THE INDO PAK WINTER ESCALATION OF SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 1984
600 COPIES OF THE BOOK BELOW BOUGHT BY PRIME NORTH AMERICAN ARMY
A Collage of Memories from the pastMaj (Retd) AGHA HUMAYUN AMIN
http://www.scribd.com/doc/92399986/Testimonials-Recommendations-and-PublicationsMajor Agha.H.Amin (Retired)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/83916444/Agha-H-Amin-Publications
Inspiration to write this article.
Preliminary note on relative magnitude of Bara Pind as far as casualties inflicted on the enemy were concerned
The Indians suffered heavy casualties at Sulaimanke.Some 190 Killed, 196 Missing most of whom were killed or prisoners and 425 wounded.
These casualties were far heavier than those suffered by 54 Division which fought battles like those around Bara Pind Jarpal which suffered a total of some 76 Killed and 272 wounded.
| Formation | Killed | Missing | Wounded | Prisoner | Total |
| 10 Division -Chhamb | 440 | 190 | 723 | Included in Missing | 1353 |
| 54 Division-Shakargarh | 76 | - | 272 | 298 | |
| 67 Brigade-Sulaimanke | 190 | 196 | 425 | - | 811 |
| 4 Para-Jalwala | 21 | - | 60 | - | 81 |
| Shyok -Kargil | 55 | 28 | 195 | - | 278 |
| Rest of the Formations on the Western Front | 846 | This cannot be Reconciled since many missing were subsequently found PW/wounded/killed categories | 2456 | No Figures | 3703 |
| TOTAL | 1628 | 253 | 4131 | 512 | 6,524 |
Now compare the Pakistani losses of 35 FF at Jarpal ie 64 killed,75 wounded and 12 missing46 or that of 13 Lancers which exceeded the figure of 50 casualties.
So Bara Pind was a much smaller affair than Sulaimanke.
It is only sheer Pakistani incompetence that makes BARA PIND JARPAL famous.
TO READ COMPLETE INTERVIEW WHICH I CONDUCTED IN MARCH 2001 PLEASE SEE THE URL BELOW:--
http://pakistan-army-interviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/maj-gen-naseerullah-khan-babar-sj-bar_6862.html
And what happened after the war ?
Major General Abdul Ali Malik noted to be incompetent in launching counter attacks by Major General Fazal Muqeem Khan in his officially sponsored book Pakistans Crisis in Leadership was promoted to three star while Ameer Hamza commanding at Sulaimanke was packed off as a two star .
Promotion in Pakistan Army was made on the basis of how spineless you were or how harmless you were or were you from this disrict or that district ! A stone age army and it very much remains so !
This was because Ameer Hamza being a Rind Qaisarani Baloch from Taunsa area in DG Khan did not have the old boy network from Pindi Division required under Tikka Khan to get promoted.War performance was not important.
Major Ameer Hamza was my fathers platoon commander at the Pakistan Military Academy in 1955.
Brigadier Rahimuddin who had avoided military action on pretext of conducting Sheikh Mujeebs trial from 111 Brigade in Chamb was promoted and became a four star.
Such were Pakistans strategic distortions that this same Rahimuddin was governor of Balochistan and also commanding Pakistans strategic reserve 2 Corps some 700 km away from his location just because he was the illegitimate usurper zias sons father in law.Pakistan Army is comical and full of contradictions !
Another brigade commander in Chamb who General Eftikhar wanted to sack for cowardice became a three star because his village was near Tikka khans and both had good relations.
This lopsided system of promotions is discussed in detail in the article on the link below---
http://pakistan-army-interviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/assessmentmilitary-training-and.html
I saw many of the leading characters some years earlier.Commander 1 Corp Gen Irshaads son was a class fellow at Quetta in 1968.Irshaad commanded 16 Division where my father served as GSO 2 from 1969 to 1971 with generals Sharif, A.B Awan and Nazar Hussain Shah.
Brigadier Ahmad was a family friend and was a dashing young colonel driving a sports car in Quetta, famous for his 1965 war action in 25 Cavalry at Gadgor.Brigadier Ahmad was a very close friend of an uncle . A chronic bachelor he had got married around 1970 or so.
