The Man Who Won The Failed Operation, Commander of the Only Force that stood Successful in Operation Gibraltar
(FROM BURMA TO KASHMIR-THE STORY OF MAJOR (LATE) MUNAWAR KHAN AWAN SITARA E JURAT OF PAK ARMY)
Much has been written on this man in different books and articles but here ive decided to compile it up to let all know about the figure whose memories still wander in valley of Rajouri in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Munawar was born in Chakwal District, British India.
As a young boy he made his mark in the local athletic races,
once he was spotted winning an athletics race that he had entered on the spur of the moment by the British Officers and was selected after further examining for induction into Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun Britsh India.
The fresh 2nd Lieutenant was posted to 1/14 Punjab that later was to become (5 Punjab Sher Dil Ki Paltan of Pakistan Army), the regiment was at that time placed in the centeral india under direct command of GHQ New Dehli as Indian Reserve Regiment.
But as the World War II broke out the Regiment was dispatched as part of 14th Indian Division to Burma where it fought in the famous defence of Rangoon under command Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Ayub Khan (Later FM Ayub, President of Pak).
After the fall of Rangoon, Munawar then a Lieut, like others was captured by the Japanese and placed in Prision Cells.
While incarcerated, Munawar mastered the Japanese language by befriending the prison guards. ‘You teach me Japanese and I’ll teach you English,’ was the done deal. It paid rich dividends. When a Japanese senior officer came visiting the prison, he was struck by Munawar’s fluency in Japanese language.
Lady Luck smiled yet once more. Just as the British saw a potential in the young lad in a remote village of undivided India when he won the race hands down, the Japanese singled him out as a great asset, worthy of their notice. They asked him to Leave the British and Help Japs getting Indian Independence as the British Masters have only Brought tyranny to the Indian People, the deal was done and From the tiny mosquito ridden cell, Munawar was shifted to a Military Training Camp of Imperial Japanese Army,
In this theater of war another event spawned. Led by Subhas Chandra Bose, The Indian National Army (INA) was born in 1942 to fight for independence from the British in India. Then Lieutenant Munawar was a perfect fit and was posted to this army.
Munawar who was now given the rank of Captain was given command of the 2nd Guerilla Battalion of INA and had been redirected to Kohima. They moved north across the Japanese rear but by the time they reached Ukhrul, the Japanese had already begun to withdraw. They decided to attack Imphal instead. It was at Imphal, Munawar fought gallantly and charged British Positions from the North, forcing British to regroup in the initial phase of British offensive.
However since the Japanese further retreated East and the Guerrilla Battalions faced serious Logistical and Manpower difficulties in addition to causalities, Munawar could no longer carryout independent operations in the face of advancing British, therefore he decided to Withdraw his battalion, but before he could do so he was captured by British troops who deemed it as a great success, after his capture 2nd Guerrilla Battalion of INA was completely annihilated.
Munawar along with other INA officers was taken a prisoner and sent to India for a “treason against the King” trial.
A Hindu billionaire’s daughter fell in love with Munawar Khan and would visit him in jail daily carrying along a bouquet of flowers. “Marry me,” she said to him one day. “I can’t”, he replied. “Why?”, she asked. “Because you’re a Hindu and I am a Muslim”, he said. “I will convert”, she replied. “You’re a billionaire’s daughter and I am the son of a poor father”, he said. “Never mind, I’ll serve you and your family happily”.
The young beautiful woman dared Munawar to escape from jail and come for dinner at her father’s home to prove his bravado. “My father took up the challenge. Each evening, the jail superintendent made a final round. My father grabbed him and knocked him out when he reached his cell. He quickly changed into his uniform and confidently walked out of the prison to sit in the superintendent’s waiting car. It was dark and my father’s cap covered his face. He ordered the driver to take him to the billionaire’s home where the young woman and her family were speechless. After his return to the prison, Munawar was given the third degree and thrown into a solitary cell to be court martialled.”
