Bharat-Pakistan Battle Of 1971: The Birth Of Bangladesh

Historically, the seeds of the conflict were sown in 1905 when in undivided British India, Viceroy Curzon partitioned Bengal based on religion. East Bengal was Muslim-dominant whereas West Bengal had a majority Hindu population.

When Bharat attained independence from British rule in 1947, the Akhand Bharat was partitioned and the East Bengal became a province of Pakistan. It was known as East Pakistan. The East and the West Pakistan were geographically separated and were many miles away. They differed in culture and language too. The only common factor between them was the religion. Thus, there were issues in governance.

As soon as the new nation, Pakistan was born, the newly appointed President Mohammed Ali Jinnah declared Urdu as the official language. The mother tongue of the people of East Pakistan was Bangla, but they had to comply with Urdu as the official language in Governance. 

This led to widespread agitation in East Pakistan and the language movement began to execute the right of Bengalis to use Bangla as their official language.

This agitation was led by Shaikh Mujibur Rehman, who joined the ‘Awami League Party’.

Moreover, the Pakistan administration was dominated by the West Pakistan and Bengalis had no political say in the governance.

Though East Pakistan was more populated than West Pakistan, the budget allocation for the East, was much lesser.

In every department like the Military and administration, the Bengalis were scarcely represented.

The cultural differences were deeply rooted for years. The Punjabi and the Pashtun ethnicity dominated West Pakistan, while the East Pakistanis showered immense importance to the Bengali cultural identity over religious identity.

The population of Hindus was much higher than the West; the West Pakistan administration considered them disloyal to a great extent.

The Bengalis had exemplary pride in their culture and language heritage, scripture, and vocabulary. This was unacceptable to the West Pakistani elite, who had a belief that it assimilated a lot of Hindu cultural influence.

In the 1954 provincial elections, Mujibur Rehman’s Awami League acquired a landslide victory over the Muslim League. However, West Pakistan was unwilling to let a ruler from its Eastern provincial region, rule over the country.

To oppose this autonomy, riots exploded in the province, and on the excuse of lawlessness and instability, the central government imposed the governor’s rule, overturning people’s mandate in the election.

Finally, Pakistan implemented its Constitution in 1956 and was declared an Islamic Republic. The national parliament was to comprise of one house with equal representation from East and West Pakistan.

In 1966, Shaikh Mujibur Rehman spearheaded an agitation with the Six point demand charter. They were fighting tooth and nail to achieve higher autonomy for the province.

Their Six demands were a federal state, all issues except defense and foreign affairs, Separate currency and fiscal policy, taxation power, trade and Forex reserves, and separate Military and Navy.

The atmosphere in East Pakistan was turning potent each day and the disturbances were rising rapidly.

The only common factor between the East and the West Pakistan was religious similarity. However, the religious binding was incapable of strengthening the strained bonding. 

A typical example of a hoax narrative and belief of Islamist countries, across the world claiming that religious identity is above the cultural and national identity. 

The two decades of East Pakistan, post independence from Akhand Bharat, is the evidence one can’t overlook.

Mujibur Rehman went to neighboring Agartala in Bharat’s Tripura with the intent of seeking support from Bharat, for obtaining independence from Pakistan. 

Pakistan charged him with sedition and conspiring with Bharat.

Natural disasters were also hitting the East Pakistan region. In 1970, the cyclone Bhola caused huge floods and more than three lakh people died. Unfortunately, the anguish of East Pakistan hardly pained the western Pakistan-based central government. The Yahya Khan led Government did not provide adequate relief. This added to already strained relations. 

The elections were held in the same year and the Eastern Pakistan province was swept away by a colossal margin by Awami League. The Western Pakistan province was won by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto led PPP and they denied acknowledging Mujibur Rehman’s victory.

Now, the Volcano-like situation, in East Pakistan, burst out and the people of the province became determined to achieve independence from the superiority of the Western Pakistan-ruled nation. 

The Civil Disobedience movement spread on a large scale in the East Pakistan region, with a call for independence, in Dhaka.

On the 23rd of March 1971, the flag of Bangladesh was raised for the very first time.

