda saw some of the fiercest tank fighting since World War II.
When pressure peaked on 11 September, Abrar moved forward to the critical sector, relieved a shaken detachment with a fresh infantry brigade.
Consequently, stabilised the front before returning to headquarters.
Staff officers later recalled his “balance and cool nerves” under extreme stress.
By 22 September, the ceasefire took hold. Chawinda had not fallen. Soldiers who fought there proudly called themselves the “Men of Steel,” a tribute to crews and infantry who stood firm under repeated assaults.
His family’s service also touched Pakistan’s founding, his brother, Brigadier Noor Ahmad Husain, served as ADC to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The legacy endures. Chawinda is taught as a lesson in calm command, clear intent, and timely reinforcement.
For today’s officers and cadets, Major General Abrar Husain stands as proof that leadership under fire can decide a campaign.