In 1977 we had a house on Asad Jan Road and somewhere in 1978 a road in CMA colony was named after one Lieutenant Pervez Aslam who was killed in action in this battle.Crossing this road with his name caption daily on way to Forman Christian College every day reminded me of Bara Pind.Our only knowledge of this battle in 1972 was that uncle Ahmad had not got promoted because of Bara Pind.
I had asked Brigadier Afzal from the tank corps who lived nearby on Shami Road about Pervez Aslam and he had recollected Bara Pind.
Somehow in a short area of 2 km by 2 km nearly many famous personalities of that time as far as the army was concerned lived, starting from Major General Nasir of Valtoha fame , Brigadier Qayyum Sher who launched the finest counter attack of 1965 war, Brigadier Shami , Brigadier Ishtiaq AC,Brigadier Habib Akbar , Brigadier Riazul Karim MC , Lieutenant General Altaf Qadir,Lieutenant General Aftab,Major General Nawazish Ali who had sacked Zia in Jordan and had gauged him as a man not fit to be an officer,Attiqur Rahman,Khalid Karak and so many others.
I was intrigued by this battle as I was commissioned in 11 Cavalry in the same outfit i.e 8 Independent Armoured Brigade. Bara Pind was a heavy name and known well but rarely discussed.
The silence was finally breaken by Brigadier Jahangir Karamat with his ground breaking article in Sabre and Lance in 1983-84.I think this remains one of the most balanced articles on the battle . But that is what Jahangir Karamat is known for.Intellectually I think one of the most outstanding army chiefs.
I served in exactly the same area in September-December 1984 when the 8 Brigade was mobilised in same area and when war was imminent.
Technically our tanks were in real bad shape and had war broken out things would have been real bad.
We did recce of the entire area in anticipation of war.Those dark rakhs were weird and there was something really heavy in them psychologically.We walked in the evening around those rakhs and there was something mysterious.
It was grim to imagine what happened to those tankists in December 1971.
It was assasination of Durga Devi by her indomitable Sikh bodyguards that prevented war that November.
When we visited Bara Pind on recce the villagers still remembered that bloody day , it was not far back , some 13 years.
In 1983 in an article in Sabre and Lance Brigadier Jahangir Karamat had already cleared some of the myths of this battle and this had historiacl value as he had participated in that battle.
Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed our brigade commander again originally from Kanar or Kalanaur had made Jahangir Karamat article on Bara Pind compulsory reading for all officers.In his characteristic way he had asked all officers of the brigade to personally give him their comments on the article.
A large part of Ranghars were from the village where my great grandfather was allotted land in Lyallpur in 1898.These Ranghars were originally from villages like Kalanauar and Kanar which had provided the nucleus to all Hindu Maratha pre 1803 and all British Cavalry units from 1775. Many 13 Lancers Ranghars were from this village too .
In one of the pictures below in handshake with VCOAS is then Captain Kanwar Javed Shabbir one of the Ranghars from the same village in Lyallpur.The village produced more than three cavalry regiments strength in pre partition India , including pre 1857 cavalry regiments and Maratha Risalas led by various Pathan Muslim free booters from Hariana and present UP . Kalanaur and Kanar produced more than 15 cavalry regiments in pre partition India.
The famous triple layer minefield in Shakargarh Bulge was laid by 6 Engineer Battalion commanded by my father in November 1971.
One of the officers killed at Bara Pind was brother of my regimental officer then Major Faruq Yaqub Malik. 11 Cavalry had wisely kept their newly commissioned officers in adm area in Chamb as they knew nothing about tanks not having donrbasic courses.
13 Lancers did not do this .
A strategically adverse situation had developed for me in 1984.Majors Iftikhar (an outstanding officer who had topped courses and was real general material) and Anwar Mirza , an outstabdinf gentleman had left on ERE.These were two rocks on whose shoulders 11 Cavalrys foundation rested. Major Mama Mumtaz (old 6 Lancers) another old Lion had also left the regiment.So when crises triggered by a subaltern a little senior to me came , tempers flared quickly and I was placed under close arrest for gross disobedience.
