Battle of Rawalakot
 | The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with Pakistan and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (June 2024) |
| Battle of Rawalakot | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Kashmir conflict and Indo-Pakistani war of 1947-1948 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Azad Army[a] | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Captain Hussain Khan † Captain Sher Khan Subedar Bostan Khan |
Major Amarnath Lakhanpal Captain Parkash Chand | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| ~200 men and others[2] | ~2000 men[3] | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 260 Casualties including 150 Killed[3] |
400 killed, Many wounded[3] | ||||||||
The Battle of Rawalakot, was a battle fought by Captain Hussain Khan and his forces against the State of Jammu and Kashmir which took place in the city of Rawalakot and surrounding areas between November 4–14 during the First Kashmir war, which was initiated by Hussain Khan to fight for the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Dominion of Pakistan.
Background[edit]
A fort called Rawalakot was built by the descendant of a famous ruler Sardar Mako Khan in Rawalakot and a court in the Rawalakot area was called Rahwala-kot was present According to locals and is believed that Rawalakot became famous because of a local ruler and the name was attributed to the forts in the locality.[4]
In spring 1947 Sardar Ibrahim, the member of Legislative Assembly from Bagh–Sudhnoti, returned to Poonch after attending the Assembly session in March–April. By his own account, he was thoroughly convinced that there was a conspiracy between the State forces and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and, so, he advised the people of Poonch to organize themselves politically. As a result of his exhortations, he states, people "got courage, became defiant, and started organizing themselves exactly on military lines".[5] On 15 June, he addressed a meeting in Rawalakot attended by 20,000 people, and gave a speech in "most 'seditious' terms". He told his audience that Pakistan, a Muslim state, was coming into being and the people of Jammu and Kashmir could not remain unaffected. After that day, he says, "a strange atmosphere took the place of the usually peaceful life in these parts".[6] On 22 June, Chaudhary Hamidullah, the acting president of the Muslim Conference, visited Rawalakot and initiated secret plans to organize the ex-servicemen of the district for an eventual confrontation with the State Forces.[7]
Hussain Khan, would gather Muslim ex-army personnel and volunteers from the Second World war. However, very few joined Captain Hussain.[8]
Preparations § Prelude[edit]
Prelude[edit]
On August 22, over 2000 individuals in Rawalakot requested that the state be admitted to Pakistan. Nonetheless, the people retracted their demands after the state administration called the leaders of the demanders and told them to stop. When the people of Bagh rejected orders, the situation got critical, and the leaders were captured. Following an apology, the leaders were promptly released.[9]
Pakistani groups coordinated the 1,000-man march to Poonch from Arja in order to have their demands addressed.[9] The groups were split into three and raided shops which were owned by Sikhs and Hindus. One party would stay in Arja, while the other two moved to Poonch and Hari Ghel. After being denied entry into Bagh on August 24, they spent the night near by. Some individuals in the Jatha[b] had rifles, Balwan Singh therefore commanded a unit to reinforce the Bagh garrison. At Bagh the previous groups from Arja and Hari Ghel would join the jatha, bringing the total number of protestors to 2000.[9]
Colonel Krishna Singh, the Officer Commanding Raghupratap described the critical situation to the Chief-of-Staff over the phone, as well as the need for another battalion, which was instantly met, and one party was stationed in Bagh and one in Rawalakot on August 24-26.[9] They were attacked. By 500-600 men who emerged unexpectedly, all of the signalers and troops were seized. They were disarmed and led to the Mehl River, where they drowned. Two people survived the assault, including Jemadar Kharud Singh, who managed to release himself.[9]
The news about the attack was received at Bagh. Captain Balwan Singh sent a reconnaissance party of 10 men which were halted by intense resistance offered and returned back to the garrison.[10]
Mujahideen preparations[edit]
The state administration was fully informed of the shortcomings to prevent the worsening situation in Jammu and Kashmir.[11] The Head quarters of Captain Hussain Khan was setup by him in Miral-gala close to Banjosa, and then organized a force.[8] The force would face lack of weapons and ammunition.[8]
Battle[edit]
On November 4, 1947, Subedar Bostan Khan led the initial attack on Rawalakot, which was repelled by state forces, resulting in 45 casualties and 23 deaths for the Mujahideen.[3] A renewed attack was led by Captain Hussain Khan on November 6. The Mujahideen began bombarding the Rawalakot Garrison with relentless fire and the state force's outer defense was compromised.[12] The Indian planes pounded the Mujahideen all day. On November 8th, Captain Hussain Khan led another significant attempt.[12]
The Hajira column back at Rawalakot, the position had become impenetrable, but the garrison's ammunition supply was suffering greatly from the daily combat with the enemy while it was under control.[12]
Aftermath[edit]
"The liberation of Rawalakot has great importance in the liberation Movement because with the fail of this Dogra strong-hold, they were not able to hold the advance of the liberators anywhere short of Poonch town. It not only meant the liberation of the present tehsils of Pallandari and Rawalakot but also cut off the enemy's forward base for the tehsil of Bagh."
