11 Bugle Trumpet Summer 2024

Bugle & Trumpet Summer 2024
From The Editor’s Desk

Dear readers,
We are happy to present our 11th issue. We embark on a scholarly journey through
the World Wars, colonial era and Indo-Pak wars.
The cover story, The Irregular Cavalry Through the Lens of a Painting, illustrates
the story of a painting commissioned by Colonel James Skinner, providing a unique
glimpse into the history of Skinner’s Horse, a prominent irregular cavalry regiment in the
British Indian Army. The painting and accompanying article delve into the evolution of
cavalry in India, the distinctive practices of Skinner’s Horse, and the regiment’s enduring
legacy, including the durbar system’s continued use in modern armies.
Exploring the symbiotic relationship between national security and economic
prosperity, Security and Economics in Pakistan navigates through history, examining how
armed forces have played a pivotal role in economic revival and nation-building
endeavours. From ancient conflicts driven by economic imperatives to modern-day
strategies shaped by geopolitical considerations, the synergy between military strength and
economic development emerges as a cornerstone for nations aspiring towards prosperity.
We revisit The Battle of Plassey in 1757, a watershed moment that heralded British
dominance in Bengal and set the stage for centuries of colonial rule in India. Through
astute political maneuvering and military strategy, the British East India Company secured
victory, altering the political and economic landscape of the region.
The First Opium War (1839-1842) serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of
unchecked economic interests and unequal power dynamics. We delve into the conflict
sparked by the British opium trade in China, which ultimately led to the signing of the
Treaty of Nanking. This treaty not only reshaped China’s territorial boundaries, but also
spotlighted British military prowess, exposing China’s vulnerabilities and paving the way
for subsequent foreign encroachments.
Our exploration extends beyond the battlefield to commemorate figures whose legacies
continue to inspire. We study individuals whose dedication has left an indelible mark on
history. Baba-e-Poonch Khan Sahib Colonel Khan Muhammad Khan’s contributions as a
freedom fighter and social reformer in the region of Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, which
played a pivotal role in establishing an enlightened welfare society, will remain an
inspiration for present and coming generations.
We invite our readers to immerse themselves in the historical narratives presented here.
Your feedback is invaluable to us, as we continually strive for delivering scholarly content.
We welcome suggestions or insights regarding improvements to our publication.
Happy reading!
Number 1/2024 | 1
Muhammad Khalil
2 | Volume VI
The Irregular Cavalry through the Lens of a Painting
The Irregular Cavalry

through the Lens of a
Painting
By Major General Syed Ali Hamid, retired
In an auction in 1980, the British through numerous frontier campaigns and
National Army Museum paid a high price colonial wars.
for a collection of paintings commissioned
Haider Ali fielded an
army of 60,000, of
which 40,000 were
cavalry, and Sivaji
had 80,000 cavalry
supported by 50,000
foot soldiers. The
East India Company,
on the other hand,
took its time creating
its mounted weapon,
borrowing cavalry
from the Nawabs of
Painting No. 1: 1st Regiment of Skinner’s Horse returning from a general review, 1828 (Source: Author)Arcot and Oudh in
by Colonel James Skinner. Two of them are
magnificent panoramas. One shows the Cavalry had been the dominant
entire Skinner’s Horse returning from a arm in the Subcontinent for centuries. The
review (see painting no 1), the other, the Mughals fought mostly on horseback, with
colonel presiding them for over a century, only musketeers and bowmen as foot
soldiers.
Number 1/2024 | 3
over a regimental durbar at Hasni in 1827 the Company army

(see painting no 2). On its lower left is absorbed a large body of
inscribed, 'The work of Ghulam Ali Khan A sowar of the Rohilla
cavalry their Rohilla cavalry by
painter resident of the Caliphate of (Source: meisterdrucke.ie)
raising three irregular corps,
Shahjahanabad completed in the Christian
two of which survive in the Indian Army as
year 1827'. He was one of the last miniature
the
painters of the Mughal Court.
1st Skinner's Horse and 2nd Lancers (Gardner's
The irregular cavalry regiments Horse).
were an interesting feature of the British Lieutenant Colonel Carmichael
Indian Army, and a column on the Smith, who commanded an irregular
silladar scheme— the structure on which regiment prior
the irregular cavalry was based— to 1857, credits Colonel
appeared in a 1898 edition of The New James Skinner as the
York Times. Central to the structure was father of the Bengal
the sowar (rider) providing his own Presidency's irregular
horse, accoutrements, forage, clothing, cavalry. While fielding a
etc. This system was not new to India or corps of three regiments,
England, which had its own yeomen; each with 30
however, in India the British perfected it
to the point that it served the 1700s. Colonel James Skinner native officers, 90
These regiments were ineffective, and daffadars (Source: victorianweb.org) and a 1000
some mutinied. While a few irregular sowars, Skinner probably developed the
units were raised, the Madras and Bengal pattern on which the irregular cavalry would
Presidencies primarily depended on the be organised and governed. The silladar
regular light cavalry regiments, which system did not extend to the other arms, and
numbered fourteen by 1800. the only silladar infantry battalions known as
Jacob's Rifles, were raised by Major John
The year 1801 marked a turning point Jacob.
in the
East Since the silladar system was
India institutionalised by the Mughals, its
terminology and words of command were
in Persian, and they were adopted with
modifications. The Persian aslahbardar
(i.e. a
Company's cavalry.
General Lake was
appointed C-in-C of the
Bengal Army, and he
welded the cavalry into an
effective arm. Following At its raising, the native officers of Skinner’s Horse were
nearly all
the Marathas' crushing Muslims. L-R: Resaidar Sheikh Surrih Hoosein, Resaldar
defeat at Aligarh in 1803, Gholam
Hoosein, Summud Khan (nishan bardar), Jemadar
4 | Volume VI
Abdul Rahman and Jemadar Mirza Bohtoman nickname the yellow boys. Skinner was
soldier bearing
(Source: Author) from a Scottish father and a Rajput
arms) became a silladar and bag-girs (i.e. mother, and it is possible that he chose
holders of reins) was corrupted into bargirs. this colour because it represents purity to
There were two classes: silladar or Hindus. As against 24 British officers in
gentlemen, who provided a horse at their own the regular cavalry regiments, the silladar
expense, and the bargirs who were supplied regiments usually had only four–the
with a horse by the state. commandant, a second-in-command,
adjutant and surgeon. This not only
The men in short blue jackets and red
resulted in significant cost savings for
turbans at the top left in the painting (see
British officers, but it also gave native
painting no 2) are the gonzalez (probably
officers greater authority and command of
a corruption of the Persian gola
squadrons. Some were very old. During
andaz), who worked the galloper guns
the Second Anglo-Sikh War, Subedar
or the swivel zambooraks shot from a
Major Mir Sher Ali, 8th Light Cavalry,
camel. Nearly all the ranks and
was 78 years old when he was killed on
appointments were also in Persian
the banks of the Chenab River at
Ramnagar.
The Irregular Cavalry through the Lens of a Painting
In 1861, the Bengal Army was

reorganised and the strength of the irregular
cavalry regiments was slashed by half, to 13
native officers, 54 daffadars and 420 sowars.
Because of financial pressures, useless horses
Painting No. 2: Colonel James Skinner presiding over a
regimental durbar at Hasni in 1827, with two rows of and outdated equipment continued in service.
seated native officers. In the foreground is a new recruit For this and other reasons, the system was
with his horse and a sowar
with a pole to measure its height. Artist: Ghulam Ali
refined in 1872. The regiment provided a
Khan, resident painter to the Mughal court (Source: sowar with a horse plus his arms and
Author)
accoutrements for a fee (his assami). Often a
e.g. risaldar (native officer), nisanchis troop commander held the assamis of all his
(standard bearers), nagarchis (kettle men. Most of them were from his village, and
drummers), vakils (clerks), etc. There was therefore his word was law. In fact, crime
an intermediary rank of ressaidar between was rare and discipline was based on the
risaldar and naib risaldar, but it was principal of shared Izzat (respect / honour).
discarded. The rank of risaldar major (the In the 2nd Lancers (Gardner’s Horse),
equivalent of the subedar major in the the assami was between Rs 350 and 400.
infantry) was authorised nearly 80 years Poorer regiments charged more but allowed
after the first irregular regiments were a deposit of Rs 150, and the balance was
formed. made up with a deduction of Rs. 3. There
In the durbar painting, Colonel were other funds
James Skinner sits at the apex of two that the sowar had
rows of native officers (see painting no to contribute to,
2). The regiment wore distinctive yellow which resulted in
kurtas (long coats) that prompted the them being very
hard up in the
Number 1/2024 | 5
early years of their service. On officers. Next to him stands a sowar with a
discharge, the assami was returned, pole to measure the height of the horse (see
giving a substantial lumpsum to start painting no 2).
retirement. The commanding officer was
under a lot of pressure. He was not only The painting is exceptional because
in charge of a combat the names and ranks (or roles) of nearly all
the figures are inscribed in gold, but the text
nd
regiment, but also of a is faded and difficult to read. Skinner's Horse
A sowar of 2 Bengal
Lancers (Gardner’s Horse) lending company, with recruited mainly from around the Delhi
(Source: pinterest.com) nearly every
region—Rohtak, Hissar, etc., therefore the
shareholder owing money. In some cases, men were mainly Muslims, many of whom
he also ran a horse trading business–the were Ranghars; although interestingly James
regimental stud farm–which bred and sold Skinner rarely appointed Ranghars to
horses. command appointments. As a result, many of
the native officers in the painting have names
The durbar, which was similar to that begin with Ameer, Mirza, Sheikh, Syed,
a shareholders’ meeting, could be held and end with Khan, indicating that they are of
twice a week. Each of the 8 troops Central Asian (Mughal) descent. The only
bought grain for the horses from the Hindu in the painting is Daffadar Ganga
unit's bannias (traders), who delivered Sankar seated last on the right.
their accounts of payments and dues at
the durbar. Regiments were always in The regiments were not always
debt to the bannias, and some began wellmounted. The wealthier regiments, such
buying grain as Skinner's and Probyn's Horse, had vast
estates with stud farms, while others
purchased horses from agents and depots.
When the First World War broke out, the 6th
KEO (King Edward’s Own) Cavalry, a
forerunner of the 18th KEO
Cavalry, was inspected at Sialkot. The GOC
2nd (Rawalpindi) Division graded the
regiment below standard, primarily because
A durbar of 15th Lancers (Cureton’s Mooltanis) in 1903. At their horses were of very poor class and the
this time it was an all Muslim regiment. Some retired VCOs
are sitting remounts were the worst horses. So it is not
on the right in the hollow square surprising that the Indian cavalry regiments
from the government. Everyone
(Source: Author) were not as well mounted or equipped as the
had the right to speak about issues like British cavalry regiments of the British
discipline, training, administration, leave, Expeditionary Force.
firearms, etc., reinforcing the sense of
belonging to a family. The commandant Author’s Note
made all decisions with the advice of his
British and native officers. As depicted in the The system could not stand the test of a
drawing, the durbar was also used to assess world war. It was only capable of
recruits, and in the painting a recruit, absorbing the pressures of short
probably flanked by his sponsors, is formally campaigns close to home, and relatively
introduced to the commandant and his fewer casualties in men and mounts. After
6 | Volume VI
the war, the India Army was reorganised durbar was adopted by the entire
and the irregular regiments were relegated British Army in India, and continues in
to history. However, the custom of the its successor armies.
Right till the First World War, silladar regiments had to purchase regulation weapons from government stocks. In
1896, the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry spent Rs. 5,363 for a Maxim machine-gun from Nordenfelt Gun Company,
London. Bibliography Books:

