THE BASIC COMMON POLITICO MILITARY LEADERSHIP OF THE FORMER DISPUTED STATE OF
BOLOR, JAMMU, KASHMIR
COLONEL MANSHA KHAN, POONCH, AZAD KASHMIR
“From Burma Front to the Kashmir Front” – Self Written Article
Excerpts from the Book – Karakoram Hindukush, Published in 1985 by Prof.
Manzoom Ali
LATE COL MANSHA KHAN PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION JIBRALTER – NUSRAT IN 1965 WAR
AND OPERATED IN SRINAGAR. HE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN AZAD KASHMIR POLITICS AND
BECAME MEMBER ASSEMBLY
1. I and late Colonel Hassan Khan remained together in 4 J&K Regiment
for four years. I reached Fort Sandeman via Quetta and then proceeded to
Loralai. I arrived among the unknown senior officers of the regiment and
instead of saluting them paid salam and thus was presented before the
Commanding Officer on this act of ill-discipline. The day I reached, a hockey
match was going on between charlie company of Mirza Hassan Khan and bravo
company. 4 J&K Regiment consisted of 50% Muslim and 50% Hindu Dogra troops.
Alpha and bravo companies were of Dogra Hindus and charlie and delta companies
consisted of Muslims. Hassan Khan was playing as right full back. The play of
bravo company was better but Hassan Khan’s furious and foul play compensated
that. I was asked to act as a referee and had to expel Hassan Khan six times
from the play ground. He got infuriated towards me but shortly afterwards we
became good friends. Hassan Khan’s spirited charlie company
hockey team had not only won this match but afterwards had also won Quetta
district hockey cup also.
1. While in Loralai, we were picked up to fight in Burma front against
Japanese during Second World War and for that we were trained in jungle warfare
school Hardwar. Over here, Captain Hassan Khan picked up a fight with the
English adjutant of the school and resultantly our prestige was raised. During
the course, Hassan Khan got entangled into a severe fight with Major Doughlas.
He struck Doughlas hard and took out his pistol and was about to press the
trigger that I intervened and saved the situation. This matter became a bone of
contention between Indian Army GHQ, local area commander and the State forces.
The commandant of the School, Colonel William was a crazy man. Ultimately, we
won the case in the Court Martial. The treatment which the English officers
meted out to the Indian army officers, that treatment they could not extend now
to the State of J&K army officers. We as a part of 9 Indian Infantry Brigade of
5 Indian Division took part in
advance on Manipur – Tidam and Kohima roads. Col Hassan Khan and Brigadier
Aslam’s companies has attacked and captured Kennedy peak. They had become
majors by then. I got injured, while participating in an airborne attack in
Mektilla and was ultimately evacuated to Jammu.
1. When the unit reached back Jammu, the attitude and behavior of the
people in unit changed due to Hindu Muslim riots in Jammu. In the beginning of
1946, I was appointed as mess secretary of Jammu club and had to tackle the
issue of Dawn and Tribune news paper on religious grounds with the Hindu
Brigadier President of the club.
1. During these circumstances, the Muslim officers of the State army
laid the foundations of a military revolutionary council and Hassan Khan was
the moving spirit of this council and its first chairman. Captain Afzal Shaheed
was the secretary of this council. Trusted viceroy commissioned officers (VCOs)
and Jawans were also incorporated. Our purpose was to provide security to the
Muslim population in the State and on finding an opportune moment to arrest the
Maharaja in Srinagar and to lay the foundations of democracy in Srinagar. The
whole State of J&K, whose boundaries were determined before 1935, was to be
furnished a unity type of government. Within these boundaries, Gilgit, Laddakh
and all those areas, which were leased out to English sarkar in 1935, lease
agreement were also included. This military council consisted of Colonel Mirza
Hassan Khan as its chairman, Major Afzal Shaheed as its secretary, Major
Mohammed Din, Colonel Rehmat Ullah,
Colonel Mohammad Sher, Major Ghazanfar Ali Shah, Major Mohammed Khan Jaral,
Captain Saeed Durrani, Lieutenant Haider and myself. The over clever and
selfish type were not included.
1. The estimates of the revolutionary council was that the Maharaja of
J&K will prefer to keep the State Independent, instead of acceding with India
or Pakistan; unless he is forced to do so. Accession with India was impossible,
as during those days Maharaja’s relationship with Congress; especially with
Nehru were bad. During mid August 1947, chairman Hassan Khan was posted out
from Srinagar to Gilgit with 6 J&K and secretary Afzal was send to Noshehra.
Colonel Hassan while proceeding to Gilgit had got pro Pakistan slogans raised
by his company and would have been arrested and court martialled, if I had not
been in Srinagar and his commanding officers would not have been a relative of
mine.
1. Laddakh (Baltistan included) and Gilgit, before 1935, was part and
parcel of the State of J&K, which use to be known and named as Northern
Province. The military council had prepared plans in detail, catering for
various scenarios about the strategic Gilgit Baltistan. We had planned to use
this area as a base camp under adverse circumstances for the liberation of
whole Kashmir. 6 J&K Battalion with Gilgit Scouts had liberated 63000 square
miles out of total 84000 square miles of the area of the State till may 1948.
It is sad that the people of Gilgit Baltistan have been very badly treated and
have been denied justice and democracy. They have been enveloped into black
laws and Frontier Crimes Regulations. They are ruled by non local bureaucracy
through divide and rule. The credit of the liberation of these vast areas, on
the one hand goes to the local mujahideen and on the other hand also to the
Muslim troops of the State of J&K. The person who
created this spirit among the troops was Colonel Hassan, whom history can
never forget.
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