17 Days that made a Difference!

Flawless Victory over Lahore, greatest tank battle at Chawinda, M.M. Alam’s 5 kills in one minute, Madam Noor Jahan’s heart filled songs, Major Aziz Bhatti, and Nishan e Haider! Something clicked? Well, who can actually forget Indo-Pak War of 1965? It has been 50 years but the memories of this much talked about War is fresh as it happened yesterday. We have been hearing about the war stories and the sacrifices our gallant soldiers made to defend the homeland; but our new generation is quiet unaware of its significance.

On the eve of 50th Defence Day celebrations, we will have a flashback of some remarkable victories that will give a deep insight of 17 days, glorious memory to cherish for years to come.

How it all Begun?
There has been lot of debate related to the commencement of the war. Indians blame us for initiating it but the fact is that it’s the Indian forces who intruded into Pakistani area in the Rann of Kutch in April 1965. The war like environment started with this conflict, the Indian forces were withdrawn. Both the armies had fully assembled, with eye to eye contact. Finally, a cease fire was proposed by Pakistan which India accepted. An agreement was signed and the forces disengaged. The Award by the Arbitration Tribunal justified Pakistan’s Position.

Being a coward, the Indians attacked Lahore and Kasur fronts on the night of 5/6 September 1965, without a formal declaration of war. The 1965 war between India and Pakistan was the second conflict over the status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Victorious Highlights of the War
The war continued for 17 days that changed the course of Military history of Pakistan completely. Let’s highlight some of the major victorious events of the war that are enough to prove how India lost.
 

1965 Indo-Pak War: A Fake Claim by Indian Army Chief

Day Dreaming about having breakfast at Lahore’s Gym Khana! Indian Army Chief made a foolish claim as depicted in the headlines of The Indian Express newspaper about 1965 Indo-Pak War.

3rd Baluch Regiment Monument at Wagah, Lahore

3rd Baluch Regiment Monument raised in the eternal memory of the 39 brave men who embraced shahadat by defending our motherland in September 1965 War on the Wagah Sector-Batapur Bridge on the BRBL canal and the counter attack on 10/11 September 1965.

The Australian Newspaper, 14 September 1965 Edition

Pakistan’s victory in the biggest tank battle since World War II! Now who can possibly deny this?

55 Indian Soldiers Captured by a Senior Helicopter Pilot

Lt. Col Naseer Ullah Babar who later retired as Maj. Gen was surely a daring officer. He was commanding an Aviation Squadron during 1965 War. On 1 Sep 1965, he landed at an Indian post by mistake. He kept his attitude cool and captured 55 Sikh soldiers. He was awarded Sitara-e-Jurat for this amazing action.

Captured Indian Air Force Ouragan Aircraft

Another victory came in June 1965, when an IAF Ouragan fighter flown by Flt. Lt. Rana Lal Chand Sikka entered Pakistani airspace. PAF’s F-104A Star Fighter intercepted the IAP Fighter near Badin, Sind. Just as the PAF pilot locked on to the Indian fighter and was about to release the Air-to Air Missile, the IAF pilot lowered his aircraft’s landing gear as a sign of aerial surrender. The IAF pilot was taken as a war prisoner and was released on 14th August 1965 but the IAF Ouragan fighter was retained by PAF as a war trophy.

Surrender of Indian Air Force Gnat aircraft at Pasrur

On September 3, 1965, Squadron Leader Brijpal Singh Sikand, Commander of an Indian fighter squadron, surrendered to a PAF F-104 in an air combat. The Indian pilot landed the Gnat aircraft on Pasrur airfield near Gujranwala and was taken Prisoner of War. The F-104 was flown by Flight Lieutenant Hakimullah who became the Air Chief two decades later. Sikand was later rose to be an IAF Air Marshal.

Tail of an Indian Canberra Bomber, Sahiwal

As a sign of victory, the tail of an Indian Canberra bomber shot down in the 1965 War and displayed for public in Sahiwal in 1969.

Captured Indian tank, AMX-13, Displayed at Old Fort, Sialkot

If you visit Sialkot then do have a look at the captured Indian Tank AMX-13 displayed at Old Fort.

A Captured Indian Centurion Tank near Chawinda, Sep 1965

A party of journalists examining a Centurion tank left behind by Indians near Chawinda.