• Sandhu, Major General Gurcharan Singh. The Indian Cavalry: till 1940. Montgomery: Vision Books, 1987.
• Nath, Ashok. Izzat–Historical Records and Iconography of the Indian Cavalry Regiments 1750-2007. India:
Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research, United Service Institution of India, 2009.
• Hamid, Maj Gen Syed Shahid. So they Rode and Fought. 1st edition. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1983.
• Smith, Lt Col Carmichael. A Rough Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Irregular Horse of the Bengal
Army, circa 1847.
• Lord Anglesey. A History of the British Cavalry 1816-1919: Volume 2: 1851-1871. UK: Pen & Sword Books,
1997. Articles:
• Walia, Sumit. “Origin of Cavalry in the Indian Army and the Silladar System.” Indian Defence Review.
August 21, 2020. Accessed on December 13, 2023. https://www.indiandefencereview.com/origin-of-cavalry-
in-indian-army-andthe-silladar-system/.
• The Silladar Cavalry by Sushil Talwar.
• Broomfield, Steven. “The Silladar Cavalry.” Great war Forum. October 6, 2009. Accessed on December 19,
2023. https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/134429-silladar-cavalry/.
• Skinner, Colonel James. “1st Bengal Lancers: Skinner’s Horse.” The British Empire. Accessed on January
17, 2024.
https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/indiancavalry/skinners.htm.
About the author
Major General Syed Ali Hamid (retired) was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in
1968 and served with his regiment, 26 Cavalry in Chhamb during the 1971 War. He is a
graduate of the Staff College, Camberley and National Defense University, Islamabad
where he remained instructor for four years. Besides his illustrious military career, he
raised the Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO).
Number 1/2024 | 7
Security and Economics in Pakistan

Historical Context with an Eye on the
Future
By Brigadier Ghulam Jilani, retired
There is a profound Saad bin Muaz, an Ansar
relationship between the (helper) chief had visited
security and economy of a Mecca for the pilgrimage, but
modern nation state, which has it was denied to him by Abu
remained relevant since times Jahl, who threatened him with
immemorial. Wars have been dire consequences unless the
fought in the past and will be Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬was
fought in future, for economic killed or externed from the
reasons. Economic progress territory of Madina. Hazrat
will be essential because Saad gave him a counter
wealth is usually needed to threat; if he was not permitted
underpin military power, and to perform the pilgrimage, he
military power is usually would be constrained to block
needed to acquire and protect their trade route to Syria. Abu
wealth.1 This statement needs Jahl and the other Quraish
a historical context. immediately realised the
gravity of the situation, and
Historical Context felt that if the Muslims gained
The first battle of
Islam at Badr, was fought
more for economic reasons
and clashing ideologies.
Budding Islam was an
ideological threat to the overall
economy of the Quraish, who
would harvest their business
boon during the pilgrimage of
neighbouring Arab tribes to
the Holy Kaaba. Islam
challenged their ideology, to
make their gods irrelevant, and
the Quraish knew this
irrelevance would affect their
trade and business. The threat
further escalated when the
Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬migrated to
Yasrib (later Madina). Hazrat
8 | Volume VI
new attacks would not be

unleashed in the future. If, that is,
there were prizes worth winning.
As far as
western Europe was concerned in
this period, these prizes were few
and far between. Wealth and
rewards lay elsewhere.4 The
Muslims thereafter, did not
venture into western Europe
because it was then going through
the Dark Ages.
Historical examples will
unequivocally suggest that a well-
equipped and organised army is
pivotal to the steady rise of
nations. The Ottomans reached
their zenith between 1451 and
1566, and unlike most armies of
the period, the permanent core of
Sketch showing routes of movement before the
Battle of Badr Ottoman forces received regular
(Source: tasheeltadrees.blogspot.com) pay. The elites were rewarded by
power through their base at revenue charged to lands.5
Madina, very soon the Meccans William Dalrymple in his
would suffer economically.2 And book The Anarchy explains that
it later resulted into a battle at the Mughal army was the high
Badr. point of Mughal rule, until the
death of Aurangzeb in 1707. It
could
1 Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Greatfight back
Powers: to defend
Economic andand Military Conflict from 150
Change
2000 (London: Unwin Hyman, 1988).steadily expand its territories by
2 Dr S.M. Rahman, Col Bashir Hussain,defeating any force that
3 Kennedy Hickman, "Muslim Invasions of Western Europe: The 732 Battle of Tours," Thought Co. acces
challenged the writ of
November 2, 2023, https://www.thoughtco.com/muslim-invasions-battle-of-tours-2360885.
In a later period, the the
Muslims, after conquering the Mughals,
Iberian Peninsula (Spain), were but the
defeated in the Battle of Tours in death of
732 AD3 and their further drive Aurangzeb
towards western Europe was changed
halted. Peter Frankopan writes in everything
his book The Silk Road, that the for the
truth is that while defeat was British East
certainly a setback, it did not mean India
Number 1/2024 | 9
Company Nawab of Mysore became

(EIC).6 The
empire went
into tatters
and central rule was defied. Local
sovereigns fell out of Mughal
control and raised their
Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb
Alamgir own armies. Tipu
Sultan
(Source: quora.com) decided to vital for
break off relations with the its
Mughal monarch Shah Alam, and economi
became the first ruler to formally c gains,
disown even nominal sovereignty and to
to the Mughal emperor.7 preclude
According to Tipu, the emperor any
was actually enslaved to Scindia– chance
the Marhatta raja who was of the
protecting the crown in Delhi French
against its enemies–on a monthly establish
wage of Rs 15,000.8 Such was the ing a
deplorable situation for the toehold
Mughals because they had failed in India.
to raise a strong army owing Cornwal
Tipu Sultan—ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore lis, as
to lack of resources, Governo
thus had
(Source: rediff.com)
r
to mortgage their sovereignty to General
local maharajas and warlords. after the
This gave a decisive advantage Second
to the EIC, which dealt with AngloM
local nawabs and rajas ysore
piecemeal, to establish full War,
control over the Subcontinent. turned
the
Tipu Sultan controlled fortunes
Mahe on the Malabar Coast, of
which the British considered a Bengal,
gateway and economic and thus had
logistic lifeline to their arch rival the
—the French EIC—for further resource
extension into India. Thus, s to deal
defeating the
10 | Volume VI
Charles Cornwallis—
Governor General of India influence,
with Tipu. The sepoys of anxiously
reflected
4 Peter Frankopan, The Silk Roads: A New History of the World that without
5 Gerard Chaliand, ed., The Art of War in World History: From Antiquity money
to theitNuclear Age,
University of California Press, 1994), 32. was
6 William Dalrymple, The Anarchy, The Relentless Rise Of East India impossible
Company
publishing, 2019), 26.
7 Dalrymple, The Anarchy, 322. to assemble
8 Dalrymple, The Anarchy, 322. an army or
9 Dalrymple, The Anarchy, 316-317. prosecute
(Source: artuk.org) the war.2
Bengal Presidency Army of According
the EIC were classed as to Napoleon,
gentlemen troopers, earned Mahadji Scindia—
Maratha raja an army
around Rs 300 a year, while marches on its
their equivalents in the
Mysore army earned Rs 180.9 (Source: quora.com) stomach.12
EIC’s armies could therefore In the 20th century,
draw since Germany did not offer
unprecedented manpower to enough land to supply the
defeat Tipu Sultan. As Burton German people and the
Stein put it, the colonial demands of German
conquest of India was as much industry, Hitler felt, as early as
bought as fought.1 Economic 1933, that it was imperative to
condition is directly expand into the eastern
proportional to military power, territories and bring them
therefore with better resources, under control. Just before
the EIC outspent and initiating his offensive in the
outgunned the Mysore army. west, Hitler first took on
In the same period Czechoslovakia and Austria to
obviate economic difficulties,
and then turned to Norway. To
run the German war machine,
iron ore and control of
Norway’s extensive coastline
were required. This would
Mahadji grant Germany sway over the
Scindia, North Sea for the passage of
who was their warships and submarines
also trying into the Atlantic, and also
to exert his facilitate import of iron ore
1 Dalrymple, The Anarchy, 317.

2 Dalrymple, The Anarchy, 330.
Number 1/2024 | 11
from Sweden, via the port of massive industrial-technological

Luleå.13 potential, to defeat the
Confederates.16
According to a trade
pact concluded in 1940, 12 “Napoleon Bonaparte quotes,” AZ Quotes, accessed on No
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/31328. 13 C N Trueman "Th
Germany would deliver
20 Apr 2015, accessed on October 4, 2023, historylearningsite
military equipment and 14 L. Reitzer, “5 reasons why Hitler attacked the Soviet U
industrial goods to the Soviet accessed on October 4, 2023, https://neutralhistory.com/5-re
Union, in return for raw Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, 362.
16 Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, 181.
materials like oil and grain. 17 Richard Nixon, Leaders, 1st ed. (New York: Warner Book
Soviet richness in natural
Nixon in his book
resources, and German
Leaders mentions that despite the
dependence, convinced Hitler
Soviet advantage and edge in
to start planning an attack on
Vietnam, Kosygin, the then
Russia as soon as possible.
foreign minister of USSR,
His idea was that by
confided to de Gaulle, the French
occupying and exploiting the
President, lamenting the
rich natural resources of the
economic problems caused by
Soviet Union, he could make
that war for the Soviet Union.17
Germany independent of
The USSR was later bled white
imports, and that
economically by the Americans.
independence would negate
The US military, with superiority
the effect of any future sea
in strategic nuclear weaponry,
blockade.14 The economy and
had outspent and outgunned the
its growth had serious
Soviet Union, and that put
consequences in war. In the
additional pressure on its
final outcome of the war on
economy, which ultimately
Russia, the Germans were
resulted in collapse.
outproduced by the Soviet
Union in the armaments
National Security as an
battle, as well as outfought by Imperative
it on the front.15 According to Richard
Nixon, economic power will be
In the American Civil War,
key to other kinds of power.3 The
whereas the Confederates found it
militarisation of the world
impossible to pay for the war, the
economy as the Worldwatch
Union’s economy was booming.
Institute terms it, is now
The American way of war, to use
advancing faster than it has for a
Professor Weigley’s phrase, was
generation.4 Slow growth in a
first forged here in the Union’s
country is likely to depress public
mobilisation and deployment of its
morale, cause discontent, and
exacerbate the discussion over
security of Pakistan.
To effectively thwart
12 | Volume VI Indian designs, full
spectrum deterrence
national spending priorities. On like Japan, South Korea,

