PM bows to all brave soldiers who fought for the Motherland, on the 50th anniversary of 1965 war

[Hindustani78]

Prime Minister's Office
28-August, 2015 11:10 IST
PM bows to all brave soldiers who fought for the Motherland, on the 50th anniversary of 1965 war


The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has bowed to all brave soldiers who fought for the Motherland, on the 50th anniversary of 1965 war.

"As we mark the 50th anniversary of 1965 war, I bow to all brave soldiers who fought for our Motherland in the war.

The courage and bravery of our Armed Forces is very inspiring. They triumphed over every obstacle and protected India's unity and integrity.

We recall the dynamic leadership of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. In 1965 he led from the front and was a key source of strength for the nation", the Prime Minister.

***

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
28-August, 2015 18:46 IST
Indian Army Releases Amar Chitra Katha & Aan Comics on Inspirational Stories of War Heroes

Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma, Adjutant General of Indian Army released a new series of Amar Chitra Katha and Aan Comics today.

Amar Chitra Katha, India’s favorite storyteller, is presenting a book on inspirational stories of 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees, as a tribute to the recipients of the highest gallantry award in India. The new 248 page comic narrates inspirational stories of 21 of India’s brave sons who have been awarded India’s highest gallantry award. The all-colour, beautifully illustrated comic tells the story of each hero’s life from childhood to the battle in which they proved themselves victors over incredible odds.

Four Aan Comics were also released today based on the heroics of four war heroes who fought in 1965 Indo Pak war and were awarded Maha Vir Chakra. They were Maj Asaram Tyagi, Maj Bhaskar Roy, Sub Ajit Singh and Sub Tika Bahadur Thapa.

From the numerous wars on India’s borders, to intervention in military crisis abroad, the soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces have displayed their bravery in the harshest and most alien of conditions. They have battled fearlessly with only one objective in their minds – to fight for their objective and not back down. The PVC is India’s highest military honour; awarded to those soldiers who display the greatest degree of valour and self-sacrifice on the battlefield. The MVC is the second highest gallantry award in India, given to those soldiers who display a very high level of valour & self sacrifice in the face of the enemy. The sensitively portrayed stories in the comics take the readers into the heart of the battles they fought and gives an insight into the lives and minds of some of the most courageous men our country has ever known.

Col Rohan Anand, SM
PRO (Army)

*********************


The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee laying wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of India's Victory in Indo-Pak War of 1965, in New Delhi on August 28, 2015.

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee paying tributes to martyrs, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of India's Victory in Indo-Pak War of 1965, at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate, in New Delhi on August 28, 2015. Three Service Chiefs, General Dalbir Singh, Admiral R.K. Dhowan and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen.

Ministry of Defence
28-August, 2015 18:44 IST
Army Releases Book on 1965 Indo Pak War

The Indian Army has released a book on 1965 Indo Pak War today. The book, “1965 : Stories from the Second Indo-Pak War” by Rachna Bisht Rawat , is an authoritative narrative in collaboration with the Indian Army to mark fifty years of the historic Indo-Pak War of 1965. Lt Gen KJ Singh, Army Commander Western Command released the book and is published by Penguin Books India. The book includes five key battles from the 1965 war and is extensively researched, with interviews and profiles of war veterans.

The book release is part of the celebrations being organized by the Army and the government to mark the occasion of fifty years of the war. Rare pictures of the battles from the Army archives add to the experience of reading the book.

The Adjutant General of Indian Army, Lt. Gen. Rakesh Sharma releasing Amar Chitra Katha, book on inspirational stories of 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees, in New Delhi on August 28, 2015.

 

[Hindustani78]

Vice President's Secretariat
01-September, 2015 12:18 IST
Golden Jubilee Commemoration of Indo-Pak War, 1965 is a Befitting Tribute to Gallantry & Sacrifice of our Soldiers - Vice President
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the “Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War 1965” is a befitting tribute to the gallantry and sacrifice of our soldiers and the resoluteness of our then political leadership in successfully defending India against invasion by a neighbour. It is also an occasion to introspect and to draw lessons from the experience undergone. Delivering inaugural address at the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965” here today, he has said that the genesis of events which led to war lay in Pakistan’s obduracy and the fallacious belief in its establishment that it could use force to alter the geography and political realities of the sub-continent.

He said that even though our forces were taken by surprise by this menacing move, they fought back strongly and the Pakistan plans soon lay in ruins. The political leadership, led by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, responded with vigor and determination. To relieve the pressure on Akhnoor, it was decided to expand both the ambit and the geography of the conflict. Pursuant to it, air power was deployed and a new front was opened by crossing the International Border in Punjab, threatening Pakistan’s primate city- Lahore. The conflict continued till September 22. The diplomatic efforts to respond to it shed useful light on the interests and assessments of the interested global powers, principally the United States, the Soviet Union, China and the United Nations.

The Vice President concluded that in the final analysis, the war was a costly military and political misadventure for Pakistan. The failure was camouflaged; even the announcement of ceasefire was described as fire bandi rather than jang bandi. Finally, and in a wider political perspective, some general conclusions that impact on decisions to initiate hostilities may be drawn. In the first place, purely bilateral wars are unlikely in our times. The decision to initiate hostilities may be an autonomous one; thereafter, however, all warlike conflicts tend to draw in concerned and interested players. The end of the conflict, therefore, can rarely be calculated with any degree of precision.

Following is the text of the Vice President’s inaugural address :

“I am happy to be here today to inaugurate the tri-services seminar to commemorate the golden jubilee commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965.” This is a befitting tribute to the gallantry and sacrifice of our soldiers and the resoluteness of our then political leadership in successfully defending India against invasion by a neighbour. It is also an occasion to introspect and to draw lessons from the experience undergone.

The genesis of events which led to war lay in Pakistan’s obduracy and the fallacious belief in its establishment that it could use force to alter the geography and political realities of the sub-continent.

Much has been written about this conflict by Indian, Pakistani, and third-country military and civilian experts. My objective today is to draw attention to some international aspects of the matter and the manner in which they influenced the course of events.

