50th anniversary of 1965 War: Tales from Battle of Chawinda
Islamabad, Pakistan: The brave people of Sialkot and Chawinda sacrificed their lives to repulse the major Indian army attack during the Indo-Pak War on September 6, 1965 and stories of their empty-handed fight with a regular Army are still alive and have become Folklores.
The Battle of Chawinda was one of the largest tank battles after the Second World War. It pitted about 132 Pakistani against 600 Indian armoured vehicles. The battle lasted from September 6-22 in and around Chawinda near Ravi-Chenab corridor connecting Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian mainland. The Indian army was hoping to cut off the Pakistani supply line by cutting off the city of Sialkot from Lahore. A massive tank battle took place on September 11 in the Phillora region. The battle finally ended on September 21 when Indian forces had to withdraw and facing historic defeat. Pakistan lost 40 tanks, while the Indians lost more than 120.
Residents of Sialkot and Chawinda battled shoulder-to-shoulder with the armed forces of Pakistan to repulse the biggest ever attack of cunning and invading Indian army with 600 tanks at Chawinda while laying down under these tanks after tying the bombs with their bodies.
The brave soldier of Pakistan Army and people of Sialkot and Chawinda made Chawinda and surrounding areas as the biggest graveyard of Indian tanks by saving the dear motherland form the invading enemy, as the Chawinda was echoed with the loud sounds of “Allah Hu Akbar”.
Chawinda-based Haji Rehmatullah Butt, who had been serving as Hawaldar in Mujahid Force during the 1965 Indo-Pak War, recalled his memoires and said that the Indian army had also displayed the Pakistani flags on the attacking India tanks to deceive the Pak Army the local people during the invasion. Soon, the local people and Pak Army soldiers came to know this reality.
Then, Indian Army attacked Chawinda with 600 tanks. It was a major Indian attack, which was repulsed by Pakistan Army and the local brave people. They blew up all the Indian tanks by sacrificing their lives.
A retired employee of Wapda, Haji Saeed Butt, said that the entire Chawinda and surrounding villages were ruined during the war, saying that the land was littered with the dead bodies of the Indian army men.
The people of Chawinda wrote a golden history of bravery by sacrificing their lives for defending the motherland. The Chawinda based Ghazi of 1965 War Subedar (r) Muhammad Ibrahim recalled that the whole of the world watched that the Pakistani nation was dropping even the last drops of their blood for defending Pakistan and knocked out the invading army.
Ghazi said that Defence Day of Pakistan reminds us of the indomitable courage and unmatched sacrifices of our gallant men who 50 years ago, proved the world that the Defence of Pakistan was unassailable. He said that people of Sialkot also wrote a golden history of bravery by sacrificing their lives for defending the motherland. He revealed that compared to 1965, Pakistan today has emerged as more resilient and vibrant country with strong conventional and non-conventional power. The day reminds us of determination, selflessness and sacrifices of our Armed Forces, which they had rendered for the Defence of Pakistan, he added.
The monuments of 1965 War were established at Chawinda to pay homage to the armed forces of Pakistan and local people.