Interestingly after having had a serious confrontation with my commanding officer who I had disobeyed things reached such a pass that I was attached to 15 SP , a very fine artillery unit.I was in the Romeo Battery with an outstanding and most upright man Major Zohrab.This explains why Zohrab did not go ahead in this army.
My commanding officer was a fine gentleman but he placed too much gentlemans trust in subalterns.
We had proceeded as umpires around early August 1984 to 6 Lancers to Tilla Jogian Ranges and he had proudly told 6 Lancers officers that he liked me and that he was the only man with whom I communicated in the regiment.
Fate had it that I was charge sheeted and produced before Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed on 9 August 1984 who heard the charge of disobedience , returned my belt and attached me to 15 SP Field Regiment.Thus my sojourn with an SP regiment from 9 August 1984 to early October 1984.I think 15 SP was one of the finest regiments of this army.The main reason as I saw was its commanding officer Colonel Afsar Gulji.On the whole I may say that SP units were better since they were half artillery and half armour by virtue of constant interaction with armour.This explains the personality of General Musharraf also who was an SP gunner.
I received Khan Tahir Javed from 70th Long Course on his commissioning from PMA.He was my room mate for sometime.I found him to be an outstanding professional and we stayed in touch later on too.He taught me how to make a fire support plan while I was serving in School of Armour Nowsheras Tactical Wing in 1991.He was real general material , although real general material rarely becomes a general in this darbari , hazoor ka iqbal buland karnay wali sub continental army.
In 15 SP I heard the artillery perspective of the story.How artillery was totally not utilised in the 8 Armoured Brigade counter attack.
I had moved with 15 SP when the brigade was mobilised for war on 15 September 1984.
15 SP was commanded by an outstanding gunner officer Afsar Gulji.I think he gave me greater solidarity as a commanding officer than any armour officer would have.
Later I had requested Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed to attach me to a tank regiment as war was imminent.Brigadier Rao , the gentleman that he was , agreed and attached me with 29 Cavalry another regiment of the brigade.
In the 29 Cavalry the second in command Major Idris was old 27 Cavalry and recollected his experiences of the Bara Pind battle of 1971.
Colonel Gauhar posted me to B Squadron but Azam Niazi commanding C Squadron who I regarded as a friend connvinced me that I must join C Squadron.So I requested Colonel Gauhar who agreed.
Captain Azam Niazi gave me great support and solidarity in Qila Sobha Singh area and we became very good friends.
The time from July 1984 to November 1984 was a dark period in my life and this led to my greater concentration on understanding tank warfare so as to divert my attention from my deep crises.
However providence sent unexpected friends in shape of Colonel Haider Ali Durrani Commanding officer of 82 Light Supply and Transport Battalion who presided the court of inquiry alongwith Major Zohrab of 15 SP.
Durranis adjutant was the later famous Captain Iqbal from probably pabbi who later performed some very glorious feats of bravery at Siachen.
Haider Ali Durrani was not a man who could be influenced by anyone and Major Zohrab proved that he was a Dhund , the only tribe in Punjab which rebelled against British in 1857 apart from the Kharals of Jhamra.This was despite the hostile environment with the commanding officer and independent brigade commander , who had declared war on me.
I also had the opportunity to meet Major Rasheed a tall Bengali engineer officer who was commanding the independent engineer company .Rasheed was solid as a rock and later proved his uprightness by defying another 8 brigade commander inayat in 1988 or so.
This incident of Major Rasheed reducing to size commander 8 brigade was narrated by my friend then Captain Kamran Gul serving as Staff Captain A and Q in 8 Brigade in 1987-88.He was son of my fathers friend Brigadier Gul Mohammad Jadoon.May God Bless his soul as he left us in tragic circumstances sometimes back.