The chronology of the conflict is relevant. Pakistan set in motion its stratagem on 5 August 1965 under the name ‘Operation Gibraltar’. It involved infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir by trained ‘irregulars’ assisted and guided by its armed forces. Its mission was to carry out wide spread acts of sabotage and arson and also to garner local support leading to the proclamation of a war of liberation and a ‘Revolutionary Council.’ Its objective, according to a credible Pakistani account, was to “defreeze the Kashmir problem, weaken Indian resolve, and bring her to the conference table without provoking a general war”. The effort failed because the people of Kashmir chose to resist it; instead, they informed the local police and our security forces about their location, movement and intentions.

The failure of Operation Gibraltar forced the enemy to activate the second phase of its plan. This consisted of a direct attack on September 1, 1965 by Pakistani army on Indian forces along the Chamb-Akhnoor-Jurian salient with the aim of taking the strategic town of Akhnoor where the International border ran into the cease fire line. The aim was to sever the main communication link between India and the Kashmir valley.

Even though our forces were taken by surprise by this menacing move, they fought back strongly and the Pakistan plans soon lay in ruins. The political leadership, led by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, responded with vigor and determination. To relieve the pressure on Akhnoor, it was decided to expand both the ambit and the geography of the conflict. Pursuant to it, air power was deployed and a new front was opened by crossing the International Border in Punjab, threatening Pakistan’s primate city- Lahore.

The conflict continued till September 22. The diplomatic efforts to respond to it shed useful light on the interests and assessments of the interested global powers, principally the United States, the Soviet Union, China and the United Nations.

The United States took the first diplomatic initiative as soon as the hostilities began. Given the alliance relationship, it was tilted towards Pakistan. It urged India and Pakistan to allow the UN Secretary General to resolve the issue. Secretary of Defence Dean Rusk informed the US Ambassador in India that “the highest level decision taken here is not to engage in direct pressure on either Pakistan or India for the time being, but to place primary reliance on the UN”.

He noted, in a classic exercise of feigned impartiality, that “India and Pakistan allowed the matter to escalate very fast on both sides, contrary to the advise that was being given to them by the US. So in effect we shrugged our shoulders and said, well, if you’re going to fight, go ahead and fight, but we’re not going to pay for it.”

This approach saw the UN Security Council, with tacit support from the United States, trying to play an active role in the matter. Security Council Resolution 209 of September 4, 1965 called for immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of all armed personnel of the two sides to its side of the CFL. Two days later, on September 6, Resolution 210 reiterated this, expressed its “deep concern”, decided to keep the matter “under urgent and continuous review” and asked the UNSG to strengthen UNMOGIP. Pursuant to this and on US prompting, Secretary General U Thant visited India and Pakistan but failed to evolve a consensus on the terms of a ceasefire.

Faced with this impasse, the Security Council’s language underwent a change. Resolution 211 on September 20 demanded a ceasefire by 0700 hours GMT on September 22 and decided that once it is implemented the Council would consider what steps to take “to assist towards a settlement of the political problem underlying the present conflict.”

Parallel to these developments, a provocative tenure, reflective of partisanship if not overt intent to interfere, became evident in official communications from the Government of China to India in August – September 1965 period. A “not very credible ultimatum” was delivered but was subsequently watered down by unilaterally announcing an extension of the time limit.

More positive was the Soviet approach. Apart from its support to the Security Council resolutions, Prime Minister Kosygin sent several communications to Prime Minister Shastri and President Ayub Khan offering good offices for settling the dispute. This move was supported by the United States and its rationale, spelt out by Secretary of State Dean Rusk, makes interesting reading:

“We encouraged the Russians to go ahead with the Tashkent idea because we felt that we had nothing to lose. If they succeeded in bringing about detente at Tashkent, there would be peace on the subcontinent and US would gain from the fact. If the Russians failed at Tashkent, then they would experience some of the frustrations that we have faced for 20 years in trying to sort out things between India and Pakistan.”

This effort culminated in the Tashkent Agreement of January 10, 1966.A view subsequently emerged thatwhile the Agreement brought the war to an end, it denied India the political advantage of its military successes because of pressure from the major powers and UN. Ironically, public reaction in Pakistan was similar, although for different considerations.



The 1965 war was a medium-scale, limited conflict. It was inflicted on India. The military and political assessments on our side, and the exercise of identifying shortfalls in strategy and tactics, are in the public domain and in no need of reiteration here.

According to his biographer, Prime Minister Shastri had briefed his service chiefs on September 3 on India’s war objectives. These were threefold:

· To defeat Pakistani attempt to seize Kashmir by force and to make it abundantly clear that Pakistan would never be allowed to wrest Kashmir from India;

· To destroy the offensive power of Pakistan’s armed forces; and

· To occupy only the minimum of Pakistani territory necessary to achieve these purposes, which would be vacated after satisfactory conclusion of the war.

The post-conflict picture on the other side was kept opaque. A secret air dash by the leadership to Beijing on the night of September 19-20 was not rewarding. The US ambassador reported that President Ayub Khan was “disenchanted with Bhutto’s reckless adventurism, grieved at Pak losses, strongly averse to entering Chicom association and open to a sensible compromise way out.”

In the final analysis, the war was a costly military and political misadventure for Pakistan. The failure was camouflaged; even the announcement of ceasefire was described as fire bandi rather than jang bandi.

Finally, and in a wider political perspective, some general conclusions that impact on decisions to initiate hostilities may be drawn. In the first place, purely bilateral wars are unlikely in our times. The decision to initiate hostilities may be an autonomous one; thereafter, however, all warlike conflicts tend to draw in concerned and interested players. The end of the conflict, therefore, can rarely be calculated with any degree of precision.

Secondly, the instrumentalities available to the global community or to a group of likeminded countries to influence decisively the war-waging capabilities of participants in conflicts can upset initial calculations and thus act as a disincentive.

Thirdly, due note of international opinion and of the balance of forces in the Security Council would need to be taken when considering conflict-like eventualities.