the other hand, large-scale Switzerland, Sweden and
armaments spending, though Austria, which have taken
realising more growth for its part, advantage of growth and
can cause a diversion of resources international production without
from other groups in society, and much expenditure on security.
make the national economy less The other models are India,
capable of handling the Pakistan and Iran, among others.
competitive challenges of other
In the case of Pakistan,
countries.5
it has to allocate a higher
share of the budget for
defence, in its effort to avoid,
or at least mitigate, the effects
of being outspent and
outgunned by its eastern
neighbour. India has a 3.73
laissez-faire economic policies (Source:
wallstreetmojo.com) trillion dollar, 5th largest
economy21 and 2nd largest
In today’s politico-military world, army of the world.22 It poses a
there huge challenge to the
existence and its survival in a

laissez-faire economic world; on
the one hand are pursuits for
strategic security through
investment in state-of-the-art
weapon systems, and allocation
of national resources to the armed
forces. On the other is the search
for economic stability and
national prosperity according to
Former COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani,
the ideals and aspirations of its retired capabilities, not
people, which are naturally
contingent upon growth, enlarged (Source: tribune.com.pk) intentions.23
output, and thriving international 21 World GDP Rankings 2023 | Top 10 Countries Ranked By GD
trade, to minimise 22 “The Largest Armies In The World,” World Atlas, accessed on
unemployment. This tall order https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/29-largest-armies-in-the-w
23 “Kayani spells out threat posed by Indian doctrine,” Dawn, Fe
can
https://www.dawn.com/news/858309/ kayani-spells-out-threat
be disturbed due to 24 Baqir Sajjad Syed, “Budget 2019-20: Defence budget to grow
disproportionate spending on https:// www.dawn.com/news/1487718.
armaments and armed forces. Defence spending in the
There are models for both types, budget for 2018/19 was 2.87% of
Number 1/2024 | 13
the GDP, which was drastically enterprises. Presently there are

cut (voluntarily) by the Army to 215 of them, of which 170 are
2.62%, that is 14% of the total commercial entities with
outlay of the budget, from 18.5% 475,000 employees, which
in the outgoing year.24 This have rarely achieved a five
happened when the Pakistan percent return on their assets in
Army was also quelling internal three consecutive years.28
disorder. India spent 15.5 % of its Circular debt of the power
total budget outlay for defence sector, despite massive
for 2019/20 increase in tariffs, has reached
and 2020/21, which comes to Rs 2.54 trillion after
about 2.1 % of its September 2023.29 This vicious
GDP.25 cycle, if not stemmed, will
further aggravate the economic
It is disturbing that like afflictions of Pakistan.
most developing countries, a
steady budget deficit in The defence budget
Pakistan is the primary cause has always been in the
of major ills of the economy. It national discourse of
has varied between 5.4 to 8.7% Pakistan. It is common to
of the GDP during the last two suggest a cut in the defence
decades. The current account budget in the name of
deficit varied between 2.7 to assuaging economic distress,
7.2% of the GDP during the to lessen military influence in
same period.26 The economy of national decision making.
Pakistan is under stress, with This is an unwise and
payment of interest on debt, dangerous discourse. The
both external and internal, now military establishment like
soaring to a level that it other pillars of state, has a
consumes the lion’s share of role in national decision
revenue collected by the making. The solution is not to
federal government. Interest reduce its size, but to
payments in the first quarter of increase the capacity of other
fiscal year 23-24 increased institutions to play their roles
alarmingly to Rs 1.38 trillion, efficiently. National polity
equal to 98% of the federal and security, if left to
government’s net income of infighting, creates a vacuum
Rs 1.4 trillion.27 This leaves a which is then filled by forces
miniscule amount for other like the erstwhile EIC, which
heads, thus the need to take is not good for the country.
more loans to repay older We have experienced trauma
ones. The problem is further and the scourge of terrorism
compounded by the woes of in all provinces in the last
loss-making stateowned decade, which almost shook
14 | Volume VI
the foundations of the not occur always due to lack of

country. This has been resources, but due to poverty of
courageously and ideas, the
methodically cut down by the inability to innovate, and
Armed Forces of Pakistan. indifference to undo wrongs.
This can only be consolidated Economy in truth and honesty
through institution building always results in more poverty and
and unity. unrest.
It is a challenge to The people of Pakistan
prioritise the distribution of speak 12 major languages and
resources for a weak economy like hundreds of dialects. Before
Pakistan. In hard times, should the independence from colonial rule,
budgets of organised and Pakistan lacked a political entity,
functional institutions like the despite its distinct geographical
Army, NADRA, HEC, Motorway entity based on the Indus River. It
Police is not only ethnically diverse, but
also has sectarian cleavages.
Though Pakistan has enough
resources, the population bomb is
ticking fast. To hold it together
and Emergency Service 1122 also requires statesmanship of the
be slashed, to bring them at par highest order, and unison effort
with other dysfunctional state of all institutions of the country.
institutions? The logical course Elements of national
should be to support government security and power are
and non-government organisations intertwined, therefore the Pakistan
on ways and means to help Army in the peculiar political,
increase the size of the financial regional and international
cake of Pakistan, instead of cutting environment, cannot and should
the budget of the Army to make not stay aloof as a bystander, to
room for others. Empirical witness deterioration of the
25 https://idsa.in/issuebrief/india-def-budget-2020-21-lkbehera-040220.
26 Anjum Aqeel and Mohammed Nishat, “The Twin Deficits Phenomenon: Evidence from Pakistan,” The
Pakistan Development Review 39, no. 4 (February 2000):535-550, DOI:10.30541/v39i4IIpp.535-550.
27 Shahbaz Rana, “Strict measures help meet IMF’s budget deficit target for Q1,” The Express Tribune, October
26, 2023, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2443051/strict-measures-help-meet-imfs-budget-deficit-target-for-q1.
28 Shahid Kardar, “Privatising PIA as going concern?,” Dawn, October 28, 2023, https://www.dawn.com/
news/1784402.
29 Shahbaz Rana, “Power sector debt soars to Rs2.54tr,” The Express Tribune, October 27, 2023,
https://tribune.com.
pk/story/2443142/power-sector-debt-soars-to-rs254tr.
evidence suggests that poverty in economy, brick by brick. Thus, as
different parts of the world does the most organised institution of
Number 1/2024 | 15
the country, it may help other Army. The Government

organs of the state to apply their establis
own weight effectively. hed the
Objectively, it should work in SIFC
tandem with national security to
policy, and within it. It must shorten
buttress other institutions, to bring lengthy
them at par with international busines
standards and competitiveness. s
And this must be done within the process
precincts of the constitution of es
Pakistan. throug
ha
It is for this reason that
cooper
the Army has again shown an
ative
instutionalised way forward,
and
within the four walls of the
collabo
constitution, exerting its
rative
administrative power to re-
whole-
energise governance to address
of-
economic issues, at priority. To
thegov
bring in foreign investment and
ernmen
avoid any effort to stymie it
t
(through red tape), on 20th June
approa
2023, the Government of Pakistan
ch,
approved the establishment of the
with
Special Investment Facilitation
represe
Council (SIFC), to act as a single
ntation
window to facilitate investors,
of all
establish cooperation among all
stakeh
Government departments, and
olders.
fast-track project development. It
It is
is chaired by the Prime Minister,
aimed
with members including federal
at
ministers, provincial chiefs and
capitali
the head of the
sing on
Pakista
n's
untapp
ed
potential in key sectors of
defence production, agriculture,
mining, information technology
16 | Volume VI
(IT) and energy, through Wars, that the higher direction of

domestic and foreign war was uncertain. Consequently,
investment.30 The Army, the National Defence University
therefore, has an important role (then College) was established.
in SIFC. The outcome of this, which must
not have gone unnoticed by
How and Why the Army is intellectuals, and commentators,
an Important was emphatic during escalations
Building Block of Economic of the years 1987, 2002 and 2009,
Revival when
the
The Pakistan Army, Indian
due to its internal and Army
external standing, and the was
confidence it inspires among ready to
friendly countries, is poised cross the
to bring in much needed borders.
foreign investment to Superior strategy was applied by
improve the economy and bid the high command of Pakistan
adieu to international loaning Army, and merely by correct and
agencies. Pakistan Army has timely disposition of forces, the
its footprint far and wide in designs of our enemy were
every area of Pakistan, thus defeated. In the words of Sun Tzu,
the tone it has set for itself a Chinese general, military
and other organs of the state, strategist, writer and
has an historical and well Sun Tzu—Chinese general
and military strategist
documented record, that it is philosopher, the ultimate
adept to realise the dream of
economic stability. proof of
(Source: fairbd.net)
generalship, is the ability to
The Army has an defeat an opponent without
inbuilt mechanism to learn fighting.31
from experience. The quality
that distinguishes it, is that The Armed Forces of
lessons learnt were applied as Pakistan have served and
course corrections, which is the gone beyond the call of duty
to improve the economy and
30 “Pakistan establishes the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC),” Investment Policy Monitor-UNCTAD,
June 20, 2023, https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-policy-monitor/measures/4366/pakistanestablishes-
the-special-investment-facilitation-council-sifc-.
hallmark of any strong social sector of Pakistan.
institution. For example, a There is oft repeated
weakness was recognised in criticism of Defence
1965 and 71 Housing Authority (DHA),
Number 1/2024 | 17
without analysing its full Schools and Colleges (APSACS),