I was helped by strangers who were not my regimental officers but gunners , army service corps and from 29 Cavalry.I was impressed with 11 Cavalrys Ranghar Risladar Major who disagreed with my old commanding officers orders that the quarter guard should not salute me when I drove across the 11 Cavalry quarter guard on my way to 15 SP.It was a trying time adjusting with an SP Field regiment and with 29 Cavalry when war seemed imminent and our life abruptly cut short with a war which was forced on us.
I remember the day when Durga Devi was polished off by her Sikh guards.When I drove back to 29 Cavalry in my Volkswagon Beetle the whole 8 Independent Armoured Brigade was out in the Degh Nadi jubilantly washing their tranport and roaring with laughter while before that with the doom of war hanging heavy on us no one ventured outsided those dark Rakhs !
My personal war that began on 9th August 1984 and took me to 15 SP Field Regiment and then 29 Cavalry finally ended on 3rd November 1984 when I rejoined 11 Cavalry.My squadrons ORs were jubilant.The officers earlier avoiding me because of the previous CO also warmed up.Lieutenant Colonel Mian Liaquat Shah was a great commanding officer.He was brother of Major Mian Raza Shah from 11 Cavalry who had embraced martyrdom in Chamb in 1965.On promotion in 1983 Mian Liaquat Shah had been posted out to command 23 Cavalry.Both Liaquat Shah and myselfs joy knew no bounds on rejoining 11 Cavalry.
Fate had it that it was my good luck that an extremely upright officer Lieutenant General Shamsur Rahman Kallue was our corps commander and he agreed to my submissions in the redress of grievances against both my commanding officer and brigade commander.
Click on top to see the complete letter
General K.M Arif the VCOAS who was also then the Godfather of 11 Cavalry had most kindly agreed that my stand was right.November 1984 was a time of vindication and redress for me.Nothing gave me greater happiness than rejoining 11 Cavalry.
I rejoined 11 Cavalry around 3rd November 1984 when the old commanding officer was posted out and Lieutenant Colonel Mian Laiquat Shah , brother of Major Mian Raza Shah took over the unit.
We had our brigade major Major Naeem , also known as Naeem Phanna.Naeem was a hard task master and exhorted all to remember Bara Pind.This is what happened to us in 1971 , be professional , learn the job of fighting Naeem would say.
With dear friend mentor and my benefactor Major General Naeem after retirement
While Rao Abid Hameed the brigade commander was a thorough gentleman who forgave me for an incident where we exchanged hot words , Naeem Phanna drove the brigade hard ordering tank regiments to change their location at 30 minutes notice.It was common that we were having dinner and 5 minutes after dinner commenced an order came from Major Naeem to move the unit at 30 minutes notice.And all hell broke with us loading the tanks and moving.
All that Naeem said was load.So we loaded and were ready for move.He would then visit us after an hour and give us the next location which could be as close as a kilometre and as far away as 20 km.
Although we cursed the BM then but now we realise that this is how an outfit has to be trained for war.Today I understand that Naeem was one great professional I met in this army.
TO READ COMPLETE INTERVIEW WHICH I CONDUCTED IN MARCH 2001 PLEASE SEE THE URL BELOW:--
http://pakistan-army-interviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/maj-gen-naseerullah-khan-babar-sj-bar_6862.html
Major General Abdul Ali Malik noted to be incompetent in launching counter attacks by Major General Fazal Muqeem Khan in his officially sponsored book Pakistans Crisis in Leadership was promoted to three star while Ameer Hamza commanding at Sulaimanke was packed off as a two star .
Promotion in Pakistan Army was made on the basis of how spineless you were or how harmless you were or were you from this disrict or that district ! A stone age army and it very much remains so !
This was because Ameer Hamza being a Rind Qaisarani Baloch from Taunsa area in DG Khan did not have the old boy network from Pindi Division required under Tikka Khan to get promoted.War performance was not important.
Major Ameer Hamza was my fathers platoon commander at the Pakistan Military Academy in 1955.
Brigadier Rahimuddin who had avoided military action on pretext of conducting Sheikh Mujeebs trial from 111 Brigade in Chamb was promoted and became a four star.