Allow me to conclude by recalling a pertinent observation by the historian Paul Kennedy. He referred to the conundrum that has confronted strategists down the ages: “To be a Great Power demands a flourishing economic base. Yet by going to war, or by devoting a large share of the nation’s ‘manufacturing power’ to expenditures upon ‘unproductive’ armaments, one runs the risk of eroding the national economic base, especially vis-à-vis states which are concentrating a greater share of their income upon investment for long-term growth.”

I once again salute the memory of those who participated in the war and wish the participants of this seminar success in their deliberations.

Jai Hind.”

*****

The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari at the inauguration of the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965”, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015. The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar and three Service Chiefs, General Dalbir Singh, Admiral R.K. Dhowan and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen.

The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari releasing a book titled 'The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle', at the inauguration of the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965”, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015. The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar and three Service Chiefs, General Dalbir Singh, Admiral R.K. Dhowan and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen.

The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar, three Service Chiefs, General Dalbir Singh, Admiral R.K. Dhowan and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, in group photograph at the inauguration of the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965”, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015.

 

[Hindustani78]

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag and Navy Chief Admiral Robin Dhowan during Tri Service Seminar to mark Golden Jubilee commemoration of Indo-Pak war 1965, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

India prepared for military action says Army chief Dalbir Singh - The Hindu

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh on Tuesday said India is prepared to face offensive military action at its borders should the need arise. Referring to the frequent ceasefire violations along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, which has put relations between India and Pakistan under a strain, the Army Chief said New Delhi is aware of the need to remain prepared.

Speaking at the Tri-Service Seminar on the 1965 Indo Pak War, the Army chief said a very high level of operational preparedness at all times has become part of India’s strategy as there is recognition that the swift short nature of future wars is likely to offer limited warning time.

The Army Chief’s comments come in backdrop of ongoing ceasefire violations, which have put India on the alert. “As we look ahead we can see that our threats and challenges become more complex. As a result the commitments of the Indian Army have increased manifold in scope and intensity in past few years. The frequent ceasefire violations and infiltration bids by our western neighbour always remain live and active,” he pointed out.

Without naming names, the Army Chief accused Pakistan of employing “new methods to create unrest in Jammu and Kashmir” and said the recent instances of terrorist violence are “clear pointers to extend this arc of violence to other areas”.

General Singh’s comments come close on the heels of the Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s statement blaming India for trying to “impose war on Pakistan”. The Pakistan Minister on Sunday has also cautioned India that it will suffer “heavy losses” if it tries to “impose” a war on his country.

India and Pakistan have been embroiled in a war of words over ceasefire violations; and tensions between two sides escalated after the Gurdaspur and Udhampur terror attacks, which New Delhi asserts were carried out by Pakistani nationals.

After the cancellation of the talks between the National Security Advisors of both sides, following disagreements over the agenda for talks, both countries have accused the other of violating the ceasefire agreement that has led to loss of civilian lives as well as casualties to the defence forces.

While India claims 192 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir till July 29 this year, Islamabad has countered it by asserting that the Indian forces have committed 37 and 24 unprovoked ceasefire violations on the LoC and the Working Boundary in July and August respectively.

1965 war was costly misadventure of Pakistan: Hamid Ansari | Zee News

New Delhi: Praising the leadership of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and the Kashmiris for thwarting Pakistan's invasion in 1965, Vice President Hamid Ansari Tuesday said the war was a costly military and political misadventure for the neighbouring country.

Ansari said the golden jubilee commemoration of the 1965 Indo-Pak war was a befitting tribute to the gallantry and sacrifice of our soldiers.

The genesis of events which led to war lay in Pakistan's "obduracy and the fallacious belief" in its establishment that it could use force to alter the geography and political realities of the sub-continent, he said, addressing a tri-services seminar to commemorate the golden jubilee of the 1965 India-Pakistan War.

The Vice President said in the final analysis, the war was a costly military and political misadventure for Pakistan.

The failure was camouflaged, he said, adding that even the announcement of ceasefire was described as 'fire bandi' rather than 'jang bandi'.

"Even though our forces were taken by surprise by this menacing move, they fought back strongly and Pakistan's plans soon lay in ruins. The political leadership, led by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, responded with vigour and determination," Ansari said.

Pakistan, which has always claimed its victory in the war even though it faced numerous losses, set in motion its stratagem on August 5, 1965 under the name 'Operation Gibraltar'.

It involved infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir by trained "irregulars" assisted and guided by its armed forces.

Its mission was to carry out wide-spread acts of sabotage and arson and also to garner local support leading to the proclamation of a war of liberation and a 'Revolutionary Council', Ansari said.

He added its objective, according to a credible Pakistani account, was to "defreeze the Kashmir problem, weaken Indian resolve, and bring her to the conference table without provoking a general war".

"The effort failed because the people of Kashmir chose to resist it; instead, they informed the local police and our security forces about their location, movement and intentions," he said.

Failure of 'Operation Gibraltar' forced Pakistan to activate the second phase of its plan.

This consisted of a direct attack on September 1, 1965 by Pakistani army on Indian forces along the Chamb-Akhnoor-Jurian salient with the aim of taking the strategic town of Akhnoor where the international border ran into the cease fire line.

The aim was to sever the main communication link between India and the Kashmir valley.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
01-September, 2015 16:49 IST
Stories on 1965 War Should be Included in School Curriculum: Parrikar

The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar has stressed the need to include the stories of gallantry and sacrifices of our brave soldiers in 1965 Indo-Pak War in the school curriculum. He said, this is essential so as to instil the spirit of patriotism and values in the minds of the future generations. Shri Parrikar was addressing the tri-services seminar on the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of 1965 Indo-Pak War here today. The two-day seminar was inaugurated by the Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari in the midst of several retired Service Chiefs, War Veterans and Senior Officers from the three Services and Ministry of Defence.

The Defence Minister in his speech said, in this War, despite limitations the Indian Armed Forces displayed their spirited professional approach and gained considerable praise and respect of all the countrymen.

