Raids on areas of J&K had started from Pakistanis along a long axis from Kathua, Hiranagar, Samba to Akhnoor, and beyond almost immediately after independence on August 15, 1947. These areas were all contiguous to West Punjab which had become a part of Pakistan and communal orgy started almost instantly, with Hindus and Sikhs being targeted. As they were looted and killed, the nearby territory of J&K opposite Narowal, Sialkot and other areas were peaceful and these refugees started pouring into the state still being ruled by a Hindu king, Maharaja Hari Singh.
It needs to be stated here that even as nearby Punjab started burning in a hellish communal fire, no communal clashes took place in J&K. Here, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims lived in amity, apparently unaffected by the orgy of Punjab which was to singe the territory soon. In retrospect, it looks unique that no communal clashes were there in Maharaja Hari Singh’s territory. The charge of the Jammu Brigade was held by Brigadier Khuda Baksh, on the finest officers holding highest position in state forces.
Within a fortnight after India gained independence, situation in the entire Jammu region had also turned grave. This was due mainly to repeated attacks by Pakistani marauders who chased Hindus and Sikhs pouring into the princely state areas right. There were small concentrations of Pakistani Army and they offered protection to the killers of Hindus and Sikhs all along.
The initial plan, or phase 1 of the Pakistani plans to create troubles in J&K was to send armed infiltrators, to carry out lootings and indulge in communal killings. In Phase 2, it was to be an all-out war with regular Pakistani troops being mobilised, given specific tasks aimed at attacking, holding and annexing vast territories. If we go through reports of those times, we realise that the regular troops were used in both the phases by Pakistan. The only difference being that in the first phase, the Pakistani troops did not use their regular uniforms. Not that it stopped that from using weapons, ammunition and the command structure that existed for firm control over all actions.
Sialkot Centre
A temporary command and control structure was set up by Pakistan in Sialkot, barely 40 km from Jammu located southwest of it. This was headed by Colonel Kiani of Pakistan Army, who was also a veteran of the INA of Subhash Chandra Bose at one time. A former British Army officer, Major Khurshid Anwar, who doubled up as a senior Muslim League leader now with access to Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was also a part of all these plans. Incidentally, Major Anwar was the chief of Muslim League National Guards and knew all the plans intimately.
The initial actions against J&K could be attributed to irregular Pakistanis who were armed, chased and killed Hindus as also Sikhs, under the watchful eyes of the regular Pakistani Army. However, in September 1947 itself, most of these raids were carried out by regular troops of the Pakistani Army who led columns and they need to be correctly called invaders. Major General Goverdhan Singh Jamwal says that this confusion exists because of a Nehruvian blunder. Pandit Nehru erroneously called invaders of the Pakistani Army attacking positions in J&K as raiders. This is his legacy of incorrect nomenclature and classification which misled and still misleads most Indians.
Major General Jamwal was undergoing training in Srinagar as a young officer in August 1947 and some of the actions of Pakistani troops in Jammu he heard about first hand in September when he came home on short leave. He says that first major raid by Pakistani troops on the territory of J&K happened in RS Pura on September 17, 1947, when around 400 of them attacked state police garrison. After this, raids were reported from Owen Pattan, Kotli, Bagh, Pattan, Rawalakot, Tharor and several other places spread over approximately 300 km. A pattern was clearly visible by September-end that these invasions were directed and controlled by regular Pakistani Army troops.
British Officers
At one point, it is said that there were serious discussions among Pakistani Army troops, officers and the British officers on their side regarding the main point of attack. For some time, they were undecided whether to launch the main attack in the Jammu region or the Kashmir valley. South of Pir Panjal mountains or on territories of J&K lying north of these lofty mountains. The British officers were employed by Maharaja Hari Singh on top posts and had served as Deputy Commissioners, Heads of Departments and even the top military post at that time was held by Major General Scott who was the Army Chief.
For almost two centuries now, soldiering has remained a tradition deep rooted among the Dogra community living between areas spreading from Ravi river in the east to Chenab in the west. In 1947, it was estimated that the ex servicemen among Dogra population held more than 40,000 arms, including pistols, rifles and such others. This was a well known fact that the Pakistani invaders were often surprised by the resistance put by ordinary citizens who held these weapons. May be this was a reason for Pakistan not launching major attacks on the eastern side of the Chenab as it could have met with retaliation from soldiers who had served in World War I and WW II.
An invasion along the Muzaffarabad axis was apparently chosen as a more sound military strategy by Colonel Akbar Khan and others who led the attacks there. According to some documents in public domain now, the orders for Operation Gulmarg was signed by British Commander General Masservy, the Chief of the Pakistan Army, as early as on August 19, 1947. When we look back at the history of that time, it looks odd that the Commander in Chief of Armies in India and Pakistan was Field Marshal Achinlek.
Maj Gen HL Scott
Chief of Staff in India was General Wochardt (later replaced by General Roy Bucher). The Chief of Staff of Maharaja Hari Singh’s forces at that time was Major General HL Scott. Before leaving for Britain, Major General Scott saw to it that the state forces were deployed in a manner of what we call penny pockets in matters military. Too small and weak in numbers spread over a large area given for defence so that no effective resistance to an invading force is possible. Before leaving in September end, and handing over command to Brigadier Rajinder Singh, Scott also ensured that no reserve units were left in Srinagar to defend it in case of an attack.
This was apparently the parting shot from Major General Scott and a huge favour to Lord Mountbatten and others of his fellow British top men. Incidentally, the top post in the police, that of Chief of the State Police, was also held by a British officer, a certain Powell. Perhaps all the participation, conspiracy and execution of action by the active connivance of the British would have remained a secret for a very long time. However, as luck would have it, a top secret telegram meant for Brigadier Murray, who was leading the Bannu Brigade, was opened by Major Onkar Singh Kalkat, a Sikh officer who was serving as Staff Officer to Brig Murray.
Secret Telegram
Major O S Kalkat had opened the telegram marked Top Secret it in good faith as Brigadier Murray was then in a forward area on a recce mission. As Staff Officer, Kalkat wanted to be sure that the Brigade Commander did not miss out on any important information. In this secret telegram were given some details pertaining to the impending attack plans of the Pakistan Army on Jammu & Kashmir. Kalkat later retired as a Major General of the Indian Army and he explains in his seminal book how he made efforts to reach Delhi and meet Prime Minister Nehru of the British and Pakistani plans to invade Jammu & Kashmir.
As luck would have it, Kalkat was not allowed to meet Pandit Nehru in September 1947 and flag the issue. Who knows if that meeting had happened, Nehru’s attitude of hostility towards Maharaja Hari Singh would have mellowed down, knowing the threat to J&K. It was only when Operation Gulmarg was unfolding in October that hectic efforts were made to locate Kalkat and present him to Pandit Nehru! The story of daring escape of Major Kalkat from the custody of Bannu Brigade soldiers is a story of grit and determination.