Two days later, the Pakistani army struck over the Bengali independence movement, in the wee hours and arrested Shaikh Mujibur Rehman. He was flown to Western Pakistan and put behind bars. The intellectuals and the students of Dhaka University were fired upon and arrested.

This anarchy caused a huge population from Bangladesh to flee their homes and take refuge in the Eastern states of Bharat, mainly in West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

The state of West Bengal was especially burdened massively by the rush of the refugees and the state government appealed the then Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi for assistance in food and shelter.

The Bengali armed group of Bangladesh known as “Mukti Bahini” rose against the Pakistan army and sought help and support from Bharat.

Bharat had a crucial geopolitical motive in extending help to Bangladesh. Bharat’s relationship, with Pakistan, since its inception as an independent nation, has been extremely turbulent. Support for the Bengali movement would ensure a peaceful Eastern frontier for Bharat.

Additionally, a distressed Eastern Pakistan had been causing a constant flow of refugees into West Bengal and the refugee crisis was becoming a substantial economic burden for the nation.

On a global scale, the United States was at loggerheads with the Soviet Union. Bharat had signed a Friendship treaty with Russia and hence, the U.S. was fully supporting Pakistan, in this.

Now, the war was on the doorstep and had turned unavoidable.

Around ten million refugees from across the Eastern Pakistan border had crossed over into Bharat, fleeing the terrain of terror. Pakistan was enraged that Bharat was providing them with refuge.

So the furious Pakistan Government, (nee the armed forces) took a call to teach Bharat, a lesson.

To quote an American historian, “On December 3, (1971) Pakistani forces began hostilities in the West with an attack on Indian airfields.”

(A major Pakistani land attack on Chhamb, where Pakistan had a strategic advantage and had done well in the battle of 1965.)

But, Pakistan had little success and within twenty-four hours, Bharat seized sizable air superiority, and launched attacks against West Pakistan.

Bharat’s Western border with Pakistan, based on Military analysis, is longer than the distance between London and Moscow. Thus, each side could capture the other’s territory by losing a large number of manpower and expensive armaments.

The battle of 1971 was fought on the various spots of the long border. It covered Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat’s border regions.

(Here, we shall discuss the attacks and strikes that took place on Kashmiri soil and its relevance).

Both armies had similar objectives. The idea was to conquer the maximum land of the enemy country and relinquish as little of their own land. They knew, that there would be after-war negotiations and the country that seized a larger piece of land would be in a better position to bargain.

In 1965, the Pakistani Air Force had state of art arms and ammunition. The US sponsored world’s the best tanks and aircraft and Bharat was still limbering on with World War crafts and weapons.

But, by 1971, the gap had sizably narrowed as Bharat had USSR-made weapons.

The Bharatiya army had drawn up three missions for Bharat to attack Pakistan and capture its territory.

i) 26 Divisions commanded by Major General Z C Bakshi would try to enter the Sialkot region.

ii) I Corps, Bharat’s only strike corps,  commanded by Lt. General K K Singh would capture the 30-kilometre ‘Shakargarh Bulge’.

iii) A division of Bharat’s Southern command (39 Divison, under Major General B R Prabhu and 54 Divison under Major General W A G Pinto) would attempt to snap the rail link between Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces.

Around the middle of November 1971, the Bharatiya army had been consistently observing some conspicuous movement and activities on the Pakistani side across Poonch town. Pakistan had begun to shift its 7 Infantry Divison from the NWFP and Sindh to its border and LoC with Bharat’s Punjab and Jammu.

It was most expected that Pakistan would consider Bharat as its staunch enemy. It had yet not been able to acquire the entire state of Kashmir and this unfulfilled ‘ ambition’ did not allow him to accept the fact. Once again, with Bharat’s intervention, it was facing huge defeat on its Eastern frontier, and thus, attacking Bharat, on its Western front, especially Kashmir, was Pakistan’s ‘obvious’ reaction.

It chose to attack Chhamb-Akhnoor and Poonch as these places had strategic advantages and the greatest chance of success. The entire belt near Poonch town including Than Pir, the Chandrak Spur, and the Kalai Bridge was within the range of the Pakistani artillery.

The Bharatiya army commander, reacting immediately, ordered the ‘move of the 33 infantry brigade from Samba to Poonch. It was directed to defend the Durangali Nullah (stream) and the station itself on the Bandi Chechariyan Spur and reinforce the defense of picquets 405 and 406. 