potential and contribution Federal government education
towards improving the institutions (in cantonments and
national economy, through garrisons), and Rangers and
revival of at least forty Frontier Corps Public Schools, is
industries involved in spread all over the country, and
construction. Services of the imparting quality education to
Army also need to be thousands of young boys and girls
acknowledged in the in the urban as well as far-flung
development of the areas of Pakistan.
education sector of Pakistan.
Pakistanis take pride in
National University of
PakistanChina friendship, the
Science and Technology
practical manifestation of which
(NUST), being run under the
was through construction of the
auspices of the Army, is now
800 kilometre long Karakorum
well-placed at 417th position
Highway (KKH), an engineering
globally, by the Quacquarelli
marvel. Men in khaki, as part of
Symonds (QS).32 NUST is
the only university of
Pakistan which is included in
the list of 500 best
universities of the world, by
the
QS. The Army has also
established National
University of Technology the Frontier Works Organisation
(NUTECH) which has been (FWO), helped build the KKH
selected as one of the most with their blood and sweat, over
innovative universities in the several years. Such was
world in 2023 by the World the difficulty of terrain,
University Ranking for virtually each kilometre
Innovation cost Karakoram Highway a
(WURI).33 National University of life. FWO,
Modern Languages (NUML),
National University of Medical
Sciences (NUMS) and Lahore
Garrison University also help
meet the growing requirements of
higher education in the fields of
social, technological and medical
sciences. Service to education is
not confined to higher education.
A network of Army Public
18 | Volume VI
)
(Source: nation.com.pka The Army, through its
subsidiary organisation of Pakistan overseas peacekeeping missions
Army, since establishment in and training activities, earns
1966, is contributing in a big way foreign exchange which is close to
to the national economy.34 More the billion dollar mark, per year.
Besides that, it is through Special
31 Dean Cheng, “Winning a War without Fighting,” The Heritage Foundation, July 19, 2013, accessed on
November 3, 2023, https://www.heritage.org/asia/commentary/winning-war-without-fighting.
32 http://www.nust.edu.pk/QA/Ranking/Pages/QS%20World%20University%20Ranking.aspx
33 “NUTECH among most advanced universities in world,” The Nation, July 19, 2023,
https://www.nation.com.pk/19Jul-2023/nutech-among-most-advanced-universities-in-world.
34 Dawn dated 31 October 2019
important is its role in the Communication Organization
construction of 674 kilometre serving the national economy and
long highways, 751 metre long its people (SCO), National
Nahakki Tunnel, Gomal Zam Logistic Cell (NLC) and a large
Dam and infrastructure in far- network of combined military
flung areas of the country, where hospitals spread
other commercial organisations
are reluctant, or unable to tread.
Industries like fertilizer, cement, About the author
food, and oil and gas exploration
companies, function under the all over Pakistan, from Gwadar
umbrella of the to Skardu. The Pakistan Army
is all set to assist local farmers
in a systematic manner for
agricultural farming on 1,000
acres of land in the Zarmalam
area of South Waziristan. Over
the next few years, the farming
area will be expanded and
Nahakki Tunnel 41,000 acres of land will be
Gomal Zam Dam
(Source: voiceofkp.org) (Source: made suitable for farming.6
gwadarpro.pk) Army Welfare Trust.
This project is expected to
These are run by retired military enhance agricultural
personnel and civilian productivity, promote food
professionals for the welfare of self-sufficiency, help boost the
veterans, and are the largest tax local economy, and generate
contributors to the Federal Board jobs for the young population
of Revenue (FBR). in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
6 Arshad Aziz Malik, “Pak Army set to launch its farming plan for 41,000 acres of
barren land in S Waziristan,” The News, November 03, 2023,
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1125386-pak-army-set-to-launch-its-farming-
planfor-41-000-acres-of-barren-land-in-s-waziristan.
Number 1/2024 | 19
The Army’s
contributions in social and
economic sectors are many,
but the point to highlight it
here, is to underscore that the
Armed Forces are but a part of
Pakistan, and those who are
serving in this institution, are
Pakistanis. It will be
appropriate and to the liking
of all, to join hands, and with
unity of thought and purpose,
make a prosperous Pakistan
which has the resources to
contribute to all segments of
society, and create national
power to defeat our enemies.
The lesson of history and the
contemporary world is united
you stand and divided you fall.
You have to get away from the
past. Dust yourself off, get
back into the mainstream. Put
your dreams together and
move forward. Thinking of the
20 | Volume VI
Brigadier Ghulam Jilani (retired), SI (M) was commissioned in

34 Punjab (LAT) in 1987. The officer commanded his parent
battalion and an infantry brigade. He also remained on the
faculty of School of Infantry & Tactics. He served as a grade-III
staff officer in a brigade, grade-II staff officer in Military Operations
Directorate and grade-I staff officer in a strategic formation. He is presently
serving as research director in the Army Institute of Military History. The writer
can be reached at jilani@aimh.gov.pk
7 Shiv Khera, You Can Win: A step by step tool for top achievers (New Delhi:
Bloomsbury India, 2014), 12.
Number 1/2024 | 21
The Battle of Plassey—Pivot of

History
By Tariq Aqil
The battle of the establishment of
Plassey was a turning Crown rule after the
“Great Indian Mutiny,”
or first
War of Independence in
1857. Instead of a battle,
Plassey was rather an
Siraj-ud-Daula—Nawab
of Bengal unimpressive
military
point in the history of the (Source: worldhistory.org)
Subcontinent. The victory encounter, as the

of British East India defeat of the Nawab of
Company forces under the Bengal was largely due
command of Colonel to the betrayal of his
Robert Clive, had far chief confidant and
reaching consequences for commander of his
India, and British colonial forces, Mir Jaffar. This
ambitions in the battle, regarded as the
Subcontinent. This battle, most crucial incident in
Robert Clive—first British Governor of
British colonial
Bengal fought on 23 advances in India, was
nothing more than a
(Source: britishbattles.com) in the military skirmish.
Plassey region,
between Nawab Siraj- The young Nawab
ud-Daula of Bengal and Siraj-ud-Daula had taken
the forces of the East the strategic fort and
territory of Calcutta from
the East India Company
with his huge army in
June 1756, and this was
the time when the
infamous incident of the
black hole of Calcutta
took place under his
India Company, resulted watch, that inflamed
in the beginning of British passions and
British rule, first in ignited their thirst for
Bengal, Bihar and retribution. The news of
Orissa, and eventually in the gory incident reached
22 | Volume VI
The Battle of Plassey—Pivot of History
company officials in complicated secret

Madras in October, negotiations, a candidate
suited to British interests was
found in the form of Mir
Jaffar, an elderly general in
command of the nawab’s
forces. He was lured into
betraying the nawab with
promises of huge bribes, and
being placed on the throne of
Bengal after getting rid of the
legitimate ruler. A detailed
Black hole of Calcutta (June 1756) secret agreement was drafted
(Source: britishbattles.com)
and then smuggled into Mir
and the company directors Jafar—general in the women’s
ordered Robert Clive, 32 quarter command of the Nawab’s
years old, to march against the of Mir Jaffar’s house,
Nawab of Bengal. Clive forces
mustered a force of 2500, of (Source: pinterest.co.uk) and that was
mixed European and Indian willingly
descent, prepared for battle, signed by Mir Jaffar, thus
and managed to drive the making him a willing
army of Siraj-ud-Daula out of accomplice in the great
their defensive positions in conspiracy and betrayal of the
early January 1757. Nawab of Bengal.
The directors of the Nawab Siraj-ud-
East India Company and Daula was completely
Robert Clive were convinced unaware of any conspiracy
that the best way to secure the
interests of their company in
Bengal, was to replace Siraj-
ud-Daula with a new nawab,
who would dance to their
tune, and be more pliant and
easy to manipulate. After
lengthy
and
against him, but as a

precaution against British
actions, he moved his army
south to the field of Plassey.
At the same time on June
Number 1/2024 | 23
13th, Robert Clive made his whereas the forces under

initial move when he Robert Clive numbered
marched north with 2000 Siraj ud Daulah’s guns advancing
Indian sepoys and 600 only 3000 foot
British infantry soldiers, with during the Battle of Plassey (Source:
about britishbattles.com)soldiers. At this
Siraj ud Daulah: Battle of Plassey in
200 artillerymen, the Anglo-
French Wars in India ten field
cannon and
(Source: quora.com) two
howitzers. By this date Robert
Clive was riddled with doubts
and a crisis of self-confidence, Clive’s troops in the mango grove
because of the ambiguous at the Battle of Plassey
behavior of Mir Jaffar, who (Source:
was still not sure of his nation.com.pk) point,

position. Clive summoned all according to one of his
his top officers to a final close friends, Robert
council of war on the 21st of Clive disappeared into a
June, and in this meeting the grove of trees where he
majority of his officers voted meditated for an hour,
and on his return he
ordered his army to
march to Plassey.
Robert Clive
marched towards the
Bengal capital Murshidabad,
and clashed with
against any action against the

army of the nawab because of
the much superior strength of
the nawab’s army. According
to British intelligence sources,
the Nawab’s army had over
50,000 foot soldiers, along
with some elements of French Map of the Battle of Plassey on 23rd
troops. The Nawab had also June 1757
fielded more than 50 cannon
and about 40 war elephants,
24 | Volume VI
the Army of Siraj-ud- this stage it appeared as if

Daula at Plassey (Palashi) the army of the nawab was
on the banks of the holding their ground
Bhagirathi River. With the against the British force,
numerical strength of the and would eventually
nawab’s forces, it succeed. Then suddenly
appeared that the British the sky opened up and it
force under Clive was started to rain in torrents.
doomed to failure. The Clive had waterproof
Bengal army of 50,000 tarpaulins to cover his
men was armed with cache of gunpowder and
muskets, the French had keep it dry, but the
sent artillery to bolster the nawab’s army, due to
nawab, and then they negligence or just
faced Clive’s force of ignorance, had not made
about 3000 men–a mix of any such arrangements.
European and native The nawab’s field guns
soldiers, and a very small were all rendered
artillery compenent. The ineffective because of the
French artillery opened damp gunpowder, and
fire first, followed by the now they were without
Bengali guns. The British vital artillery support. On
guns returned fire. Due to the false assumption that
the close proximity of the the British cannon too
Bengal cavalry to the were now ineffective, the
French guns, Clive’s Nawab ordered his cavalry
bombardment missed the to charge head-on. The
artillery but caused British guns now opened
damage to the cavalry, fire with devastating
forcing the nawab to pull effect, killing the cavalry
them back for protection. commander Mir Madan
When the nawab’s Khan, and wreaking
infantry advanced, Clive’s havoc in the ranks of the
field guns opened fire with nawab’s cavalry. This
grapeshot along with cavalry charge was a
volleys of infantry musket precursor of the disastrous
fire, and the Bengali Charge of the Light
troops were held back. Brigade in the Crimean
War, a century later.
Mir Jafar, with
around one-third of the Siraj-ud-Daula
Bengal army failed to join was seized with panic at
in the fighting, despite the rout of his cavalry
pleas from the nawab, and and the death of
remained on one flank. At
Number 1/2024 | 25
was that the British gained

complete control of Bengal,
and this was the beginning of
British colonial rule in India,
for over two centuries. Siraj-
ud-Daula, the unfortunate
Nawab of Bengal, was
executed on
2nd July 1757 By Mohammed
a very experienced general.

