Home Pakistan and Ahmadis An Ahmadi General — who saved Pakistan

Pakistan was invaded on September 6, 1965. Why it was invaded? Because an Ahmadi General was on the point of locking several Indian army divisions in Jammu and Kashmir.

It was an amazing military feat. All these military operations were taking place in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the "war" was only limited to the disputed territory.

Major General Akhtar Hussain Malik made a brilliant strike across Chamb-Jaurian sector. He out- manoeuvred the Indians. He captured Akhnoor and was approaching Tawai river. The enemy was dislodged and Indians were planning further withdrawal for they could not withstand the onslaught of General Akhtar Hussain Malik.

It was reported that the Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahdur Shastri directed Indian Air Force to get Gen Akhtar Hussain Mailk at any cost. He was making daring use of Helicopter directing his force.

Even an inveterate enemy of Ahmadis - Shorish Kashmiri paid a tribute in an urdu couplet,

Had Gen Akhtar Hussain Malik captured Jammu, The Kashmir Problem was automatically solved. The Indians would never been able to sustain their troops in landlocked Kashmir. And they would have to leave Kashmir.

Field Marshal Ayub, who was the President of Pakistan at that time, knew what this victory would mean: It would catapult Gen Akhtar Hussain Malik in public eye.

He wanted one of his cronies to take credit of this vital victory. He asked Gen Musa, the then Commander in Chief of Pakistan Army to take Gen Yahya by helicopter to Chamb-Jurian sector and ask Gen Akhtar Hussain Malik to hand over the command of the Operations.

Gen Malik: "Why changing horses in midstream"?

These are the orders of the boss. Gen Akhtar Hussain Malik handed over the command in utter disgust.

Gen Sarfraz Khan who commanded Lahore sector in 1965 in an article in Daily Jang Lahore September 6, 1984 said about this military victory snatched out of the hands of Gen Malik.

With what brilliant planning and bravery, Gen Akhtar Malik attacked Chamb, it can only be called a great victory. He was in position to capture Jurian as the enemy had been dislodged and they were to withdraw as further Pakistani advance was anticipated.

But it was not allowed to happen, a plan was already made to make Gen Yahya take credit of this victory.

The Indian Commander in Chef, General Chaudri, who was watching with dismay the crumbling defences of the Indian army in Chamb -Juraian sector, jumped upon the opportunity and launched an attack on Lahore.

The whole game was over. Pakistan was now involved in its own battle of life and death.

Here came the another hero of Pakistan army General Abdul Ali Malik.

Indian Commander in Chief Gen Chaudri made a bet with foreign Journalists and invited them to have cocktails with him in Lahore Gymkhana on September 8, made another brilliant move, he attacked Sialkot with hundreds of tanks.

India's plan was to make a direct thrust towards Wazirabad to capture commonly known GT Road and divide West Pakistan into two.

GOC Sialkot lost his nerves and ordered withdrawal to Sambrial. However, he had an Ahmadi Brigadier, Gen Abdul Ali. He told the GOC he would meet enemy right here at Chawinda and would not yield an inch of Pakistan soil. This Ahmadi had faith in Allah and the courage of his soldiers.

It was the most crucial battle of the whole war, where Indian tanks battled with Pakistan tanks. Gen Abdul Ali gave no quarter to the enemy, the tenacity and the bravery and superior skill in deployment of his tanks triumphed. Indian tanks fell back.

According to some reports, two thousands tanks on either side took part in it.

Battle of Chawinda is considered as the greatest tank battle after the battle of El Alameen fought by Field Marshal Montgomery with Field Marshal Rommel (the top German General).

This battle captured such a wide attention in Pakistan that Majlis Ulema Islam in book "Maa'rika Haq-o-ba'til" (the Battle of truth and falsehood), it carried an urdu couplet:

This is how two Ahmadi brothers - General Akhtar Hussain Malik and Gen Abdul Ali gave their best to the defence of Pakistan.

There are others, like Brigadier Iftikhar Janjua who distinguished in Rann of Katch, and Gen Iftikhar Janjua who distinguished in the Battle of Hilli in East Pakistan and scores of others Ahmadi Colonels and majors.

This bravery and selfless desire to defend the motherland was not confined to Army alone.

In a book, Air battle of Pakistan commissioned by then Air Marshal Nur Khan, there are references to Ahmadi Pilots. According to Air commodore (later Air Marshal) Abdur Rahim a dangerous Air mission was planned and volunteers were asked and it was clear that it is possible none of the pilots would be able to come back, among dozens of officers only five pilots volunteered and all of them were Ahmadis and all of them returned safely after the mission was accomplished.

This may sound astounding but events indicate that in every operation whether planning or combat in which there was a semblance of success, there was or were Ahmadis involved. Ahmadis performed their duties in a manner which make them feel humble and grateful to Allah for having afforded them this opportunity to serve Islam and Pakistan.

Copyright © 1997 New Canada and RAIN Service