Such were Pakistans strategic distortions that this same Rahimuddin was governor of Balochistan and also commanding Pakistans strategic reserve 2 Corps some 700 km away from his location just because he was the illegitimate usurper zias sons father in law.Pakistan Army is comical and full of contradictions !
Another brigade commander in Chamb who General Eftikhar wanted to sack for cowardice became a three star because his village was near Tikka khans and both had good relations.
This lopsided system of promotions is discussed in detail in the article on the link below---
http://pakistan-army-interviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/assessmentmilitary-training-and.html
I saw many of the leading characters some years earlier.Commander 1 Corp Gen Irshaads son was a class fellow at Quetta in 1968.Irshaad commanded 16 Division where my father served as GSO 2 from 1969 to 1971 with generals Sharif, A.B Awan and Nazar Hussain Shah.
Brigadier Ahmad was a family friend and was a dashing young colonel driving a sports car in Quetta, famous for his 1965 war action in 25 Cavalry at Gadgor.Brigadier Ahmad was a very close friend of an uncle . A chronic bachelor he had got married around 1970 or so.
In 1977 we had a house on Asad Jan Road and somewhere in 1978 a road in CMA colony was named after one Lieutenant Pervez Aslam who was killed in action in this battle.Crossing this road with his name caption daily on way to Forman Christian College every day reminded me of Bara Pind.Our only knowledge of this battle in 1972 was that uncle Ahmad had not got promoted because of Bara Pind.
I had asked Brigadier Afzal from the tank corps who lived nearby on Shami Road about Pervez Aslam and he had recollected Bara Pind.
Somehow in a short area of 2 km by 2 km nearly many famous personalities of that time as far as the army was concerned lived, starting from Major General Nasir of Valtoha fame , Brigadier Qayyum Sher who launched the finest counter attack of 1965 war, Brigadier Shami , Brigadier Ishtiaq AC,Brigadier Habib Akbar , Brigadier Riazul Karim MC , Lieutenant General Altaf Qadir,Lieutenant General Aftab,Major General Nawazish Ali who had sacked Zia in Jordan and had gauged him as a man not fit to be an officer,Attiqur Rahman,Khalid Karak and so many others.
I was intrigued by this battle as I was commissioned in 11 Cavalry in the same outfit i.e 8 Independent Armoured Brigade. Bara Pind was a heavy name and known well but rarely discussed.
The silence was finally breaken by Brigadier Jahangir Karamat with his ground breaking article in Sabre and Lance in 1983-84.I think this remains one of the most balanced articles on the battle . But that is what Jahangir Karamat is known for.Intellectually I think one of the most outstanding army chiefs.
I served in exactly the same area in September-December 1984 when the 8 Brigade was mobilised in same area and when war was imminent.
Technically our tanks were in real bad shape and had war broken out things would have been real bad.
We did recce of the entire area in anticipation of war.Those dark rakhs were weird and there was something really heavy in them psychologically.We walked in the evening around those rakhs and there was something mysterious.
It was grim to imagine what happened to those tankists in December 1971.
It was assasination of Durga Devi by her indomitable Sikh bodyguards that prevented war that November.
When we visited Bara Pind on recce the villagers still remembered that bloody day , it was not far back , some 13 years.
In 1983 in an article in Sabre and Lance Brigadier Jahangir Karamat had already cleared some of the myths of this battle and this had historiacl value as he had participated in that battle.
Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed our brigade commander again originally from Kanar or Kalanaur had made Jahangir Karamat article on Bara Pind compulsory reading for all officers.In his characteristic way he had asked all officers of the brigade to personally give him their comments on the article.
Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed , 8 Independent Armoured Brigade Commander in 1983-85 in 2011
A large part of Ranghars were from the village where my great grandfather was allotted land in Lyallpur in 1898.These Ranghars were originally from villages like Kalanauar and Kanar which had provided the nucleus to all Hindu Maratha pre 1803 and all British Cavalry units from 1775. Many 13 Lancers Ranghars were from this village too .
