K.D Maini
Keeping in view the loss of Indian Army in Ladakh and NEPHA during 1962 Indo China War, disturbance in Kashmir in 1964 due to disappearance of Moe-E- Maqadus(Holi Relic) on 27th December 1964 (which was recovered on 4th January 1965) and death of Prime minister JawaharLal Nehru, Pakistan’s foreign minister Zulfikar Bhutto apprised President Ayub Khan of Pakistan that this is an appropriate time to strike in Kashmir by inciting Kashmiris for revolt, induction of infiltrators in J&K and then through swift attack on ceasefire line, Indian will not be able to hold Kashmir.Ayub Khan was convinced with Bhutto’s proposal and asked Army commanders for conceiving a plan to snatch J&K state.
General Mohd Musa, Commander in Chief of Pakistani forces wrote in his book ‘My Version, Indo-Pak war 1965’ that he was not in favour of this proposal due to presumption of Indian retaliation on the international border. However Ayub Khan was adamant to capture Kashmir and directed Major General Akhter Hussain Malik for the action plan. Accordingly Malik prepared an Army action plan under the code name of operation Gibraltar (in remembrance of Arabs conquest of rock that guards the western entries of Mediterranean ) this operation was to be carried out in a phased manner i.e. to engage Indian Army for away from Kashmir, to communalize the situation in Kashmir, to make large scale induction of armed infiltrators in J&K State and finally by swift attack on the ceasefire line snatch the State of J&K. The action plan was approved by Ayub Khan and implementation started.
Therefore, to test the capability of Indian forces for away from Kashmir, the Pakistan launched a big offensive in June 1965 in Ran of Kach desert area in the last edge of Gujjrat where only small Paramilitary forces were posted. The enemy killed the Indian Jawans and captured a portion of Kach including Kanjarkote Township till the Indian Army appeared on the scene. This battle ended on 30th June 1965 with the intervention of Prime Minister Harld Wilson of U.K and Pakistan retreated back from the captured area. This battle had further encouraged Ayub Khan for aggression on Kashmir.
An English writer Aluster Lamb wrote in his book ‘Kashmir dispute’that president Ayub Khan ordered Major General Akhter Hussain Malik for further implementation of operation Gibraltar. Therefore Malik selected 30000 officers, Jawans and Razakars for this operation. They were trained for Guerilla warfare inside Kashmir, the force was subdivided into ten forces, each force was comprised of six units of five companies with 110 Jawans and each company was put under the command of Pakistani Army officer. They were well equipped with weapons and provided local dresses. Each force had its own name like Gaznavi Force, Khalgi force, Babar force, Qasim force, Tariq force and so on, while the key force was Salah-u-Din force which was made responsible for mobilizing revolt in Srinagar. They were directed to mingle with locals in a festival of Pir Dustgeer on 8th August 1965 and on 9th Action Committee under the chairmanship of Mirwaiz Farooq had declared a big demonstration against India in Srinagar (The day when Sheikh Mohd Abdullah was dismissed from Prime Ministership of J&K and arrested in 1953). The Salah-u -Din force was asked to mix with the demonstrators and then raid Radio Kashmir Srinagar, capture airfield, cutoff Jammu Srinagar Highway and finally broadcast revolutionary Government from Radio Kashmir Srinagar with appeal to Muslim countries for recognizing their Government.
Major General Malik met Guerrilla’s commanders at Kotli on 5th August and gave them final briefing. This force was divided into three parts with headquarter at Kotli, Rawlakote and Channari. Accordingly on the night of 5th August 1965 Pakistani Army started unprovoked firing and shelling on Indian posts on 470 Kms long ceasefire line touching Rajouri, Poonch, Uri, Teatwal,Gureas and Kargil. The infiltrators crossed ceasefire line from identified routes and gapes like Sonagali Mendhar, Copra Gali Mandi, Tarkundi Rajouri, Chakothi in Uri, Teatwal, Gureas and Kargil sectors and spread in all parts of J&K state. Since they were in local dresses therefore they mixed with public and tried to win their support.
The first information of Gibraltar force was received from Mendhar where Gaznavi force meant for Pir Panchal region crossed Sonagali and reached Mankote on 5th night. In this area, a local nationalist leader Chowdhary Abdul Gani with his supporters tried to confront with the armed personnel because there were no security forces inside the area and Army was fully deployed to defend ceasefire line.
The raiders opened fire and killed five locals namely Master Said Mohd, Ghulam Hussain, Khan Mohd, Khushia, Pir Bakhesh and MohdSadiq they were all Gujjars (A memorial of these Martyrs have been established at Proper Mendhar). On the same day in Mandi area, a lady Mali Bi of Arai Mandi suspected the presence of some armed personnel in local dresses. She immediately inform nearby security forces (Mali Bi was lateron decorated with Padamshri award). They were chased by security forces but majority of them had crossed Jamia Galli and penetrated into Kashmir Valley.
In next three days upto 10th August the infiltrators captured Mandi town, Thanna Mandi, whole Budhal area and upper reaches of Pir Panchal because there was no force to confront with them. Upto 10th August Gaznabi force meant for Pir Panchal region had established its headquarter in Girjan Panjtarni forest where Pakistani Air force during night hours started dropping weapons, ammunitions and food items.
In Kashmir valley, Salah-u-Din force with five companies had crossed Copra GalliSawjjian on the night of 5th August, succeeding in crossing Chore Panchal Galli and reach near Gulmerg. Next day a Bakarwal MohdDin noticed the presence of unknown armed persons in local dresses.He informed small contingent of security force in that area, who chased them but majority had reached near Srinagar during the night of 7th August. On 8th August the infiltrators tried to blow up Bimena Bridge and reached the outskirts of Srinagar near Military depots, Radio Kashmir and Secretariat. However on this very day the Indian forces at Srinagar were reinforced with Gorkha Battalion, JK Militia and Tank Company. These were immediately deployed in Srinagar for the defense of Airport, Radio Kashmir and other places. During the intervening night of 8th and 9th August except snapping the police line, the infiltrators could not move further.
This happened because Salah-u-Din force was not co-operated by the natives of Srinagar and security forces tackled them successfully and, therefore, the infiltrators failed in their nefarious plan of Pakistan to capture Srinagar.
After getting crushing defeat in and around Srinagar on 9th and 10th August, the infiltrators were chased by the Indian army and thus Saluh-u-Din force started retreating from Srinagar from 10th August onward. The outskirts of Srinagar was cleared by Gorkhas and JK Militia after vigorous encounters, therefore the threat to Srinagar was over Operation Gibraltar failed and demoralized Salah-u-Din force retreated towards Ceasefire line, same was the fate of Tariq force and Qasim force meant for disturbance in other areas of Kashmir. This happened due to strong will of Indian Army and non-cooperation of Kashmiri people.
Then Indian Army started operation on ceasefire line and captured Uri Poonch bulge by securing 525Sq KM area, Haji Pir Pass and plugging the infiltrating routes. Similarly Army started chasing Gaznavi force in Pir Panchal region after ceasefire under combing operation in remote areas. About 1000 men of Gibraltar force was killed by Indian Army and other retreated towards Pakistan. No doubt that in initial stage the infiltrators succeed in creating grave situation for India but they did not succeed in their mission to capture Kashmir. The main reason behind the failure of operation Gibraltar was the quick and firm retaliation from the Indian security forces, non-cooperation of Kashmiris alongwith timely and bold decision of the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
(The Then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri with Army Officers during operation Gibraltar in Kashmir)
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