He further remarked that the 1965 War highlights the fact that the entire military establishment of a nation must constantly refine its capabilities and processes, in order to ensure territorial integrity and counter any hostile actions. The present day environment also requires a similar approach, with alertness and readiness, so that we can deter any such action and ensure a peaceful environment, he added. Shri Parrikar also expressed his deep respect and gratitude to the brave service personnel who took part in the 1965 War and displayed exceptional courage and valour.

The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan and the Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh also addressed the gathering. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha in his speech said in this operation, under the leadership of Air Marshal Arjan Singh, DFC (now Marshal of the Indian Air Force), Air Warriors displayed exemplary courage and gallantry and were decorated with five Mahavir Chakras and 44 Vir Chakras.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha addressing at the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965”, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015. The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan and the Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh are also seen.

The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh addressing at the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965”, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015. The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan addressing at the “Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Commemoration of the India-Pakistan War of 1965”, in New Delhi on September 01, 2015. The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar, the Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen.

1965 war restored Indian soldiers' self-confidence: Army Chief | Zee News
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 1, 2015 - 19:06

New Delhi: Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Tuesday said the 1965 war with Pakistan restored the "self-confidence" of the soldiers and laid the framework for India's spectacular win in the 1971 war which liberated Bangladesh.


A new book titled '1965, Turning the Tide: How India Won the War', written by defence analyst Nitin Gokhale and commissioned by the Army's official think-tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies, has backed Singh's claim.

"The fruits of 1965 were to become spectacularly apparent six years later when the Indian military won its most famous and decisive victory in the 1971 war. Had it not been for the experience gained in the 1965 war, the Indian military would still have been prisoner to a defeatist mentality imposed by the reverse against the Chinese. That was the biggest gain from the 1965 war," says the book, which was released today by Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Addressing a tri-service seminar to commemorate the 1965 war with Pakistan, Gen Singh said many unique lessons remain relevant even after five decades.

He said that by 1965, Pakistan had gained technological edge over India. "However, war underscored that superior technology or weapons and equipment are no substitute to valour and bravery of our soldiers and bold leadership, human resilience and fortitude," he added.

The Army chief further said that the 1965 war "settled many negative myths" and restored self-confidence.

"The 1965 war gave the ground framework for spectacular victory of 1972, six years later," he said.
The book, in its final analysis, says the 1965 war proved that the debacle in the 1962 war had less to do with the Indian Army as compared to the failure on "politico- diplomatic" front. It claimed that the biggest failure, however, was on the "intelligence front".

"Despite the ongoing tension in Kashmir and the Kutch episode, Indian intelligence failed to anticipate the massive infiltration planned by Pakistan under Operation Gibraltar," it claimed.

The book further says that another failure, and one that was perhaps of a larger strategic import, was India's "lack of ability" to assess the limits of ammunition available with Pakistan.

Despite knowing that the Americans ? who were the principal weapon-supplier to Pakistan at that time ? always gave less than a month's ammunition to its clients, India lacked intelligence on the shortage of ammunition in the Pakistani arsenal, it said.

"As it turned out, by 22 September when ceasefire was declared Pakistan had practically run out of its stock of ammunition, without any replenishment in sight since the Americans had already imposed an arms embargo.

"Had the war continued for some more time, Pakistan would have collapsed and, who knows, the subcontinental history would have taken a different turn," the book said.

PTI


[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCM_tiLCT1scCFaSNcgodc0oP1g&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fnitingokhale%2Fstatus%2F631294087077822464&psig=AFQjCNG-hAFRsVEkDt_Rx341k9h7ypV77g&ust=1441207681994085'][/URL]

 

[graphican]

Its a victory that India discovered its victory after 50 years of sense of loss.

Coming out of period of grief is the only victory India can celebrate.

 

[Stag112]

^^^ But for the surrender document in 1971, pakistan would have won that war too.

 

[T90TankGuy]

Instead of bowing he should have kicked the asses of the IAS officers who are holding up the OROP . Those who fought in that war would have preferred it .

 

[Hindustani78]

It was at the battle of Asal Uttar that a full-fledged assault by Pakistani Patton tanks was repulsed by determined Indian forces.
Updated: September 2, 2015 05:45 IST
Punjab government to commemorate 1965 war at famous tank battle site - The Hindu


The Punjab government will hold a mega event at Amarkot village in the frontier district of Tarn Taran to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1965 India-Pakistan war.

The event will be held on September 9, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said at a meeting of senior functionaries here on Tuesday.

It was here that a full-fledged assault by Pakistani Patton tanks, considered the most modern in their category at that time, was repulsed by determined Indian forces, inflicting heavy losses on the Pakistanis.

The ‘Battle of Asal Uttar’, as it is called, resulted in destruction of many Patton tanks forcing the Pakistani troops to flee. The area is since known as the ‘graveyard of Pakistan’s ultramodern Patton tanks’

Company Quarter Master Havaldar Abdul Hameed showed utmost courage to take the Pakistani tanks head-on and destroyed four before making the supreme sacrifice. He was posthomously awarded the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), the highest gallantry award in war time.

“Our valiant soldiers made the supreme sacrifices to protect our borders from the enemy during the 1965 war. This commemorative function to mark the 50th anniversary of India’s great feat would inculcate a spirit of patriotism and nationalism among our youths,” Mr Badal said.

The Chief Minister asked the officers to ensure maximum participation of kin of Abdul Hameed as well as other war heroes and decorated and serving army officers in the event. - IANS

 

[Hindustani78]

A WAR HERO REMEMBERS - The Hindu

Havaldar Pothu Raju shot down a Pakistani Sabre Jet and was awarded the Vir Chakra for his heroics in the war.
Tata Poothu Raju, now 74, is in high spirits as the nation remembers the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. A decorated war hero, he has been invited to the golden jubilee celebrations of the war to be held in New Delhi during September 14-21. The photographs lining the wall of his modest house testify to his achievements: receiving the Vir Chakra from Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, shaking hands with Indira Gandhi and so on.