In one of the pictures below in handshake with VCOAS is then Captain Kanwar Javed Shabbir one of the Ranghars from the same village in Lyallpur.The village produced more than three cavalry regiments strength in pre partition India , including pre 1857 cavalry regiments and Maratha Risalas led by various Pathan Muslim free booters from Hariana and present UP . Kalanaur and Kanar produced more than 15 cavalry regiments in pre partition India.
The famous triple layer minefield in Shakargarh Bulge was laid by 6 Engineer Battalion commanded by my father in November 1971.
One of the officers killed at Bara Pind was brother of my regimental officer then Major Faruq Yaqub Malik. 11 Cavalry had wisely kept their newly commissioned officers in adm area in Chamb as they knew nothing about tanks not having donrbasic courses.
13 Lancers did not do this .
A strategically adverse situation had developed for me in 1984.Majors Iftikhar (an outstanding officer who had topped courses and was real general material) and Anwar Mirza , an outstabdinf gentleman had left on ERE.These were two rocks on whose shoulders 11 Cavalrys foundation rested. Major Mama Mumtaz (old 6 Lancers) another old Lion had also left the regiment.So when crises triggered by a subaltern a little senior to me came , tempers flared quickly and I was placed under close arrest for gross disobedience.
Interestingly after having had a serious confrontation with my commanding officer who I had disobeyed things reached such a pass that I was attached to 15 SP , a very fine artillery unit.I was in the Romeo Battery with an outstanding and most upright man Major Zohrab.This explains why Zohrab did not go ahead in this army.
My commanding officer was a fine gentleman but he placed too much gentlemans trust in subalterns.
We had proceeded as umpires around early August 1984 to 6 Lancers to Tilla Jogian Ranges and he had proudly told 6 Lancers officers that he liked me and that he was the only man with whom I communicated in the regiment.
Fate had it that I was charge sheeted and produced before Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed on 9 August 1984 who heard the charge of disobedience , returned my belt and attached me to 15 SP Field Regiment.Thus my sojourn with an SP regiment from 9 August 1984 to early October 1984.I think 15 SP was one of the finest regiments of this army.The main reason as I saw was its commanding officer Colonel Afsar Gulji.On the whole I may say that SP units were better since they were half artillery and half armour by virtue of constant interaction with armour.This explains the personality of General Musharraf also who was an SP gunner.
I received Khan Tahir Javed from 70th Long Course on his commissioning from PMA.He was my room mate for sometime.I found him to be an outstanding professional and we stayed in touch later on too.He taught me how to make a fire support plan while I was serving in School of Armour Nowsheras Tactical Wing in 1991.He was real general material , although real general material rarely becomes a general in this darbari , hazoor ka iqbal buland karnay wali sub continental army.
In 15 SP I heard the artillery perspective of the story.How artillery was totally not utilised in the 8 Armoured Brigade counter attack.
I had moved with 15 SP when the brigade was mobilised for war on 15 September 1984.
15 SP was commanded by an outstanding gunner officer Afsar Gulji.I think he gave me greater solidarity as a commanding officer than any armour officer would have.
Later I had requested Brigadier Rao Abid Hameed to attach me to a tank regiment as war was imminent.Brigadier Rao , the gentleman that he was , agreed and attached me with 29 Cavalry another regiment of the brigade.
In the 29 Cavalry the second in command Major Idris was old 27 Cavalry and recollected his experiences of the Bara Pind battle of 1971.
Colonel Gauhar posted me to B Squadron but Azam Niazi commanding C Squadron who I regarded as a friend connvinced me that I must join C Squadron.So I requested Colonel Gauhar who agreed.
Captain Azam Niazi gave me great support and solidarity in Qila Sobha Singh area and we became very good friends.
 |
| With Major Azam Niazi my squadron commander in 29 Cavalry in October 1984 in 2010 |
The time from July 1984 to November 1984 was a dark period in my life and this led to my greater concentration on understanding tank warfare so as to divert my attention from my deep crises.
However providence sent unexpected friends in shape of Colonel Haider Ali Durrani Commanding officer of 82 Light Supply and Transport Battalion who presided the court of inquiry alongwith Major Zohrab of 15 SP.