He ordered his army to fall
back, and thus exposed the
French artillery who were
attacked by the British and
had to surrender. After the
French surrender, Clive’s
field guns released a barrage
of artillery fire on the
Al
Nawab’s forces. The artillery
i
of the Bengal army could not
Be
return fire because their
g,
gunpowder was useless, and
un
the tide of battle turned in
de
favor of the British. Siraj-ud-
r
Daula, in panic and in fear of
the
his life, fled from the
or
battlefield on a war camel.
de
The traitor Mir Jafar was
rs
hastily installed as the nawab
of
and ruler of Bengal, and
Mi
willingly became a puppet of
r
the British.
Mi
The victory at Plassey ra
resulted in only about 100 n,
casualties on the British side, the
while the army of the Nawab so
lost over 1500 soldiers and n
thousands others badly of
wounded. Only twenty two Mi
British soldiers were killed, r
but the aftermath of the battle Jaf
26 | Volume VI
ar, me
in nt
Na bet
ma we
k en
Ha Mi
ra r
m Jaf
De ar
or an
hi, d
as Ro
pe be
r rt
the Clive. He ruled from
ag 9th April 1756 to 23rd
ree
Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey (Source: britishbattles.com)
June 1757, a short reign of just a little over one year, and Mir
Jafar and his son Mir Miran he died at the age of
(Source: britishbattles.com(right) ) 24.
Robert Clive became a great British hero after the Battle

of Plassey, and went on to earn fame and fortune under the
banner of the East India Company. He was proclaimed as the
first Baron of Plassey and appointed as the first British
administrator of Bengal. During
his first governorship (1757- honesty leave a lot to be
60), he achieved fame at the desired. After the Battle of
Battle of Plassey, and during Plassey, he not only accepted
his second governorship he full compensation for the
reorganised the British losses to the East India
colony, and became one of the Company, but also huge
creators of British power and payments to himself. He
influence in India. He was received 2,340,000 Pounds
born on September 29, 1725 sterling in cash, a Mughal title
in Styche, Shropshire, of nobility, and a landed Jagir
England, and died on or estate with a rental value of
November 22, 1774 in 30,000 pounds annually.
London. He joined the East
India Company at the early
age of 18, and started his
career in Madras. Robert
Clive’s personal conduct and
Number 1/2024 | 27
His example led to

opening of the flood gates of
corruption that nearly
destroyed the economy of
Bengal, and did serious
damage to the East India
French gun captured at the Battle of

Plassey on 23rd June 1757
general. He became a member

of the British Parliament,
purchased an estate and used
his Indian money to launch
his political career in England.
Company. He obtained from
the nawab, the practical The Battle of Plassey,
exemption from internal although a military skirmish,
duties not only on the was a turning point in the
company’s goods, but also on history of India. It had far
private trade of the company’s reaching political and
servants. Since the company economic effects. This battle
possessed paramount force, resulted in the end of French
and its servants believed in influence and the destruction
working on their own behalf, of their armed force in
this had the most harmful Bengal, under British
effect on the The great Mughal protection and patronage of
gives Robert Clive economy of India. The crown of Bengal
Bengal. dominion over Bengal, Bihar was placed on the head of the
and Orissa Robert Clive’s career traitor Mir Jafar, and he
) became the sovereign ruler.
(Source: britishbattles.com
Mir Jafar did not remain loyal
in India was tainted
to the British, and soon after,
with corruption and duplicity.
encouraged the Dutch to
He returned to England in
attack them, to consolidate his
1760 and was honoured with
own position. Consequently,
an Irish peerage in 1762 as
the Battle of Chinsura was
Baron Clive of Plassey, and
fought between the Dutch and
then he received a knighthood
British forces on November
in 1764. William Pitt the
29, 1759.
Elder, called him a heaven-
born
28 | Volume VI
Later on the British got rid of the

su
pre
me
an
d
par
am
ou
nt
po
we
Mi r
r in
Jaf Be
ar, ng
Mi al.
r Af
Qa ter
si the
m ir
wa vic
s tor
pla y
ce at
d Pla
on sse
the y,
thr the
on Bri
e tis
of h
Be sta
ng rte
al, d
an im
d po
the sin
Bri g
tis se
h ver
be e
ca Mir Qasim—successor of Mir Jafar
me rules and regulations
Number 1/2024 | 29
(Source: quora.com)
name of tax
collection, and the entire economy of India was British
control, and which became the most severely affected. The
victory at Plassey in 1757 prized possession in its empire.
Few battles in established Britain as the dominant force in
history have had such profound consequences. India,
the whole of which gradually came under
Notes
• The East India Military Calendar Volume II
• Malleson, G B. The decisive battles in India. UK: Bookzine Company
Ltd, 2013.
• Fortescue, Sir J. W. A History of the British Army. Volume II. London:
Macmillan and Co., 1899.
• Stanhope, Philip Henry Stanhope. History of England from the peace of
Utrecht to the peace of Versailles (1713-1783). Vol. II. Palala Press,
2015.
• Orme, Robert (1861). A history of the Military transactions of the
British Nation in indostan from the year MDCXLV: To which is
Prefixed, a Dissertation on the Establishments Made by Mahomedan
Conquerors in Indostan. London: J. Nourse, 1763.
• Harrington, Peter. Plassey 1757: Clive of India’s Finest hour. UK:
Osprey Publishing, 1994.
• Malleson, George B. The Decisive Battles of India from 1746 to 1849.
London: W. H. Allen and Co., 1888.
• Campbell, John. Memoirs of the revolution in Bengal, Anno Domini
1757. London: A. Millar, 1760.
• Chaudhary, Sushi. The prelude to empire: Plassey Revolution of 1757.
Delhi: Manohar Publishers & Distributors, 2000.
About the author
Tariq Aqil is a teacher of world history, English

language GRE teacher at the United States Education
Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP), and author at The
Friday Times, Pakistan Observer, Express Tribune
and the News International. The writer can be reached at
tariq.aqil@headstart. edu.pk
30 | Volume VI
“Know thy self, know thy

enemy. A thousand battles, a
thousand victories. ”
(Sun Tzu)
The First Opium War

(1839-1842)
By Brigadier Fouad Hafeez, retired
Introduction the death penalty for future
offenders.
The First Opium War
was a conflict between
China and Britain that lasted
from 1839 to 1842.8 The
main cause of the war—and
the reason for its name—was
the British trade of opium, a
highly addictive drug, in
China. The British had been
importing opium from India
Canton Harbour (Source:
and selling it to Chinese reason.com)
merchants, who then
distributed it among the Despite the opium ban, the
Chinese population.9 This British government supported
resulted in widespread the merchants’ demands for
addiction, social problems compensation for seized
and economic losses for goods, and insisted on the
China. principles of free trade and
equal diplomatic recognition
The then Chinese with China. Opium was
government tried to stem Britain's single most
this influx of the drug by profitable commodity trade of
confiscating and destroying the The British responded to
opium stored by the British what it viewed as curtailing
in Canton (Guangzhou), of their economic interests,
and threatening to impose by sending warships and
troops to China, where they
8 “Opium War,” National Army Museum,

https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/first-china-war-1839-1842.
9 “Opium War.”
Number 1/2024 | 31
easily defeated Chinese War, is now widely

forces. The war ended with acknowledged as a pivotal
the Treaty of Nanking, which event in world history. British
forced China to pay a large India was the principal
sum of money by way of protagonist in this war: it
indemnity, cede Hong Kong provided a vast number of
to Britain, and open five ports land forces soldiers, the bulk
for British trade and of the funding, and most of
residence. the ships, sailors, and
auxiliaries for the campaign.
The First Opium War
That the accounts of their
marked the beginning of
participation are untraceable
Western imperialism and
through authentic literary
unequal treaties in China—
resources, is a telling
although British colonialism
indictment of how undivided
was well-entrenched in other
India’s resources were
parts of the world, already—
ruthlessly utilised by the
which weakened the Qing
British Empire for their own
dynasty and led to internal
gain, sans due recognition.
rebellions and external
pressures.10 Coincidentally,
The Outbreak of
Indian troops were of critical Hostilities
importance in the British After several
Empire’s wars in the Indian skirmishes, fighting in earnest
Ocean region. Perhaps the began in November 1839.11
most important of these HMS Volage
conflicts, the First Opium
19th Century. and HMS Hyacinth
10 Jack P. Hayes, “The Opium Wars in China,” Asia Pacific Curriculum,

https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/learningmodule/opium-wars-china.
11 Hayes, “The Opium Wars in China.”
32 | Volume VI
The First Opium War (1839-1842)
during the evacuation of British refugees compensation and the granting of an island
from Canton; inflicting the first of a series off the coast, for use as a trading station. The
of humiliating defeats on Chinese forces.5 Chinese refused and on 7 January 1841 the
British captured the Bogue forts of Chuenpi
and Tycocktow, that guarded the mouth of
the Pearl River.
The force that captured the forts was
commanded by Major J L Pratt of the 26th
(Cameronian) Regiment, and suffered only 38
casualties.6 Of the Chinese fleet of 13
HMS Volage and HMS Hyacinth (Source: quora.com)
warjunks, 10 were captured and their flagship
was destroyed.7
On 21 June the following year, a
naval force commanded by Commodore Sir The Chinese Admiral, Kuan Ti, asked for
Gordon Bremer arrived off Macao. It then a truce, and faced with overwhelming British
moved north to Chusan and on 5 July strength, signed an agreement on 18
bombarded the port of Ting-hai, which was January 1841 by which Hong Kong became a
then occupied by troops under Brigadier- British territory.8
General George Burrell.
Battle of Canton, March 1841
The Battle of Canton, 1841, was one of
the major conflicts of the First Opium War.9 It
consisted of two separate engagements, one in
March and one in May, that resulted in British
victories and the occupation of Canton by British
forces. The battles were sparked by the Chinese
government's attempt to suppress the opium
trade, which had caused a severe trade imbalance
and social problems in China. The British, who
profited from the opium trade, resisted Chinese
measures and demanded more trade concessions
and diplomatic recognition.
In March 1841, after a series of naval
skirmishes, the British bombarded and captured
Theatre Map 1st Opium War (Source: Author)
several Chinese forts near Canton, and landed
Negotiations began between the troops ashore. The Chinese commander, Qishan,
5 Susanna Hoe and Derek Roebuck, The Taking of Hong Kong: Charles and Clara Elliot in China
Waters (Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press, 1999), xviii.
6 “Attack and Capture of Chuenpee Nr Canton, 1842,” National Army Museum, https://nam.ac.uk. 7
“Attack and Capture of Chuenpee Nr Canton, 1842.” 8 “Opium War.”
9 Michael Dillon, China: A Modern History (London: I.B Tauris, 2010).
British and the Chinese Emperor. Lord surrendered and signed the peace treaty
Palmerston, the foreign secretary, demanded
Number 1/2024 |
33
mentioned earlier, with the British the British invasion and to protect their
plenipotentiary, sovereignty and customs.
Charles Elliot, The battle
which fortification at Xiamen—Battle of Amoy 18th Royal Irish regiment
ceded Hong storming the was preceded
Kong to Britain
by several
(Source: theguardian.com)
and allowed
skirmishes and a real raising of diplomatic
trade to
tensions between the two sides.
resume.
However, this treaty was rejected by the Qing The British force consisted of 15
emperor, who replaced Qishan with his nephew ships and 2,500 troops15, commanded by
14
Yishan and sent more troops to Rear Admiral William Parker and Major
Canton.10 General Hugh Gough. The Chinese force
had 26 junks and 5,600 to 10,000 troops.
In May 1841, the British launched a The British began
second attack on Canton, supported by steamers the battle by
and gunboats. They overcame Chinese resistance bombarding the
and entered the city, where they hoisted the Chinese batteries on
Union Jack on the British factory. The Chinese Gulangyu Island for
suffered heavy casualties and lost many guns and several hours, with
forts. The British also captured several Chinese little effect. They
officials and demanded ransom for their release. then landed their
The battle ended with another peace treaty, troops on the island
which granted more trade privileges and and captured the
indemnities to Britain.11 This treaty was also batteries with little
disavowed by the Qing emperor, however; who resistance. Major General Hugh Gough The
continued to fight against the British until 1842. Chinese retreated
The Battle of Amoy, August 184112 (Source: jatchiefs.com) to Xiamen, where they
faced another bombardment and assault by the
The Battle of Amoy was one of the British. The city fell the next day, and the British
conflicts that took place during the First Opium occupied it until 1845.
War between Britain and China in the 19th
Century. The battle occurred on 26 August
1841, when a British naval and land force
attacked the Chinese city of Amoy (now
Xiamen) and its surrounding forts on Xiamen
Island, and Gulangyu Island in Fujian
province.13
By this time, the situation had become

quite dire. The British were spurred on by their
desire—some might say greed—to open up
China for trade, and to stop the Chinese
government from destroying their illegal opium
imports. The Chinese were determined to resist
34 | Volume VI
The Battle of Amoy was a decisive on its maiden mission—which could navigate
victory for the British who suffered only 17 shallow waters and fire rockets.
casualties, while the Chinese lost over 60
men and hundreds of guns. The British also The Battle of Ningbo
captured all of the 26 Chinese junks, and In the early stages of the war, the
gained
10 Lane J. Harris, The Peking Gazette (China: Brill, 2018).