Born in Nizampatnam in 1940, Mr. Raju was the fourth child in his family. Inspired by his two cousins who were in the Army, he went to a recruitment rally at Guntur in 1958 and made it.

His moment of destiny came on September 5, 1965: As a havildar in the 27 Air Defence Regiment that took part in a sensational rearguard action by the Indian forces he shot down a Pakistani Sabre Jets on the Jammu Tawi bridge.

“We were posted on a hill to protect the bridge. I was carrying an L-60 gun with a capacity to fire 120 rounds from 7,000 ft. It was quite early in the morning when I noticed a couple of fighter jets swooping down on the bridge. I was trained to recognize aircraft and I knew they were Sabre Jets from their wide mouths. After getting the nod from my commanding officer, I aimed at the target and fired. I hit the target. The aircraft came down in a hail of smoke and fire and the pilot was killed,’’ recollected Mr. Pothu Raju.

That was a decisive moment which opened up the enemy line and heavy damage was inflicted on enemy aircraft and battle tanks. The Indian troops went as far as Lahore before intervention by the USA and the erstwhile USSR brought about a ceasefire.

“It was a decisive victory for India. Coming after the painful experience of the Chinese aggression in 1962, this victory was savoured by all. They (the Pakistani army) could do nothing and had to beat a hasty retreat. But we could not proceed further than Sialkot as we were ordered to stop,’’ Pothu Raju said.

The Indian Army recognised his effort and he and another havaldar named Permallu were conferred Vir Chakra medals at a Rashtrapathi Bhavan ceremony by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Mr. Pothu Raju has fond memories of the day. “As my name was read out, I walked up the podium where the President stood. The President smiled at me. Later, a word was sent to me that the President wanted to see me. I developed cold feet and did not know what to do. Then Gen. J.N Chaudhury accompanied me to the President. Radhakrishnana spoke to me in Telugu and I recounted to him the action on the battlefront. Later, our general introduced me to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. As she said `namaste', I saluted her and she shook hands with me,’’ Pothu Raju recollected.

He returned to Andhra Pradesh to a hero’s welcome. For 40 days, he was taken around the state and felicitated. A massive public reception was held at Nizam’s College on November 22, 1965 in which chief minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy was present.

After his voluntary retirement from the army in August 1975, Pothu Raju joined APSRTC as a security inspector and retired as chief security inspector in Guntur in January 1999.

``The Army gave me everything in life. I was praised as a war hero, but I know I was just doing my job,’’ Pothu Raju says.

Havaldar Pothu Raju shot down a Pakistani Sabre Jet and was awarded the Vir Chakra for his heroics in the war


L-60, 40mm (AAA) at Shaheed Smarak, Jabalpur.

1965 Indo Pak War: resilience in war, deftness in diplomacy - The Hindu

Fifty years later, a look at how the 1965 war banished the ghosts of 1962, and was a litmus test for India’s capabilities, on and off the battlefront.
‘Stalemate’, ‘futile’, ‘forgotten’ — the descriptions of the 1965 War between India and Pakistan often do injustice to its profound impact on the history of the Indian subcontinent. The war of 1965 altered the fates of both the countries and began the new ‘Great Game’ in Asia. One of its biggest outcomes was the sealing of the China-Pakistan entente and New Delhi’s realisation of a two-front strategic threat, with a heightened risk of collusion between its two neighbours.

The war of 1965 was a test for the political leadership of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was still finding his feet post his predecessor Jawaharlal Nehru’s death. He was under intense scrutiny from the international community as India was still recovering from the scars of 1962, while also battling an acute food crisis. The National Conference leader Sheikh Abdullah’s mission to find a solution to the Kashmir crisis was aborted after Nehru’s death and historians believe Pakistan felt emboldened to strike for the ‘cause’ of Kashmir, sensing India was at its most vulnerable.

Four-phase plan
The blueprint was in the form of a four-phase plan: a probing encounter to check the Indian response in the Rann of Kutch; an engineered uprising in Kashmir via infiltrators (Operation Gibraltar); followed by a sophisticated Patton tank assault in Punjab aimed at cutting of Jammu and Kashmir; and finally, the, capture of Amritsar and many parts of the Indian territory, to be exchanged for Kashmir.

General Mohammed Musa, the then Pakistani Army Chief, has recorded in his book My Version, “the Kashmir Cell, a highly secretive group put together by the Pakistani Army in early 1964, directly reporting to the President, had by now concluded that ‘it was time for Pakistan to take some overt action’ for reviving the Kashmir issue and “defreezing”, what from Pakistan’s point of view was a dishearteningly quiet and stable situation in Kashmir.”

Altaf Gauhar, the then Pakistan Minister of Information and Broadcasting and author of the biography Ayub Khan: Pakistan’s First Military Ruler, tells that “Ayub’s judgement” was over-ridden with the “prejudice” that “the Hindu has no stomach for a fight” and this “turned to belief, if not a military doctrine, which had the decisive effect on the course of events.”

While surprised at first, India fought back. In this war, fought between August and September 1965, India captured 1,920 sq. km of Pakistani territory while Pakistan captured 550 sq. km of Indian territory, as per the government records. Officially declared inconclusive, the war results ultimately did favour India.

Fifty years on, there is still a lot left to be understood on the intense diplomatic manoeuvring that New Delhi undertook to emerge on the right side of history. Most prominent among this is how India managed Chinese moves, aimed at pushing Pakistan’s case both during the war and negotiations in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), patterns which ironically are followed till date.

Since 1962, Pakistan referring to its special friendship with China while dealing with India. First, Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in the National Assembly in 1963, and later, President Ayub, alluded to this: “If we are attacked by India, then that means, India is on the move and wants to expand. We assume that other Asiatic [sic] powers, especially China would take notice.” (as noted by J.W. Garver in his book Protracted Contest: Sino Indian Rivalry in the Twentieth Century.)

Pakistan’s strengthened relationship with China had caught the attention of the world powers at the height of the Cold War. After concluding a border agreement with China in March 1963, through which it handed over disputed territories in Jammu and Kashmir to China, Islamabad had openly began to court Beijing.

