Battle of Pandu
Fought in the Pandu massif along the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in Kashmir, the battle centered on control of the strategically important high ground.These posts, currently under Pakistani control, offer a strategically advantageous view of the Uri valley in Indian-administered Kashmir, south of the Jhelum River.However, perceiving a direct threat posed by the Indian advance, General Sir Douglas Gracey, Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, advocated for military engagement.This position, in turn, was vulnerable to attack from the heights of Pandu and Chhota Kazinag to the north and the forward spurs of Pir Kanthi to the south.[32] Following their occupation of the Pandu massif, Indian forces gained a direct view of Chakothi, where Lieutenant Colonel Bashir Ahmad's 1/13th FF Rifles regiment had established defensive positions.[32][35] In response to the tense situation, the brigade commander employed a strategy of flanking and rear attacks to disrupt Indian forces.A company from the Baluch regiment, led by Captain Mohammad Akram, along with a platoon commanded by Subedar Kala Khan, and elements of the 4th Azad Battalion, executed successful operations against the Indian force's left flank.An engagement occurred near Khatir Nar on 19 June, involving the Khyber Rifles and a contingent from the Baluch regiment, against a group from the Indian forces.Recognizing a frontal assault would be ineffective, Lieutenant Colonel Harvey-Kelly, Commanding Officer of the 4th Baluch Regiment, devised a well-conceived plan for taking Pandu.Captain Khalid Khan's Mahsud lashkar from Bib Dori would secure Point 6873, effectively cutting off the Indian forces stationed there from rejoining their battalion at Pandu.Simultaneously, a combined force consisting of one company from the 2nd Azad Battalion and tribesmen led by Captain Qudrat Ullah from Nanga Tak would capture Chham, establishing a blocking position between Khatir Nar and Sing.[citation needed] The second prong of the infiltration operation involved a larger force under Major Karamat Ullah of the Khyber Rifles from Nardajian.Lieutenant Colonel Harvey-Kelly, who had devised the plan for capturing Pandu, was reassigned away from the Pakistani General Headquarters and subsequently withdrew all British officers from Kashmir in accordance with the orders, albeit with reservations.To maintain radio silence, Pakistani artillery remained silent, avoiding any indication of imminent activity and took cover within their base until twilight.[47] Meanwhile at multiple locations at that morning, Scouts, Azad forces, and tribesmen were deployed by Brigadier Akbar Khan to carry out small harassing raids.The path proved to be extremely challenging, and their telephone wire drums had rolled down the slope in the darkness, severing communication after midnight.Subsequently, they suffered thirty casualties after inadvertently entering an Indian position called Kewa and engaging in a close-quarters battle at night.Observing the Left Column's withdrawal at dawn, the harassing parties, Azads, Scouts, and tribesmen, also retreated, assuming the operation had been called off.[58] Determined to act, Akbar khan ordered a bayonet charge led by officers on (Dehli)[note 5] to leave no room for doubt or hesitation, he based this decision on his belief that the Indian forces were now confused, a state of mind unknown to him at the time.Anticipating the right column's attack the following day, Pakistani troops disregarded usual caution and lit fires for warmth within the jungle.According to a local witness, the Indian forces, believing themselves encircled, spent a tense night and decided to withdraw at daybreak, seeing it as their only option.[61] The indian forces launched a sustained and heavy shelling barrage to obscure their movement as they abandoned Pandu and retreated into the dense jungle.A general advance then commenced, and after twelve hours, Pakistani troops reached a position just 200 yards from Chota Kazi Nag (10,000 feet), the final and highest peak in this range.This peak overlooks the Indian communication lines between Baramula and Uri (General Headquarters), at this point, Pakistani forces received orders to halt their advance.On the following day, 3 October, three aircraft appeared in the area, seemingly intent on attacking Pandu, Pakistani troops began shelling the camp.This imbalance granted the Indian Air Force dominance in the airspace, impacting logistical operations and potentially influencing other activities across Kashmir.After consulting with General Thimayya, Brigadier Henderson Brooks made the decision to withdraw troops from the Pir Kanthi and Ledi Galli and surrounding areas on 28 December.When Indian troops returned to the area by the evening of 1 January, they faced heavy gunfire and found the Pakistani flag raised there.[18][73] Following the withdrawal of 2 Bihar Battalion from Pandu, Lieutenant Colonel Tur, the Indian unit commander, was arrested by Brigadier Henderson Brooks and subsequently court-martialed.[citation needed] General Rafiuddin Ahmed wrote in his book:- For unknown reasons the two gallant company commanders do not seemed to have received their well deserved recognition[8]His company was only 50 yards away from the fortified enemy position as the Indian Army's soldiers begin mortar shelling his positions, and received orders to lead the attack on the left side of the bunker where the shelling took place.
Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948Kashmir conflictAzad KashmirPakistanDominion of PakistanDominion of IndiaIndian Air ForceAkbar KhanCapt. SarwarBrig. KhannaGen. K.S. ThimayyaPakistan Army4/10th Baloch7/10th Baluch Azad forcesIndian Army2 Bihar2 Dogra7 Sikh4 Kumaon161 Brigade77 BrigadeGilgitSkarduThorgoDuck and BisonPoonch RebellionRawalakotTribal invasionMuzaffarabadBagdamPoonchShalatengKarachi AgreementUNSC ResolutionsAcessionIndo-Pakistani conflictsWar of 1947–48War of 1965War of 1971Siachen conflictKargil War2001–02 standoff2008 standoffBangladesh Liberation War1959 Canberra shootdown1999 Pakistan Breguet 1150 Atlantic shootdown2014–152016–182020–21LoC 2016Balakot 2019J&K 2019Indo-Pakistani war of 1947-1948SrinagarKashmirJhelum RiverJammu and KashmirMuslimMaharajaNorth-West Frontier ProvinceLiaquat Ali Khan'sIndian offensiveKishengangaNeelumTithwalHandwaraSir Douglas GraceyCommander-in-ChiefDouglas GraceyChakothiPir Kanthi1/13th FF Rifles4th FF RiflesBaluch regiment2 Bihar regiment2nd Dogra regimentPakistani General HeadquartersBritishsapperMahsud tribesmenBren light machine gunsOperation Duck and Bisonmortarbarbed wirebolt cutterNishan-e-HaiderOperation Datta KhelSiege of SkarduBattle of MuzaffarabadOperation Bison and DuckBattle of ChunjKhurshid AnwarKhan, AkbarSaraf, Muhammad YusufTimeline1846–19461947–presentWars and conflictsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965Indo-Pakistani War of 19712001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff2008 Indo-Pakistani standoff2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishesmedia coverage2014–20152016–20182016 Uri attack2016 Baramulla attack2016 Nagrota army base attack2020–20211947 Poonch rebellionOperation GibraltarOperation Grand SlamOperation TupacOperation BisonOperation Eraze2016 strike2019 airstrikeJinnah–Mountbatten talksUN mediation of the Kashmir disputeSimla Agreement1947 Jammu massacres2000 Amarnath pilgrimage massacreChittisinghpura massacre2001 Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly car bombing