11 The Nautical Magazine: A Journal of Papers on Subjects Connected with Maritime Affairs, (London: Brown, Son
and Ferguson, 1841), https://archive.org/details/the-nautical-magazine-1841/page/n9/mode/2up.
12 John Elliot Bingham, Narrative of the Expedition to China from the Commencement of the War to Its Termination
in 1842, vol. 2 (London: H. Colburn, 1843).
13 “Opium War.”
14 Duncan MacPherson, Two Years in China, 2nd ed (London: Saunders and Otley, 1843)
15 William Hutcheon Hall and William Dallas Bernard, The Nemesis in China, 3rd ed (London: Henry Colburn,
1846).
control of a strategic port in China. The battle British had focused mainly on naval
demonstrated the superior firepower and operations. However, by 1842, they had
discipline of the British forces, as well as the realised that they needed to capture key ports
weakness and disorganisation of the Chinese. and cities in order to achieve their objectives.
The battle also paved the way for further British Ningbo was one such city, and it was heavily
advances along the coast of China, leading to the fortified by the Chinese, with walls and
eventual capture of Nanking and the signing of trenches that made
the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The war also saw
several naval engagements, such as the Battle of
the Bogue, the Battle of Chuenpi, and the Battle
of First Bar.
Battle of Ningbo (Source: fandom.com)
it difficult to assault. The British commander,

Major General Hugh Gough, landed a force of
British vessels destroying Chinese war junks at Chuenpi, around 7,000 troops near the city and began to
1841 prepare for an assault.16
(Source: nam.ac.uk)
In terms of effects—physical as well The Chinese defenders, commanded by

as psychological—the battle also clearly General Lin Zexu, were well-prepared for the
underscored how British ships had a marked British assault. They had
advantage over the Chinese junks and a force of around 10,000
warships, thanks to their superior firepower, troops and had fortified
speed and maneuverability. The British navy the city with walls,
also used steamships, such as the Nemesis— trenches and artillery.
Number 1/2024 |
35
However, the British were well-equipped and

well-trained, and they General Lin Zexu had a
significant advantage
(Source: holachina.com) in terms of firepower.17
On March 10, the British began their

assault on the city, with a coordinated attack on
the eastern and western walls. The Chinese
defenders put up fierce resistance, but they were
unable to stop the British advance. By March 12,
Chapoo before hostilities (Source: mutualart.com)
the British had breached the city walls and were
engaged in street fighting with Chinese The Battle of Chinhai took place on 10
defenders. October 1841, when a British squadron of 10
ships bombarded and landed troops near the city
On March 13, Chinese defenders made a
of Chinhai (Zhenhai), which was protected by a
final stand at the city's southern gate, but they
fort with 157 guns and a garrison of 8,000 to
were quickly overwhelmed by the British.
9,000 soldiers. The British quickly overran the
General Lin Zexu was captured and the city was
fort and entered the city, encountering little
occupied by the British.
resistance. The Chinese suffered several hundred
16 Arthur Waley, The Opium War through Chinese Eyes (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958)
17 Daniel Cone, “An Indefensible Defense: The Incompetence of Qing Dynasty Officials in the Opium Wars, and
the Consequences of Defeat,” Emory Endevaours: Transnational Encounters in Asia 4, 64-76,
http://history.emory.edu/ home/documents/endeavors/volume4/Cone.pdf.
The Battles of Chapoo, Chinhai and casualties and lost all their guns, while
Chinkiang
The Battles of Chapoo, Chinhai and
Chinkiang were three important engagements
that took place during the First Opium War
between British and Chinese forces, in 1841 and
1842. These battles resulted in significant losses
for the Chinese side, and paved the way for the
British capture of Nanking, the capital of the
Qing Empire at the time.18 Battle of Chinhai (Source: warontherocks.com)
the British had only 19 killed or wounded.20

The Battle of Chapoo occurred on
18 May 1842, when a British force of about The Battle of Chinkiang happened on
3,000 men attacked the walled city of Chapoo 21 July 1842, when a British force of nearly
(Zhapu), defended by a garrison of 10,000 7,000 men assaulted the city of Chinkiang
Manchu and Mongol bannermen. The (Zhenjiang), which was situated at the junction
British breached the walls with artillery and of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal. The
stormed the city, killing or capturing most of the
defenders. The British also seized a large amount
of military supplies and treasure.19
36 | Volume VI
countries. The treaty was one of the first

unequal treaties that China was forced to sign
by foreign powers. It imposed harsh terms on
China, such as paying a large indemnity to
Britain, ceding Hong Kong Island to Britain
as a colony, opening five ports to British
trade and residence, abolishing the Canton
system that restricted foreign commerce, and
granting extraterritorial rights to British
Landing troops at the west gate of Chingkiang, 1842 subjects in China. The treaty also exposed
(Source: city was
nam.ac.uk) China's political weakness, and triggered
defended by about 4,000 bannermen, who more foreign
fought fiercely but were outnumbered and
outgunned by the
About the author
British. The British
captured the city after a aggression and internal unrest in the following
bloody street fight, in decades.
which many of the
bannermen committed In tactical-practical terms, the First
suicide rather than Opium War also demonstrated the effectiveness
surrender. The fall of of British forces–at sea, as well as on land–in the
Chinkiang effectively war, as opposed to the serious inadequacies in
cut off Daoguang Emperor the vital Chinese imperial forces. The British troops were
transport network well-equipped and well-trained, and they were
(Source: quora.com) of the Qing Empire and able to overcome the Chinese defences despite
forced the Daoguang Emperor to sue for peace. their overwhelming numerical and home ground
advantages.
18 F. Watts, Bulletins of State Intelligence, 1st ed (London: Harrison and Sons, 1852).
19 Watts, Bulletins of State Intelligence,
20 Hall and Bernard, The Nemesis in China.
Aftermath It was perhaps for this very reason that

The Nanking Treaty of 1842 was a China embarked upon a relentless march
significant event in the history of China and towards enhanced military capacity; which
Britain. It marked the end of the First Opium continues to this day, and has fueled its
War, a conflict that erupted over the trade of meteoric rise to become a dominant world
opium and other goods between the two player in the modern age.
Brigadier Fouad Hafeez (retired), is a mechanised infantry officer who served on various
command, staff and instructional appointments during his military career. He
commanded an infantry battalion and an infantry brigade. He also served in Pakistan
Military Academy as adjutant, and remained defence attaché in Jordan. The officer is
presently serving in the Army Institute of
Military History as research director, and can be reached at fouad@aimh.gov.pk
Number 1/2024 |
37
“Part of the happiness of life consists not in

fighting battles, but in avoiding them. A masterly
retreat is in itself a victory.”
(Norman Vincent Peale)
Baba-e-Poonch Khan Sahib Colonel Khan Muhammad

Khan: A Kashmiri Leader
By Brigadier Dr Saif ur Rehaman Malik, retired
Indian Distinguished
Introduction Service Medal (IDSM) Grenadiers) in
1902. He
The legendary freedom fighter, military
strategist, educationist par excellence, social (Source: aberdeenmedals.com) was promoted to the rank
reformer and a specimen of selflessness,
Colonel Khan of subedar in 1916.2 Khan Sahib participated in
Muhammad Khan, World War I, and in recognition of his
popularly known as meritorious services, was conferred Indian
Khan Sahib, is Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) in 1916.3
remembered for his The same year he retired from the army as
multifarious subedar major, was later employed as a police
services for the inspector in Poonch by Raja Baldev Singh, and
uplift of the people continued with the same designation till 1924.4
of Jammu and Prior to a description of his contributions
Kashmir. He was and multifaceted roles in various spheres like
born in a noble military, social, economic and political, it is
Sudhan family in imperative to have a brief overview of Poonch
1882 at village and to grasp the geography and demography.
Colonel Khan Muhammad Khan Chhachhan (now
Demographics and Geographic
(Source: flickr.com) Khanabad),
description of Poonch
Sudhnuti tehsil of Poonch district, state of
Jammu and Kashmir.1 Geographically, Poonch region of
Jammu and Kashmir State is in the southwestern
After acquiring basic religious foothills of Pir Panjal Range, a significant
education, at the age of 10 he was admitted to a mountain range separating the valley of Kashmir
primary school in Kahuta, from the Jammu province. It begins from
Rawalpindi district. Just after Banihal Pass and covers Rajouri, Budhal and
completing primary Poonch on the Indian side of the Line of Control
education, Khan Sahib started (LoC), and Kotli, Rawalakot and Bagh on the
his military career as a Azad side.5 The terrain of this region varies from
soldier, joining the British sub-tropical to temperate. The climatic
Indian Army (102 conditions of the upper areas of
38 | Volume VI
Mandi and Surankot, touching the main Pir its natural beauty, Poonch is also known as
Panjal Range, resemble Kashmir valley. Due to mini-Kashmir, land of sufis and derwaishes, and
1 Brig (R) M Sadiq Khan and Prof Dr. Ghulam Hussain Azhar, Yagana e Kashmir, (Karachi: Ali Printers, October
1986), 29.
2 Khan and Azhar, Yagana e Kashmir, 31.
3 Supplement London Gazette, October 19, 1916, p.10056.
5 KD Maini, “Rajouri and Poonch Identifying Early Warning Signals and Addressing New Challenges,” IPCS Issue
Brief, no.143 (2010), accessed on May 22, 2023, https://www.ipcs.org/issue_briefs/issue_brief_pdf/IB148-
BPCRMaini.pdf.
Number 1/2024 |
39
Map 1: road infrastructure of Poonch and surrounding areas