Gauhar’s memoirs of Ayub recount a series of hectic diplomatic consultations between Pakistan and China in the lead up to 1965. First, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai had made a state visit to Pakistan in February 1964. He then laid out the red carpet for Ayub in March 1965. Zhou Enlai later returned to Pakistan in June 1965 and there was speculation, writes Gauhar, that it was the Chinese tactics of guerrilla warfare that were deployed by Pakistan in the attack on Kashmir.

Both the U.S. and Russia were concerned of Pakistan falling into China's lap, which Pakistan used to its advantage.

Interestingly, after being stumped by India’s attack on Lahore on September 1 and worried following reports of dwindling supplies of ammunition on the battlefield post the American embargo on arms supply to both India and Pakistan; an exasperated Ayub, recalls Gauhar, reportedly said at an emergency cabinet meet: “The Americans have let us down, but they are afraid of Chinese involvement [...]. Our best card is the China card. We have to decide at what stage the Chinese aid needs to be obtained. Our dealings with China should be frank and above board”

The Chinese were only too happy to come to Pakistan’s rescue if one looks at the details that emerge from the records of Gauhar as also from the war diaries of the then Indian Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan (1965 War: The Inside Story, by R.D. Pradhan). They outline that Chinese Foreign Minister, Marshal Chen Yi, had already met with Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Karachi on September 4, 1965 and assured Pakistan support against “India’s armed provocation in Kashmir”. China followed this up with a statement on September 7 which said, “The Indian government probably believes that since it has the backing of the U.S. imperialists and modern revisionists, it can bully its neighbours, defy public opinion and do whatever it likes,” records Gauhar.

According to Chavan’s war diaries, China had previously, on August 27, accused the Indian Army of committing acts of aggression on the border of Sikkim and Tibet in July and August, accusations that were rejected by India.

By September 8, it renewed these accusations claiming, “India must bear responsibility of all consequences arriving therefrom,” which India again rejected and called for a neutral and independent observer to visit the China border and look at these complaints.

On September 17, notes Chavan, the Chinese again upped the ante, dismissing India’s offer as “pretentious” and sending a fresh note accusing India of “maintaining 56 military installations on the Tibetan side of the Sikkim-Tibet border and demanding their dismantling within two days or face grave consequences.”

C.P. Srivastava, author of the biography Lal Bahadur Shastri: A Life of Truth in Politics, notes that by now Prime Minister Shastri had calculated that “China was unlikely to launch an attack like 1962 because they had no immediate objective of their own to achieve” and “would not risk a war with the U.S.” or “draw USSR into the South Asia”. India had already sought the offices of the U.S. and USSR to help tackle an impending attack from China. So, Srivastava argues that, with these calculations in mind Shastri reiterated India’s offer of joint inspection to assuage Chinese complaints. He conveyed on the floor of the Parliament that he hoped “China would not take advantage of the present situation and attack India.” He, however, stood his ground in while assuring the country his countrymen that in case of an attack from China, India was prepared to fight back.

Sino-Pak. joint manoeuvring
While the Chinese ultimatum was set to expire at midnight on September 19, Chavan’s notes indicate that the Chinese had already begun moving their troops towards the Sikkim border on September 18 , with reports of firing in Nathu La reaching New Delhi.

In a new move, they extended their deadline of dismantling of military structures by 72 hours, knowing that a UNSC resolution demanding a ceasefire would be tabled by September 20 and that continuing the pressure on India would bolster Pakistan’s case, says Chavan.

It was later revealed that China was pushing Ayub Khan to continue the Indo-Pak. war. Gauhar says Ayub, who flew to Beijing for a secret meeting on September 19-20, was assured by Zhou Enlai of continued support “for as long as necessary” and told “but you must keep fighting even if you have to withdraw to the hills.” Gauhar records that it was now that However, it had become “clear to Ayub and Bhutto that if Pakistan wanted full Chinese support it had to be prepared for a long war and the loss of important cities like Lahore,” which they were not prepared for. It was this realisation that led to Pakistan accepting the ceasefire proposed by the UNSC on September 22 1965 ending hostilities and making way for the Tashkent Agreement.

In retrospect, 1965 was a watershed event for the subcontinent. For India, it banished the ghosts of 1962, and proved to be a litmus test for its capabilities both on the battlefront and the diplomatic chessboard. The war also established that the China-Pakistan entente was now a reality India will have to live with and battle, both militarily and politically, for years to come.

(Shruti Pandalai is a research scholar at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. This piece is an excerpt from an essay published in the Journal of Defence Studies, IDSA.)

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
04-September, 2015 17:25 IST
Multi Component Expedition to Commemorate Golden Jubilee of 1965 War is Flagged off
Multi Component Expedition from Visakhapatnam to New Delhi to commemorate the Golden Jubilee year of the 1965 War was flagged off by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) today, 04 September 2015. The expedition organized by ENC is being undertaken in three phases. The first phase is ‘ocean sailing on J-24 sail boat’ to Kakinada and back, the second phase is ‘motorcycle expedition’ to Agra and final phase a ‘cycling expedition’ from Agra to New Delhi, where the team will join the Commemorative Carnival celebration at India Gate on 20 September 2015.

The J-24 sail boat expedition skippered by Commodore Arvind Sharma, would cover a distance of 100 nautical miles and would also chart the wreckage of PNS Ghazi, Pakistani submarine which also participated in 1965 War and was later sunk by Indian Navy off Vizag. The motorcycle expenditure led by Lieutenant Commander Ravindra Kumar, would cover a 2100Kms over a period of 9 days across six states and Union Territories. The motorcycle expedition will reach out to local populace / schools/ institutions and sister service organizations enroute and meet ex-servicemen from the three Services who have participated or been in service during 1965 War so as to gain firsthand experience and interact with the veterans. The cycling expedition led by Commander Animesh Nagar would cover a distance of 220 km and is aimed at spreading awareness of the commitment of the armed forces in use of greener and renewable source of energy.

