[14] With supply lines under severe stress due to Operation Grand Slam, India launched an offensive towards Lahore to open up a second front in the war and distract Pakistani attention from Kashmir.[1][2][4] India began their advance from Khalra under Major-General Har Krishan Sibal and tank operations under Lieutenant-Colonel Anant Singh with a village called Jahman being the first major Pakistani outpost to fall.[2] Pakistani troops pulled back towards the next major town, which was Burki, leaving small pockets of resistance at each village to slow down Indian advance.[4] The limited number of jets and the easy availability of trenches and defensive structures for cover added to the ineffectiveness of Pakistani air operations.Subsequently, the Indian Army's armour columns had to halt their plans of capturing Lahore and instead focus on securing the Burki sector as well as destroying the bridge connecting the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian Canal.
7 Infantry Division celebrating its 60th Raising Day at
Burki War Memorial
, July 2022. The division fought decisive battles to capture Burki during 1965 War.
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Sculpture depicting action during the Indo-Pakistani War