(Source: Author)
area of warrior tribes. Gojri
and Pahari are the
predominant languages in
the area, however other
languages like Urdu, Hindi,
Punjabi, and Kashmiri are
also spoken.6 The road
infrastructure of Poonch and
surrounding areas are given Figure 1: Poonch Fort (So
in Map1.
As per the census of fort of Jammu and Kashmir has
1923, the population of witnessed the historical stories
Poonch was around 0.4 of Dogras, Muslims and Sikhs.
million, comprising 96%
Muslims, 3 % Hindus and Historical Background of
1% others.7 Figure 1 below Kashmir
reflects the magnificent In 1339, Shah Mir
historic Poonch fort. Built in became the first Muslim ruler of
1179, Poonch Kashmir, setting up the
Shah Mir dynasty. For the next
five centuries
Muslims ruled Kashmir,
including the Mughal
40 | Volume VI
Baba-e-Poonch Khan Sahib Colonel Khan Muhammad Khan
Empire from 1586 until 1751, Singh as part of the princely

and the Afghan Durrani Empire state of Kashmir. Poonch was
from 1747 until 1819. In 1819, recognised for its picturesque
the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh landscape, fine tea and good
annexed Kashmir.8 Poonch was horses. Map 2 below of Jammu
a component of the Khalsa and Kashmir, produced during
Darbar in Lahore from 1819 the British Raj, showing the
on October 1, 1947, and planned
distribution of dry rations to
volunteers coming forward to join
the liberation forces being organised
to fight against Dogra rule.11 On
October 2, 1947, Khan Sahib held
the final meeting for organising a
6 Amar Jahangir and Syed Akmal Hussain Shah, “A Historical Study of theforce
mujahid Socialin
and Political Movements
Chhachhan area,
of Muslims in Poonch State, Jammu And Kashmir against Dogra Raj (1846-1947),” Journal of History and
and a large number of ex-
Social Sciences 13, no.2 (2022): 1, https://doi.org/10.46422/jhss.v13i2.212.
7 Khan and Azhar, Yagana e Kashmir, 17. servicemen of various ranks
8 participated in the meeting. Notable
Kashmir through ages, online vailable at https://mofa.gov.pk/kashmir-through-ages/
9 among
Jahangir and Shah, “A Historical Study of the Social and Political them of
Movements were Subedar
Muslims Major
in Poonch State,
Jammu (later Captain and the first
commanding officer 1 Azad
Kashmir Regiment), Muhammad

Hussain Khan of Kahala, Subedar
Map 2: Poonch Jagir (1946) (Source: reddit.com)(later

Captain) Muhammad Ismail
until 1850. In 1846, after the Poonch Jagir in 1946.
Sikh defeat in the First Anglo- servicemen at Palandri,
Sikh War, and upon purchase of and announced the
the region from the British formation of home guards
under the Treaty of Amritsar, of various groups of
the Raja of Jammu, Gulab villages in Sudhnuti, Bagh
Singh, became the new ruler of and Kotli.10 This was
Kashmir. Poonch was among one of the initial
proclaimed a jagir by the first steps towards the armed
Dogra Maharaja Gulab Singh in struggle for the liberation
1850, and his nephew Moti of Kashmir, and its
Singh was given the title of accession to Pakistan.
Raja.9 In fact, Maharaja Ranjit Khan
Singh handed over Poonch to a Sahib established Numb camp
Dogra noble, and it ultimately near Palandri
came under the control of Gulab
Number 1/2024 | 41
Poonch was divided in decided to launch

1947, and presently consists of operations against the
five districts: one in Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir Dogra
Kashmir (Poonch) and four in troops.12
Azad Kashmir i.e., Bagh,
Haveli, Poonch On October 6,
(Rawalakot as headquarters) 1947, a war council under
and Sudhanoti. Map 2 reflects the patronage of Khan
Poonch district after partition of Sahib was set up at
10 History of the Azad Kashmir Regiment Volume-1(1947-49), 1st ed. (Mansar: Regimental History Cell, Azad
Kashmir Regimental Centre, 1997).
11 History of the Azad Kashmir Regiment Volume-1(1947-49).
12 History of the Azad Kashmir Regiment Volume-1(1947-49).
British India. Palandri. The war council
reorganised the
Military Contributions mujahideen in the form of
and Achievements units, provided
ammunition, made
Formation of Home Guards & deployments at different
War Council places of strategic
Shortly after significance, and pushed
announcement of the Partition Dogra forces out from

Plan of June 3, 1947, under Palandri and surrounding
which two sovereign states areas. The war council
were to emerge in the succeeded in repulsing the
Subcontinent, Honorary Captain advance party of Dogra
(later Colonel, retired) Khan troops accompanied by
Sahib held a meeting of ex- hundreds of Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh
And Kashmir against Dogra Raj
(1846-1947),” 1 (RSS) armed workers at
Khan of Nandi Hajira.13 There was no civil
Channi, Subedar Shan Khan government at that time, it was
of Chhachhan, Subedar (later the war council which
Captain and first administered various civil
commanding officer 36 affairs. Subsequently, the war
Azad Kashmir Regiment), council was reconstituted as
Burhan Ali Khan of defence council under
Chhachhan, Jemadar (later Lieutenant Colonel Syed Ali
Lieutenant) Bostan Khan, Ahmed Shah, defence minister,
Jemadar Jalal Khan and as chairman, and Syed
Jamedar Abdullah Khan of Nazir Hussain Shah, finance
Nandi Chhanni. It was minister, Brigadier
42 | Volume VI
Muhammad Zaman Kiani, Sudhan Brigade staff

Colonel Habib ur included:
Rehman and Khan Sahib
• Brigade commander—
Colonel Muhammad
Colonel Sher Ahmed
Khan as members.14
Khan
Khan Sahib • Deputy commander—
maintained the pace of Major Haji Sher
advance with the support of Muhammad Khan
Colonel Sher Ahmed Khan. • Staff officer—Colonel
He left for Kotli via Hajira, Mehboob Khan
along with a jatha (a group • Admin officer—Major
of armed fighters), and Muhammad Zaman
started operational planning Khan
for future movement. There
he united various armed • Staff officer—Major
groups and named them the Mukhtar Ahmed Khan
Sudhan Brigade. This • Officer in charge
brigade had remarkable defence platoon—
achievements in the Lieutenant Muhammad
clearance of Kotli, Saryah Akram Khan
and Rajouri, with the help of
Khan Sahib not only
the following battalions,
contributed in military pursuits
being part of the Sudhan
by organising the dispersed
Brigade15:
local forces into a disciplined
• 1 AK Regiment— liberation force, he also
commanded by Captain contributed in social welfare as
Muhammad Hussain well as education of the
Khan (Kahala) common people.
• 2 AK Regiment—
Social Contributions
commanded by
Lieutenant Burhan Ali Role as a Reformer
Khan (Chhachhan) Khan Sahib’s role as a
• 3 AK Regiment— reformer reveals his leadership
commanded by Captain attributes, and is unique in
Muhammad Abdullah nature. Post World War II,
Khan (Palandri) thousands of local soldiers
retired from military service,
• Riasti Regiment—
and faced serious financial
commanded by
hardship and unemployment.
Lieutenant Muhammad
He took the issue to the Viceroy
Sher Khan (Baral) The of India and obtained sanction
Number 1/2024 | 43
for huge funds for the such norms, he persuaded

rehabilitation of retired soldiers. people to refrain from customs
Besides, he believed in contradicting Islamic practices,
preservation of military history and urged them to lead a simple
for generations to come, serving life. He considered education as
as a roadmap for them, the only pragmatic way to live
highlighting their sacrifices, and their lives. In the beginning of
paying tribute to unsung heroes. the 20th Century, certain social
He desired to compile an and educational organisations
authentic military history book emerged in different regions of
on Jihad e Kashmir. Moreover, Jammu & Kashmir, with the
he approached selected objective of removing harmful
individuals and urged them to and un-Islamic customs from
document the history of the society, through communication
freedom struggle in any written and education among the young
form, so as to compile it in the generation.
form of a book. In pursuit of his
On the same pattern, a
passion to preserve military
socioeducational movement was
history, he succeeded in
initiated in Poonch region by
obtaining the history of Battle
Khan Sahib in early 1930s;
of Thorar, from Captain Bostan
however, he considered
Khan. He himself took notes of
education as the most
the operations at Mang and
significant tool for reformation
Pattan Sher Khan.
of society. It was the need of the
In 1925, he laid the hour, as literacy amongst
foundation of a revolution in the Muslims in Poonch Jagir was
socio-economic arena, and just around 2%, as compared to
promotion of education sector. 5% in the rest of Jammu &
This was the worst time for the Kashmir, while the condition in
13 History of the Azad Kashmir Regiment Volume-1(1947-

49).
14 History of the Azad Kashmir Regiment Volume-1(1947-
49).
people of Kashmir in general, villages was at a low level.
and Poonch in particular, as Therefore he initiated an
they were going through the era educational campaign in 1934.
of ignorance, and subservience The remarkable work in this
to orthodox customs and regard was the establishment of
traditions, particularly in the Sudhan Educational Conference
domain of marriages and deaths. to serve the purpose of
To deconstruct and reconstruct promotion of education and
44 | Volume VI
allied healthy activities for the played an illustrious role in the

youth. renaissance of the Muslims of
Jammu and Kashmir in general,
Under the auspices of
and the Muslims of Poonch in
this organisation, funds were
particular.
generated for financial
sponsorship of needy students at He introduced
home and abroad. As part of muthi bhar atta scheme,
this movement, various where a handful of each
independent schools were family's surplus flour was
established in different parts of collected every day, and
Poonch region, where teachers funds were generated for
offered their services on a promotion of education and
volunteer basis. This movement construction of the Jamia
paid dividends in the form of mosque and Darul Uloom
promotion of education, for Madrassa in Palandri.12 It
both males and females. was a unique fund-raising
Thousands of individuals strategy, with no match in
benefited by this movement, the history of the
and some prominent Subcontinent. To eradicate
personalities who served in poverty and for the socio-
different positions and economic uplift of the
portfolios in the government of lower strata of society, he
Azad Kashmir, are worth advised men and women to
mentioning. This includes adopt austerity measures,
Sardar Ibrahim Khan (president work hard with special
& prime minister), Sardar attention to livestock,
Habib Khan (advisor), Major poultry farming, and obtain
General Rahim Khan, retired optimum benefits from
(former secretary defence, agricultural produce. He
Pakistan), Colonel Mansha was the first of his time
Khan, retired (speaker state who advocated women’s
assembly), Mr. Ibrahim Khan education, involved
(secretary), and Colonel Dr womenfolk in decision
Qaisar Muhammad, retired. making, in matters related
Sudhan Educational Conference to the community, and set
is still quite active in pursuit of up separate educational
its objectives, even after the institutions for women. He
demise of Khan Sahib, hence it floated the idea of
has the honor of being an old women’s empowerment by
non-government organisation of equipping them with
the Subcontinent. Khan Sahib
12 Khan and Azhar, Yagana e Kashmir, 180
Number 1/2024 | 45
education, almost eighty Honours and Award

years ago.
In recognition of
Besides, he played
a remarkable role in all
socio-political movements
in Jammu and Kashmir
from 1930 onwards. Khan
Sahib had served as
member Kashmir
Legislative Assembly from his
1934 to 1946, and commitm
relentlessly fought for ent and
political, social and selfless
economic rights of his service to
constituents. He inculcated the
political awareness among people of
the masses to stand for Kashmir,
their rights, and kept alive he was
the atrocities and barbaric given the
acts committed in the title of
Gulab Singh era. Being a Khan
charismatic leader, he was Sahib on
elected unopposed as a 11 June
member legislative 1942 by
assembly, later urged the
Sardar Ibrahim Khan to Viceroy
contest elections on his of India,
behalf, and ensured his on behalf
success in the upcoming of the
elections of legislative British
assembly. Governm
ent. The
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Title of Khan Sahib— Government awarde
presented to Colonel
Khan Muhammad the honorary titles o
Khan, Baba-e- Baba-e-Poonch, and
Poonch, 11 June 1942
(Source: Author)
eKashmir.13
About the author
On November 11, 1961,

with the demise of Khan Sahib,
13 Ghulam Hassan Khan, Freedom movement in Kashmir, 1931-1940 (India: Light
and Life Publisher, 1980), 283.
46 | Volume VI
his five-decade long struggle as

a reformer came to an end. He
was a symbol of courage,
dedication, and selflessness, he
fought
both politically and militarily

for the rights of his people. He
successfully established an
enlightened welfare society
Awards and medals of Colonel Khan
empowered
Muhammad Khan
Kashmir
(Source: Author) liberation
movement.
Services
rendered to
the nation by
Colonel
Khan Muhammad Khan
in the Kashmir liberation
struggle, education and reforms,
will remain an inspiration for
present and
coming generations. His role
Baba-e-Poonch in his
later years to get the people of
Poonch
liberated
(Source: alchetron.com)
from the oppressive rule of the
Maharaja of Kashmir, will be
Number 1/2024 | 47
remembered in the history of Kashmir.