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[Hindustani78]

Air Marshal (Retd) Denzil Keelor receiving a memento from Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha during a function to honour Air Veterans of 1965 Indo-Pak War, held at La Martiniere College Lucknow on Thursday- Photo Rajeev Bhatt

IAF war veterans honoured - The Hindu


The Indian Air Force Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Thursday said the IAF has transformed into a multi-spectrum strategic force and is aligned with India’s growth.

“IAF has transformed into a multi-spectrum strategic force. The growth of IAF is aligned with India’s growth and is aimed at acquiring the requisite strategic footprint for exerting our influence in our growing areas of interest,” he said.

The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) was speaking during a special function at La Martiniere College to honour its war veteran alumni.

The war heroes who were felicitated included the legendary Keelor brothers and Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke of the 1965 war fame and Air Vice-Marshal Harbans Parminder Singh, the hero of 1971 war.

Patricia Keelor, wife of Late Wg. Cdr. Trevor Keelor unveiled the memorial tablet in honour of her late husband.

“The courage, valour and leadership displayed by the legendary Keelor brothers and Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke during 1965 war are striking examples of decisive impact of air power that is acknowledged by the entire nation with respect,” the IAF Chief said.

The greatest achievement of IAF during the 1965 war was thwarting Pakistan army’s armour thrust in Chhamb-Jaurian sector which resulted in failure of Operation Grand Slam which aimed to cut off Jammu and Kashmir from India, he said.

Acknowledging the contribution of all veterans in shaping the Indian Armed Forces, the IAF chief said, the present and future generations shall forever be indebted to them for their deeds of courage and sacrifice.

Later, he also participated in a function where Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister felicitated the dependents of IAF martyrs killed in chopper clash in Bakshi ka Talab on July 25 last year and presented them cheques of Rs. 20 lakh.

Paying tributes to the martyrs Akhilesh Yadav said the people of the country give maximum respect to its armed forces and added that during the tenure of Mulayam Singh Yadav as CM, the then SP regime started the tradition of honouring martyrs, which his government was carrying forward. The Army and the Air Force played an important role in rescue and relief works during earthquake in Nepal and natural calamity in Uttrakhand evacuating thousands of people to safety, he said.

Appreciating the CM’s gesture, IAF Chief Arup Raha said the State government was extending maximum basic help to the Air Force.

Referring to construction of blocks on Agra-Lucknow Expressway for landing of fighter jets, he said similar facility has been provided at other airstrips as well, which would add to the ability of the IAF.

From the archives— dated September 4, 1965 - Archives - The Hindu

Pak. Sabre jet planes destroyed

Two Pakistani F-86 Sabre jets were shot down in the last 24 hours in the Chhamb area. One of the Sabre jets was brought down by the Indian Air Force, Gnat fighters (manufactured in India) in an air battle in the area. The second Sabre jet was destroyed by the ground forces which also went into action against the intruding Pakistani aircraft. The aircraft crashed in Indian territory. An official spokesman said Pakistan advances had been halted in the Chhamb sector. The lull continues there and probably the Pakistanis are regrouping. There is vigorous patrolling by both sides. The immediate military objective of the Pakistani forces in the Chhamb area may be to reach the western bank of Munavar Tavi river. But Pakistanis have been foiled by heavy Indian shelling.

Efforts at UN to avert war

The tempo of diplomatic activity aimed at averting a full-scale war in Kashmir has increased appreciably in the lat 24 hours. All of it points towards an early convening of the Security Council possibly this week-end. Ambassador Goldberg of the United States, who was in Washington yesterday [September 2], attending a top level meeting connected with Kashmir, called on U Thant to-day [September 3] to discuss what should be done next. Mr. Goldberg has been in constant touch with the other members of the Security Council since U Thant made his appeal to India and Pakistan day before yesterday. U Thant himself is meeting all the other 10 members of the Security Council separately to review the Kashmir situation. In Washington Ambassador B. K. Nehru, at a meeting requested by him, is reported to have told Mr. Dean Rusk formally that Pakistanis were using American arms such as tanks and planes in Kashmir contrary to the undertakings given by it in the past. Unconfirmed reports said that the State Department has already expressed its concern over this to Pakistan.

 

[Hindustani78]

Indian Navy to undertake expedition to commemorate 1965 victory - The Economic Times
By PTI | 4 Sep, 2015, 10.55PM IST
NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy today kickstarted a multi-phase expedition from Visakhapatnam to New Delhi to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the 1965 war.

The expedition, which was flagged off by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) today, is being undertaken in three phases.

"The first phase is Ocean sailing on J-24 sail boat to Kakinada and back. The second phase is motorcycle expedition to Agra and final phase is a cycling expedition from Agra to New Delhi, where the team will join the Commemorative Carnival celebration at India Gate on September 20," the Navy said in a statement.

The J-24 sail boat expedition is being skippered by Commodore Arvind Sharma. This would cover a distance of 100 nautical miles and also chart the wreckage of PNS Ghazi. The Pakistani submarine had also participated in 1965 War and was later sunk by Indian Navy off Vizag.

The motorcycle expenditure which will be led by Lieutenant Commander Ravindra Kumar, would cover 2,100 km over a period of 9 days across six states and Union Territories. The motorcycle expedition will reach out to local populace/schools/institutions and sister service organisations enroute and meet ex-servicemen from the three Services who have participated or been in service during 1965 War.

The cycling expedition will be led by Commander Animesh Nagar and would cover a distance of 220 km. This phase of the expedition is aimed at spreading awareness of the commitment of the armed forces in use of greener and renewable source of energy.

 

[samlove]

'History in Pakistan has been badly treated'

political economist Dr S. Akbar Zaidi making a point during his lecture ‘Questioning Pakistan’s history’ organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Karachi University, on Friday.—White Star
KARACHI: With Pakistan just two days away from observing Defence Day and marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war, historian and political economist Dr S. Akbar Zaidi dispelled ‘the victory myth’, saying that there can be no a bigger lie, as Pakistan lost terribly.

