Updated: October 22, 2020 7:39:31 am
On October 22, thousands of tribal invaders crossed into Kashmir invading the outposts of Hari Singh’s state forces in Muzaffarabad, Domel and other places on the way to Srinagar.
Kashmiri people have traditionally observed October 27 as a Black Day to mark the first landing of Indian troops in the Valley in 1947 to push back Pakistani-backed tribal invaders. But this year, in what appears to be a government effort to change that narrative, the Ministry of Culture is marking October 22, the day the Pakistani invasion began and set the stage for the first war between India and Pakistan, with a series of events, including a symposium in Srinagar on the events of that day.
The run up to October 22
In October 1947, Kashmir was in full swing. For months before the independence of India and the creation of Pakistan, Hari Singh, the Hindu ruler of Muslim-majority Kashmir, faced a rebellion in Poonch by Muslim subjects who refused to pay taxes and launched an armed insurgency. . Hari Singh deployed Kashmir state forces to crack down. At the same time, with the Partition approaching, Hindus and Sikhs had been crossing into Jammu, bringing with them stories of heartbreaking violence in Rawalpindi and other areas. Jammu had become a communal cauldron when the anti-Muslim fighting broke out. There are various versions of how many Muslims were killed, but most accounts speak of the riots as a massacre.
At independence, Hari Singh decided that Kashmir would not have access to India or Pakistan. Instead, he made an offer of a moratorium agreement with both, but only Pakistan signed it. Pakistan took over Kashmir’s mail and telegraphs and agreed to continue supplying basic goods like fuel and grain through West Punjab, now part of the new country. But as the fighting continued, supplies from Pakistan dried up. Lack of immobilized transportation of gasoline; Pakistan stopped train service from Sialkot to Jammu; the banking stopped.
At the borders, gangs of armed robbers were already launching hit-and-run attacks. The situation became alarming for Hari Singh and his small army from around mid-October, and his cables to the Prime Minister of Pakistan to end the raids were rejected. 📣 Follow Express explained on Telegram
October 22 invasion and resistance
On October 22, thousands of tribal invaders crossed into Kashmir invading the outposts of Hari Singh’s state forces in Muzaffarabad, Domel and other places on the way to Srinagar. The Kashmir forces were too small. Also, Muslim soldiers, who were in equal numbers with the Dogras in force, joined the raiders.
According to the official history of the war from the Ministry of Defense, “The plan of the invaders was sensible and, at first, brilliantly executed. The main attack had to be launched frontally along the road. Apart from rifles, the standard weapon for assailants, the main force also had some light machine guns and traveled in about 300 civilian trucks.
Indian forces airlifted to Srinagar on October 27, 1947.
Pakistan maintained that it had nothing to do with this invasion, but evidence to the contrary has appeared in various accounts, including that of Major General Akbar Khan of the Pakistan Army, in his book Raiders of Kashmir. Indian military histories say that the invasion was planned two months in advance by the Pakistani army and was dubbed Operation Gulmarg.
One of the most significant episodes was the attack on Baramulla on the night of October 26-27. British journalist Andrew Whitehead documents in A Mission in Kashmir the attacks on the Saint Joseph Convent and Hospital on October 27 and the killings at its facilities.
Various accounts of the invasion have explained why members of the Pashtun tribe came to form the advance group of the Pakistan army. Whitehead writes that Pakistan did not want to unleash an open conflict with India, and found its best option in “changing the martial mood of the Pathan hill tribes to [its] best interests. ”India’s official account says that Pakistan’s use of Pashtun tribe members sought to deflect Pashtunistan’s demands in the northwestern border province.
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Two Kashmiri residents are celebrated for their resistance that helped keep the invaders out of Srinagar for a few days, until Indian troops arrived on October 27, a day after Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession to India. .
One is Brigadier Rajinder Singh, who had just been appointed the new Chief of Staff of the state forces. He had left Srinagar with 200 soldiers and his decision to blow up a bridge in Uri slowed the advance of the tribe members, although it did not stop them. Singh was killed in action on October 25.
The other is Shahid Maqbool Sherwani, whose story has been immortalized by Mulk Raj Anand in Death of a Hero. Sherwani, a National Conference worker in Baramulla, gave the invaders wrong directions to Srinagar airport. He was crucified for them when they realized that he had deceived them.
Pakistan maintained that it had nothing to do with this invasion, but evidence to the contrary has been found in various reports. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
All accounts of the war also attribute the tribesmen’s failure to advance towards Srinagar to their concern to loot Baramulla, with some even returning to Pakistan with their loot. Whitehead quotes Sardar Qayum Khan, who served as president of Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, as saying that the tribesmen were “uncontrollable people”; “They kept looting.”
After the raid
After Hari Singh signed the accession, four Dakotas flew to Srinagar from Delhi until October 27 carrying troops. More troops followed over the next few days. The invaders were held at bay near Srinagar, at a place called Shalteng, and there was a battle at Budgam, near the airport. On November 8, the Indian army had taken control of Srinagar; on November 9, from Baramulla; and on November 13, from Uri.
However, with Pakistani forces formally entering the battlefield in support of tribal members, the war would continue for over a year, until a ceasefire was declared on the night of December 31, 1948, and the terms of the ceasefire were accepted on January 5. 1949.
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