Durranis adjutant was the later famous Captain Iqbal from probably pabbi who later performed some very glorious feats of bravery at Siachen.
Haider Ali Durrani was not a man who could be influenced by anyone and Major Zohrab proved that he was a Dhund , the only tribe in Punjab which rebelled against British in 1857 apart from the Kharals of Jhamra.This was despite the hostile environment with the commanding officer and independent brigade commander , who had declared war on me.
I also had the opportunity to meet Major Rasheed a tall Bengali engineer officer who was commanding the independent engineer company .Rasheed was solid as a rock and later proved his uprightness by defying another 8 brigade commander inayat in 1988 or so.
This incident of Major Rasheed reducing to size commander 8 brigade was narrated by my friend then Captain Kamran Gul serving as Staff Captain A and Q in 8 Brigade in 1987-88.He was son of my fathers friend Brigadier Gul Mohammad Jadoon.May God Bless his soul as he left us in tragic circumstances sometimes back.
I was helped by strangers who were not my regimental officers but gunners , army service corps and from 29 Cavalry.I was impressed with 11 Cavalrys Ranghar Risladar Major who disagreed with my old commanding officers orders that the quarter guard should not salute me when I drove across the 11 Cavalry quarter guard on my way to 15 SP.It was a trying time adjusting with an SP Field regiment and with 29 Cavalry when war seemed imminent and our life abruptly cut short with a war which was forced on us.
I remember the day when Durga Devi was polished off by her Sikh guards.When I drove back to 29 Cavalry in my Volkswagon Beetle the whole 8 Independent Armoured Brigade was out in the Degh Nadi jubilantly washing their tranport and roaring with laughter while before that with the doom of war hanging heavy on us no one ventured outsided those dark Rakhs !
My personal war that began on 9th August 1984 and took me to 15 SP Field Regiment and then 29 Cavalry finally ended on 3rd November 1984 when I rejoined 11 Cavalry.My squadrons ORs were jubilant.The officers earlier avoiding me because of the previous CO also warmed up.Lieutenant Colonel Mian Liaquat Shah was a great commanding officer.He was brother of Major Mian Raza Shah from 11 Cavalry who had embraced martyrdom in Chamb in 1965.On promotion in 1983 Mian Liaquat Shah had been posted out to command 23 Cavalry.Both Liaquat Shah and myselfs joy knew no bounds on rejoining 11 Cavalry.
Fate had it that it was my good luck that an extremely upright officer Lieutenant General Shamsur Rahman Kallue was our corps commander and he agreed to my submissions in the redress of grievances against both my commanding officer and brigade commander.
Click on top to see the complete letter
General K.M Arif the VCOAS who was also then the Godfather of 11 Cavalry had most kindly agreed that my stand was right.November 1984 was a time of vindication and redress for me.Nothing gave me greater happiness than rejoining 11 Cavalry.
I rejoined 11 Cavalry around 3rd November 1984 when the old commanding officer was posted out and Lieutenant Colonel Mian Laiquat Shah , brother of Major Mian Raza Shah took over the unit.
We had our brigade major Major Naeem , also known as Naeem Phanna.Naeem was a hard task master and exhorted all to remember Bara Pind.This is what happened to us in 1971 , be professional , learn the job of fighting Naeem would say.
With dear friend mentor and my benefactor Major General Naeem after retirement
While Rao Abid Hameed the brigade commander was a thorough gentleman who forgave me for an incident where we exchanged hot words , Naeem Phanna drove the brigade hard ordering tank regiments to change their location at 30 minutes notice.It was common that we were having dinner and 5 minutes after dinner commenced an order came from Major Naeem to move the unit at 30 minutes notice.And all hell broke with us loading the tanks and moving.
All that Naeem said was load.So we loaded and were ready for move.He would then visit us after an hour and give us the next location which could be as close as a kilometre and as far away as 20 km.
Although we cursed the BM then but now we realise that this is how an outfit has to be trained for war.Today I understand that Naeem was one great professional I met in this army.
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