Bharat’s 11 JAK Militia was responsible for the area in which Than Pir and the Chandak Spur are located.

But, it was a difficult task as the winter season was approaching. The area being mountainous terrain, it was all the more strenuous.

Significant to note, that the adjoining villages had a Gujjar Muslim population. Our armed forces took utmost care of not hurting the villagers as some of the spread mines, could have hurt them. The Gujjar villagers appreciated this gesture and as always, reciprocated positively. In fact, they helped the army carry Ammunition, Ration, and other stores.

Mian Bashir, an illustrious Gujjar leader and a minister in the J&K cabinet, traveled all the way from the state capital, camped on the spot, and ensured that the Bharatiya army received all the aid it needed.

It began on a sour note for Bharat.

On the 3rd of December, around 7.45 pm, Pakistan insinuated a battalion with a company of Pakistan’s elite SSG (Special Service Group) through the Durangali Nullah, and by early next morning, Pakistan had captured the Chandak Spur as well as the Than Pir ridge.

This crucial ridge is just above the Kalai Bridge, which was the only link that Poonch town had with the larger part of Bharat. Thus, Poonch town and 93 Infantry were cut off from Rajouri and Mandi Valley.

Pakistan’s 9 AK Brigade exercised control over Poonch town and the road to Mandi Valley.

From Bharat’s point of view, the situation was not very promising.

The Pakistanis ‘shelled’ the Bharatiya defense but the 6 Sikh and Jat began giving befitting replies using MMG (Medium Machine Gun), intense artillery, infantry, and mortars. 

The Pakistani attack was ferociously splintered by the mid-morning of the 4th of December.

Early on the morning of 4th December, Brigadier M S Panwar (Para) immediately drove to the Kalai Bridge and instructed his Artillery Regimental Commander to engage the Pakistanis with artillery fire. Lt. Colonel Ranade who was accompanying Brig. Panwar got the direction of his gun changed and in less than half an hour the Bharatiya army was able to give a befitting reply to the Pakistanis.

Shortly, after 2 pm on the 4th of December, the incomparable 13 Mahar wrested the Chandak Green Ridge, back from the Pakistanis, and the Bharatiya traffic began to ply on the Kalai Bridge once again.

The Pakistanis failed as its backup force could not conjugate with its fierce infiltrating unit. When the Bharatiya army fired back relentlessly, Pakistani soldiers began to rush back to their side of LoC. Some soldiers of Pakistan’s Liaquat Company could not reach back in time and they were ‘caught’ by the local Muslims Civilians and handed over to the nearest Bharatiya army unit.

Some Pakistani soldiers from East Pakistan surrendered to the Bharatiya troops. Many of the soldiers from West Pakistan’s Hiranagar and Samba sector defected too. A Lieutenant Colonel from East Pakistan drove into the Bharatiya side of the LoC in his official Jeep, bag, and baggage flying a white flag. This officer went on to play a very significant role in the army and politics of Bangladesh.

As the morning of the 5th of December was approaching, the valiant soldiers of the 13 Mahar battalion began climbing the narrow, sharp-edged, steep, and treacherous ridge that led from Chandak Green to Than Pir, and in wee hours, brutal battle took place at close quarters. The attack was an outright success and the Pakistanis ran helter-skelter disowning massive quantities of arms. It included a Chinese 76 mm, Recoilless Gun, and above all, left their dead soldiers as well.

The Bharatiya historians describe the casualties of these attacks as ‘minimal’ from Bharat’s perspective. Captain Rathee, one of the best officers of 8 Jatt was martyred when Pakistani Armour ricocheted and hit him. No officers of 6 Sikh died but some ORs did.

Comparatively, the Pakistan army suffered a larger loss of ammunition and manpower.

An East Pakistani officer, who defected, informed the Bharatiya army that Pakistan lost 350 officers and Ors in the Poonch-Than Pir battles. A number of them were caught in Bharatiya minefields. The dead included a massive number of PoK villagers, especially the youth (some as young as twelve years) who were employed by the Pakistani army to carry the equipment.

