FAISALABAD:Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Arshad Nazir Chisthi said that September 6 was a historic day which reminds us the great spirit of army Jawans for national defence.
During an exclusive meeting with reporter, he said that the September 6 war was a precedent of bravery of Pak military and its stories are vivid and inspiring for the coming generations.
Sharing his memories, Chishti said that on 6th September 1965 he was doing “Cobra Missile Course” at Wah Factory while his platoon 13-FF was fighting against the Indian army with great courage and brave at Chawinda, Zafarwal, Narowal and Sialkot borders.
He said that his senior Captain Naseer Ahmad Khan, who later became a Major General, and Captain Basit Ahmad Raja were also with him when he started the journey from Wah Factory to Sialkot after listening to the speech of President Ayub Khan on September 6, 1965.
“In Pindi, we came to know that Pakistan Air Force will attack with its full strength on Monday evening, i.e. on September 6. We boarded a bus and were about to reach Jhelum when we got the bus stopped to listen to the news”.
“The news came, it was Radio Pakistan. Now, listen to the news from Shakeel Ahmed. The fighter bombers of Pakistan Air Force attacked the Indian airports including Srinagar, Jamnagar, Adampur, Halwara and Pathankot bases. The Pakistani fighters destroyed 9 Russian-made MiG-21 planes of Indian”.
After hearing this news, we and all passengers of the bus shouted “ Nara-i-akbeer”. The people became very excited to see three military officers amid them who were heading towards their platoon to fight against Indian forces, he added.
Chishti said that the people showed much affection for teh Pak army and “we reached Sialkot on the morning of 7th September where a jeep had already arrived for us from Zafarwal.”
He said that Captain Basit Ahmed Raja was sent back to Pindi to bring Cobra missiles from the depot so that it could be use in the war and “we went to Narowal from Sialkot in the evening along with army driver Fazal Dad. At that time, the battle front was very hot.”
On the morning of September 6, the India had attacked in Lahore and Narowal but these attacks were repulsed.
On the evening of September 7, Brigadier Abdul Ali Malik was ordered to counterattack with 25 Cavalry and Punjab vehicles. So many vehicles were advancing on the Narowal Road and there was a storm of smoke and dust due to movement of the army vehicles. Our driver Fazal Dad was driving his vehicle in the severe dark without lights only on the basis of his driving skill and expertise.
Actually, the 25 Cavalry and Punjab vehicles were directed to go back to Chawinda because India had attacked 3-FF platoon of Pakistan which was alone. This attack was very severe as India had used 48 companies to hit 4 companies of 3-FF platoon but the Pak army responded strongly and India could not succeed in its nefarious designs.”
Chishti further said, “Actually in my opinion the Indian army was suffering from a psychological illness in which the army Jawans and officers perform excellently at defensive combat but they are prone to attack and their performance became very poor in case of an attack on the enemy.”
He said that there was a 15 kilometers gap near Sialkot and Chawinda while 90 km gap was witnessed at eastern side of Chawind where no Pakistani force was in the defensive position. But all these discrepancies and weakness, the Indian army could not succeed in breakthrough over which global war experts were also very astonished and they termed it a heaven support for the Pak army.
He said that no doubt Pak military Jawans presented unprecedented sacrifices. They laid down before the Indian tanks after tying bombs with their chests and destroyed ulterior motives of the enemy.
He said that his platoon 13-FF performed excellently in the 1965 war but it was not admired exactly. “When we praise all our troops in the battle of Chawinda, we should also appreciate 13-FF which fought the battle and defeated such a large and heavily loaded Indian army.”
He said that his 13-FF Platoon came into existence sometime before 1965. “What was the enemy army supposed to understand it? Most of our army officers did not understand it. A few self-made analysts spread the rumor that 13-FF comprised of R&S men who preferred to run back as soon as they saw the enemy advance. “
He said that our R&S companies and platoons were spread far and wide due to which their success stories were gathered very late. “But the entire credit of the Chawinda battle goes to only 13-FF platoons who bravely defeated the Indian troops by attacking on it from eastern, western and rear sides.
The 13-FF always preferred offensive combat and aggressive operations due to which the enemy had to bear heavy loss during this war and India could not succeed in its ulterior motive in 1965, he added.