People are unaware of this fact because the history that is taught in Pakistan is from an ideological viewpoint, said Dr Zaidi during his thought-provoking lecture titled ‘Questioning Pakistan’s history’. “Students are not taught the history of the people of Pakistan rather it is focused on the making of Pakistan,” he said.

The event was organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Karachi University.

Dr Zaidi who also teaches history at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, began his lecture by raising a couple of questions: what is Pakistan’s history and is there a need to question Pakistan’s history. And when was Pakistan formed? Aug 14, 1947 or Aug 15, 1947? For him the fact we are still talking about historical events 68 years later that are apparently settled is interesting. “These events and questions have not been settled. They are constantly being reinterpreted, this is because history does not die, it keeps reliving by questioning facts and truths.”

Coming to the question when was Pakistan created, he said one obvious answer is it did so on Aug 14, 1947 but he read out an excerpt from a Pakistan Studies textbook in which it was claimed it came into being in 712AD when the Arabs came to Sindh and Multan. “This is utter rubbish!” he exclaimed, rejecting the textbook account. He said the first interaction with Muslims and Arabs occurred in Kerala in South India for trading purposes.

Some historians claim the genesis of Pakistan lie in the Delhi Sultanate or the Mughal Empire. He, however, reminded everyone that the India as we know today did not exist during the Mughal era. It was during the 19th century the concept of nation-state was formed. There are others who state Sir Syed Ahmed Khan laid the foundation for Pakistan. Dr Zaidi felt this statement was partially true, because Sir Syed always maintained that Muslims should get their rights but he had also said: “Hindus and Muslims are the two eyes of the beautiful bride that is Hindustan. Weakness of any of them will spoil the beauty of the bride.”

The 1940 Pakistan Resolution called for the recognition of Muslims within Hindustan and not for a separate entity, Dr Zaidi added.

Social history

He then led the debate towards the questions: “Is the history of Pakistan, a history of the people of Pakistan or is it the making of Pakistan?”As far as he knew everyone is taught a history that includes the Mughals, freedom movement, the Quaid-i-Azam leading the All India Muslim League etc but was completely unaware about the history of the Baloch and the Pakhtun. “I cannot understand Pakistan’s history without knowing the history of the Baloch, Pakhtun, Punjab, Shah Abdul Latif and his relationship with the land.”

He said he was ashamed as a Karachiite that he had been unaware of Sindh’s history. It was important to know about indigenous histories because the “issues we are confronted with, we would have a better understanding in dealing with them”. He gave the example of East Pakistan to illustrate this point. “East Pakistan has been erased from memory. The Bengalis of East Pakistan have been reduced to they were traitors, India interfered and East Pakistan decided to separate. But what about Pakistan Army’s role in its separation?”

According to Dr Zaidi, history in Pakistan has been badly treated due to several reasons. Students are forced to study history or Pakistan Studies as a compulsory subject and hence the focus is just to pass the exam and get over with it. It is focused on rulers and generals and not on the social history. He highlighted another important reason for history getting a step-motherly treatment, citing that it is a subject that is taken when a student is unable to get admission in other departments in universities.

A robust question and answer session followed the talk during which students and teachers wanted to know why they were being taught distorted version of history, why the contribution of religious minorities to cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar was not mentioned in their textbooks, why does one have to wear separate identities and how can identification crisis be resolved to make Pakistan into one nation.

Dr Zaidi responded to these queries, explaining that Parsis and Hindus contributed hugely in the educational development of Karachi and in a similar manner the Sikhs in Punjab. “History in Pakistan is taught from an ideological viewpoint. Pakistan needs to be seen as a geographical entity.”

Referring to the distorted history, he said: “With the celebration of the victory in the 1965 war round the corner, there can be no bigger lie that Pakistan won the war. We lost terribly in the 1965 war.”

He appealed to the attendees to read Shuja Nawaz’s book Crossed Swords that exposed the reality of the war.

As for wearing separate identities, he replied there was no need to do so. “I can be a Sindhi, Hindu and Pakistani simultaneously.” He added that the diversity of nations should be acknowledged, since nationalities could not be imposed on people.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

 

[Hindustani78]

Last Updated: Saturday, September 5, 2015 - 13:09
'Pakistan lost terribly in the 1965 war with India' | Zee News
Karachi: Pakistan "lost terribly in the 1965 war" with India, a Pakistani historian has admitted.


Historian and political economist Akbar S. Zaidi dispelled "the victory myth`, saying that there can be no a bigger lie as Pakistan had lost terribly, Dawn reported on Saturday.

Zaidi said that people are unaware of this fact because the history taught in Pakistan is from an ideological viewpoint.

Delivering a lecture titled `Questioning Pakistan`s history`, he said: "Students are not taught the history of the people of Pakistan rather it is focused on the making of Pakistan."

Zaidi, who teaches history at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, was speaking at the event organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Karachi University.

"With the celebration of the victory in the 1965 war round the corner, there can be no bigger lie that Pakistan won the war. We lost terribly in the 1965 war," he said.

He asked people to read political and strategic analyst Shuja Nawaz`s book "Crossed Swords" that exposed the reality of the war.

The remark comes with with Pakistan just two days away from observing Defence Day and marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war.

During his lecgture, Zaidi asked: what is Pakistan`s history and is there a need to question Pakistan`s history. And when was Pakistan formed? Aug 14, 1947 or Aug 15, 1947? For him the fact we are still talking about historical events 68 years later that are apparently settled is interesting.

On when was Pakistan created, he said one obvious answer is it did so on Aug 14, 1947 but he read out an excerpt from a Pakistan Studies textbook in which it was claimed it came into being in 712AD when the Arabs came to Sindh and Multan. "This is utter rubbish!" he said, rejecting the textbook account.

Later while responding to queries, Zaidi explained that Parsis and Hindus contributed hugely in the educational development of Karachi and in a similar manner the Sikhs in Punjab.

"History in Pakistan is taught from an ideological viewpoint. Pakistan needs to be seen as a geographical entity."

On separate identities, he replied there was no need to do so. "I can be a Sindhi, Hindu and Pakistani simultaneously."

IANS