Major General Chibber has narrated a detailed memoir of the war. He writes, ” However, the Pakistani troops have a very despicable record of inflicting brutality on prisoners of war. (POW’s), as also mutilating their bodies by gouging their eyes, cutting off their genitals, and slitting their throats. They had done that to some 11 J&K Militia personnel taken prisoner by them, whose bodies were recovered by 13 Mahar after the capture of Thin Pir. The same was inflicted by the Pakistani troops on POWs in the Kargil operation of 1999.”

The Pakistani soldiers who died were buried with full religious (Islamic) and military honor, by the Bharatiya army.

Granting fair credit to Pakistanis, they were defeated after a famous initial victory, achieved by Lt. Col. Khan and his brace troop. They were supposed to invade Bharat with two brigades and a battalion but in reality, they came with much feeble force. Lt. Col. Khan and his men boldly attacked but in the absence of backup, their efforts were futile.

The Bharatiyas won hands down in Poonch-Than Pir.

Sialkot: The Bharatiya Army Headquarters abandoned the Sialkot mission.

Major General Z C Bakshi, who commanded Bharat’s 26 Divison, was agonized and later narrated, “After the Pakistani thrust at Chhamb, (Army) Headquarters was in a flap and they took away one of my brigades and told me not to attack (Sialkot).”

One of the most vicious battles was fought at the Shakargarh Bulge.

The Shakargarh ‘bulge’ protrudes into the region between Pathankot in North Punjab and Samba in South Jammu. It had Bharatiya hills to its East and a Pakistani border to its West. The ‘bulge’ is endangered to Bharatiya forces from all three sides and thus, forces decided to attack from all three.

Lt. General K K Singh was the commander of Bharat’s solo strike corps, the I Corps. Its headquarters was at Pathankot.

The overly expended 39 Divison, under Major General B R Prabhu, attacked the Western tip. Its initial shove into the Pakistani region was its only success. Inside Pakistan, it got trapped in minefields.

54 Divison under Major General W A G Pinto performed considerably well, even though two-thirds of his Divison had been sent to protect Chhamb, where Pakistanis were in a stronger position. Brigadier A S Vaidya, who led an armored brigade captured the most significant positions above Pakistan‘s Shakargarh Zafarwal road, with his valiant men.

Building the bridge across the river Basafitar, was the next important step that the Bharatiya army had strategised. Pakistan sensed the Bharatiya intention and its army mined the area, to a depth of 1.4 km. To impede the Bharatiya invasion, it had also deployed two infantry brigades and one armored brigade, which was definitely more in manpower and armor strength than the invading Bharatiya forces had.

But, the Bharatiya engineers continued to work ceaselessly, amidst the firing from land as well as air by Pakistan’s armed forces. A number of men from the Bharatiya battalion lost lives yet their task was completed by the 15th of December.

Pakistan sent its 8 independent Armoured Brigade to destroy the Bridge. Bharat lost two tank regiments while defending the bridge.

Though Bharat had acquired Pakistani land holding on to it and proceeding further in the Pakistani region, was turning out to be quite difficult.

At last, 17 Horse, a Bharatiya armored regiment, aided by three infantry battalions managed to contain Pakistan’s counterattack.

Pakistan lost forty-six tanks and 17 Horse lost all, except three tanks. Eventually, they landed up facing Pakistan’s entire 13 Cavalry armored squadron commanded by Major Nisar. Bharat’s three tanks, led by Captain V Malhotra, incapacitated 13 Cavalry by hitting most of it.

The remarkable heroism was shown by a fresh Military school passed out, the Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal. He scored the highest hits till Major Nisar’s tank shattered Khetrapal’s. Though fatally wounded, Khetrapal managed to give a befitting reply to Nisar’s attack and caused colossal damage to Pakistani tanks before succumbing to his wounds. He fought till his last breath at the cost of his own life.

Major Hoshiar Singh and his men of 3 Grenadiers captured Jarpal village from Pakistan. Though Hoshiar Singh was seriously wounded, he fought like a Hero. The Pakistanis brought more troops to regain the lost land. 

Later, that evening, when the ‘ceasefire’ was called upon, Singh’s men found eighty-five bodies of Pakistani soldiers.

The Bharatiya army seized the territory, leading to Zafarwal. They were just Seven kilometers short of reaching there.