— Muhammad Yusuf Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 (2015), p. 161
Following the ending of hostilities, the Karachi Agreement had established a cease-fire line in Kashmir. Poonch was divided, Rawalakot had now came under Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir, becoming the capital of Poonch Division and Poonch District.
See also[edit]
- Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948
- Rawalakot
- Poonch District, Pakistan
- Battle of Pandu
- Battle of Muzaffarabad
- 1947 Gilgit rebellion
- Battle of Shalateng
Notes[edit]
- ^ Also referred to as the Mujahideen
- ^ The word Jatha means an armed parade mostly used for sikhs
References[edit]
- ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 (2015), p. 159.
- ^ Jaffri 2024, p. 10.
- ^ a b c d Jaffri 2024, p. 11.
- ^ Haider, Noreen (2021-04-05). "The untold history behind Rawalakot's name". Azadi Times. Archived from the original on 2024-03-24.
- ^ Ibrahim Khan, The Kashmir Saga (1990), p. 57.
- ^ Suharwardy, Tragedy in Kashmir (1983), p. 102; Ibrahim Khan, The Kashmir Saga (1990), pp. 57–58
- ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 (2015), p. 83.
- ^ a b c Jaffri 2024, p. 9.
- ^ a b c d e Singh 2010, p. 217.
- ^ Singh 2010, p. 218.
- ^ Singh 2010, p. 216.
- ^ a b c Singh 2010, p. 241.
Sources[edit]
- Jaffri, Imran Haider (Winter 2024). "Captain Hussain Khan, Fakhr-i-Kashmir, OBI, shaheed: A Forgotten Hero of Kashmir Liberation War-1947/48". Bugle and Trumpet. 4 (2). Army Institute of Military History, Pakistan. Archived from the original on 2024-06-27.
- Ibrahim Khan, Muhammad (1990), The Kashmir Saga, Verinag
- Suharwardy, Abdul Haq (1983), Tragedy in Kashmir, Wajidalis
- Saraf, Muhammad Yusuf (2015) [first published 1979 by Ferozsons], Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2, Mirpur: National Institute Kashmir Studies
- Singh, K.Brahma (1990). History of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, 1820-1956 The State Force Background (Hardcover). Lancer International. ISBN 9788170620914.
- Singh, K. Brahma (2010) [first published Lancer International 1990], History of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, 1820-1956: The State Force Background (PDF), brahmasingh.co.nf, ISBN 978-81-7062-091-4, archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2016
- Battles of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948
- Rawalakot
- Jammu and Kashmir State Forces
- Poonch District, Pakistan
- Operations involving the Indian Air Force
- Aerial operations and battles of the Indo-Pakistani wars
- August 1947 events in Asia
- September 1947 events in Asia
- October 1947 events in Asia
- November 1947 events in Asia