Lady Luck once again came to Munawar’s rescue. Partition had occurred and Munawar with other INA prisoners were free to cross over to a brand new homeland called Pakistan. “At the border, they received a heroes’ welcome. Pakistanis carried them on their shoulders.”
Munawar settled down with a job in the private sector near Lawrencepur, Attock. Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan who had heard of his brave exploits, immediately wrote Munawar a personal letter inviting him to join the Pakistan Army.
From the British to the Japanese to the Pakistan army, by now Munawar was war hardy and raring to go to the frontlines. He was commissioned at the same rank of Captain in the 21 Azad Kashmir Regular Force (AKRF) that later became the 21 Azad Kashmir Regiment .
When Pakistan decided to go for the Adventure in Kashmir in the Hopes of Provoking an Armed Revolt in Indian Occupied Kashmir under Operation Gibraltar, Munawar who now achieved the rank of Major was again called in based on his previous experiences.
He was given command of GHAZNAVI FORCE, one of the total 9 forces prepared to infiltrate.
It had a strength of approximately 200 and was composed of regular Pakistani soldiers of the Azad Kashmir Regiment and commandos from the Special Service Group
Munawar infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir in June 1965 to operate in the Mehdar-Rajuri area with the aim of denying Indian access to Pir Panjal Range and establishing a strategic flank for the "Salahudin Force" to capture Srinagar and halt any Indian reinforcements from getting there from Mehdar and Rajouri by ambushes and destroying bridges, all of which it effectively did. It captured an area of around 500 square kilometers and operated for 3 months in total. Kashmiri locals joined this force in large numbers making it appear larger than its original size, and it was resupplied with ammunition dropped from PAF planes.
Ghaznavi Force is the only Force out of the 9 Forces of Operation Gibraltar that achieved it's objective.
The first thing Munawar did as a commander was the capture of strategically located Munawar Pass in Pirpanjal Range, a pass named after him by locals, that stands today with the same name in IOK.
He captured this pass turned it into his base of Fire and then used this pass to overrun Indian army in Rajouri Garrission after a Fierce Fight on the night of 5/6 August 1965.
Indian Army made repeated attempts to relieve the pass from it's defenders but was always repulsed with heavy causalities
Irritated of Munawar's sabotage activities, Indian High Command placed a Head money of around 50lakh over his head.
Encircled and Spied many times, Munawar held his position firmly and denied Indian Army any free access from Mehdar and Rajouri, he broke several encirclement, one of which took him a poisoned bayonet during close combat on his chest, a wound never to heal and would result in his death some 15years after.
Suddenly orders arrived that Munawar and his men to vacate the area and report back to GHQ in Rawalpindi as the War had broken out on entire front in September same year. Sad, dejected and disappointed, he bid farewell to the populace who were loath to let him go. They cried for him.
For his acts of gallantry, he was given the title of ‘Ghazi-i-Kashmir.’ While citing Lt. Col Waqi, Lt. Gen (r) Mahmud Ahmed in a 640-paged tome titled History of Indo-Pak War—1965 writes:
“He [Maj. Munawar] was administering the area, he had his own police officials, Tehsildar and government. The local population fully supported him, providing whatever assistance they could. He was operating in the entire Rajouri valley …”
Later Major Munawar was awarded SITARA E JURAT (Star of Gallantary) for gallantry and the title of ‘King of Rajouri’ by President Ayub Khan (Who was also his Ex CO once).
In appreciation to his Heroic Actions in Rajouri Vally from June to September 1965, locals named this pass after him, today it stands tall with the name of Munawar inside Indian Occupied Kashmir and speaks of the Thrilling tales of Courage and Sacrifice of those Pakistan Army Men it witnessed some 50 years back.
Munawar died in 1981 as the poison of the bayonet wound he received gradually infected is heart, was buried in his native village Jhatla, in Chakwal with Full Military Honors.
Stands a Big Portrait of this brave Soul in Officer's Mess of Azad Kashmir Regimental Centre in Manser Camp today.