Brigadier Dr Saif ur Rehaman Malik (retired), TI (M),
was commissioned in Army Education
Corps in 1990. He acquired a PhD from Quaid e Azam
University in Asian Studies/IR in
2008. He served as analyst in Ministry of Defence, had
an extended tenure at National Defence University Islamabad as Director
Research & Publications, founding HOD MPhil program of National
Security & War Course, founding Director BS Program, Editor NDU
journal, Margalla Papers and ISSRA Papers. He has authored four books
on research methodology along with a number of research articles in
national and international research journals. Dr Saif has been the
founding Director India Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies,
Islamabad. Presently he is serving in AIMH as Director Special Studies.
The writer can be reached at drsaifmalik@aimh.gov.pk
Morale boosting Combat

Leadership, 1971
By Professor Dr Aalia Sohail Khan
Leadership is the most High morale comes from
important determinant of the good leadership, shared
morale of combatants on a hardship and mutual respect.
battlefield. John Spiszer, a US High morale results in a
Army major, contends that cohesive team that
leadership plays a large and enthusiastically strives to
significant role in a soldier's achieve common goals.2
morale, and thus morale and Similarly, Leadership: Theory
leadership together contribute to and Practice (1993) also gives
combat motivation.1 Of the 13 top priority to the factor of
features listed by him that boost leadership that influences
the morale of combatants, morale.3 In his dissertation
leadership is the most important titled Combat Motivation: The
factor. Psychological and Human Dimension Correlates
doctrinal works refer to many (1990), Daniel Reeves looks at
factors that influence soldiers’ the human dimensions in a
and group morale. Leadership is military organisation, and how
listed as the pivotal factor in they produce what he refers to
fostering and strengthening as combat motivation.4 He
morale in all doctrinal and contends that,
psychological theories of
morale.
48 | Volume VI
“High morale and Pakistan in 1971, as described

cohesion are related to by
enhanced combat performance, Brigadi
considered a preventative er
against combat stress reaction, Saadull
and seen as an important ah Khan
element in a soldier's will in his
book
East
to fight. They are also indicative
Pakista
of successful military
n to
socialization and commitment to
Bangla
army values and are the direct
desh.
product of successful
He
leadership.”
writes
Morale is considered the that his
most important leadership GOC
indicator because other (general
indicators are affected by it. officer
Morale, leadership, and comma
discipline are closely related in nding),
the army. It is the strength of General
fighting forces, and leadership Qazi
is the means of successfully Abdul
handling men with discipline. Majeed,
The goal of leadership is the did not
immediate and willing sit back
obedience and cooperation of and
subordinates, thus, true cheer
discipline is concerned with the his
state of mind of soldiers. Brigadier Saadullah Khan soldiers
With this doctrinal basis from his
(Source: Author)
established, this paper will take headquarters. He joined
a closer look at the components his men in the face of Indian
of morale-boosting leadership in fire; shouting directions at his
the battle of Ashuganj, fought in men. He stood within range of
erstwhile East enemy fire. Lieutenant Colonel
Abdul
1 John M. Spiszer, “Leadership and Combat
Motivation: The Critical Task.” Military review
79 (1999): 66.
2 Joko Rahmanto, “Army Leadership” FM 22-100
Headquarters, Department of the Army, August
Number 1/2024 | 49
1999, 3-3, https://

www.academia.edu/4880898/FM_22_100_Headquarters_Department_of_the_
Army.
3 Peter G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, 9th ed. (California:
SAGE Publications, Inc, 2021).
4 Daniel T. Reeves, “Combat motivation : the human dimension correlates”
(Master's Thesis: Carleton University, 1990),
https://repository.library.carleton.ca/concern/etds/8336h200m.
50 | Volume VI
Morale boosting Combat Leadership,
1971
Brigadier
Saadullah6 writes,
“The
General stepped
out and moved
forward. He was
now standing in
front of the wall,
not behind it. The
small arms firing
was continuing
intensely. Some
weapons were
Map of the Battle of
Ashuganj, 1971 (Source:
firing from a
hilal.gov.pk) distance of about
Qadir, SJ (retd), 150 yards... his
writes in Those aide-de-camp also
who Dared5, that moved up. “Get
as the GOC, Qazi back, you fool!
Majeed stood on This is none of
the railway line your business.”
with his staff The general
officers to officer
evaluate the commanding
situation, there snarled-“If
was an intercept someone leaves
on their wireless this position, there
net. An Indian will be no Court
officer was heard Martials. If
seeking anyone is court
permission of his martialed, it will
commanding be myself. I will
officer to fire at a personally shoot
Pakistani general the..., who leaves
within the range his position. Is
of his fire, but he that quite clear?”
was told that they The general added
would like to threat to personal
capture him alive. example.” This
had an electrifying
effect on the
troops. Brigadier
Number 1/2024 | 51
pack. But he did for

them both by his plan
of attack.
Saadullah notes This anti-

that courage is as heroic poem
contagious as demonstrates the
cowardice. lowered morale of
soldiers. They have
Here, by neither respect for
way of contrast, it their general who
is relevant to draw issues orders from his
upon the poem safe position at a
The General that distance from combat,
was written by the nor do they have
English poet confidence in his
Siegfried Sassoon capability to win the
during World War war. The general is
I. It helps to called an incompetent
understand the
concepts of good
leadership, shared
hardship, common
purpose, courage
and duty, that kept
the morale of
Pakistan Army
swine, a cheery old
high, while
card who cannot
fighting in East
inspire and infuse
(Siegfried Sassoon Source: energy in his soldiers.
study.com) Pakistan.The soldiers can see
“Good-morning, good- through his empty

morning!” the General words as he does not
said When we met him share the hardship and
last week on our way to turmoil of battle with
the line. Now the them. Shared
soldiers he smiled at are experience on the
most of ‘em dead, And battlefield that
we’re cursing his staff develops trust and
for incompetent swine. bonding, is missing
“He’s a cheery old here. The general who
card,” grunted Harry to is anonymous in this
Jack poem, is a symbol of
As they slogged up to failure of leadership.
Arras with rifle and
He stands for
52 | Volume VI
incompetence and moved his tactical
faulty planning, that headquarters forward
results in demoralised to Brahman Baria, it
soldiers and massive added to their strength
loss of life during and boosted their
war. A picture of morale.14 Leadership
demoralised soldiers and morale are not
is portrayed by synonymous; yet they
Wilfred Owen in his are inseparable as the
poem Dulce et component parts of an
Decorum Est (It is electrical circuit.
sweet and Wilfred Owen Morale is like the
honorable to current—a powerful
die for one’s (Source: electromotive force—
5 Muhammad Yasin & Syed Jamil Mukhtar Shah, Those Who Dared (Islamabad: Creative Plus Private Limited,
2023), 42.
6 Saadullah Khan, East Pakistan to Bangladesh (Lahore: UMT Press, 2021), 114-115.
country) in
poets.org) and leadership is like
these words: the conductor that
Bent double, guides and transmits
like old beggars the force to the motor.
under sacks, Hence the state or
Knock-kneed, quality of morale
coughing like produced, is directly
hags, we cursed proportional to the
through quality of the
sludge,... All conductor or leader.8
went lame; all Those officers and
blind... men lost the war, but
the epic tenacity of
On the other those Pakistan Army
hand, the constant soldiers can never
presence of the fade. They are
commanding officer comparable to the
in the cross fire, with soldiers immortalised
all hell breaking lose in Tennyson’s poem,
on the battlefield, is a Charge of the Light
remarkable feature of Brigade;
Pakistan Army.
Brigadier Saadullah Was
writes that when there
General Majeed a
14 Khan, East Pakistan to Bangladesh, 87.
Number 1/2024 | 53
man remarkable casualty

dism ratio is a mark of
ayed pride for the Pakistan
? Army, whose officers
Not are always found in
thou the vanguard. They
gh lead the attack. Major
the General Syed Ali
soldi Hamid9,
er
knew
Som
eone
had
blun
dere
d.
Theirs not to make recollecting a battle
reply, commanded by
Thei Brigadier Saadullah
rs Khan, in East
not Pakistan 1971,
to writes that
reas Pakistani forces,
on though low in
why, numbers yet high in
Thei spirits, kept a large
rs force at bay with
but their “ever present
to Major General Syed Ali
Hamid,
do retired
and commander”. An
die. (Source: AIMH)
excerpt from
As contrasted
East Pakistan to
to the typical or
Bangladesh
customary 1:100
demonstrates this;
death ratio of officers
to soldiers on the “Artillery fire was
battlefield, the going on. I did not
casualty ratio of like to risk the
officers to soldiers lives of more men.
shahadats in Pakistan Taking only the
Army is 1:12. This battalion wireless
54 | Volume VI
control operator, I battalions which,
moved out towards after being
the temple. I felt a thoroughly routed
compulsion to had fallen back,
personally get leaving behind a
Bukhari’s number of dead
company back. and Amphibian
They had fought tanks, in running
heroically for six condition.
days. One platoon Brigadier
was overrun; two Saadullah
platoons in hard undertook the
combat contact attack in person,
with the enemy with one battalion
and the daylight commander and a
coming fast, their few officers and
survival was in 100 to 150 men
utter peril. They from assorted units
had been true to including
their salt. I just
could not leave
them by
themselves to
tackle that very
tricky situation. It
perhaps was not a
good decision, but
it gave me deep
satisfaction.”10
Lieutenant
Colonel Abdul Qadir,
describing the
courage of Brigadier
Saadullah, writes in
Those Who Dared11,
“There was heavy

fighting on the
other side of the
Meghna River, and
our forces had
repulsed an attack
of the two enemy
Number 1/2024 | 55
8 Evan George Williams, “The Importance Of
Morale In The Modern New Zealand Army”
(Master’s Thesis: U.S. Army Command and
General Staff College, 2002),
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA407870.pdf.
9 https://pdf.defence.pk/threads/gurkha-from-
kargil.645374/#post-11927077 (Not a relevant
refrence). 10 Khan, East Pakistan to
Bangladesh, 117.
11 Yasin & Shah, Those Who Dared, 43.
Morale boosting Combat Leadership,
1971
signalers who had number, no reserves
hastily joined the —demonstrated
attack on seeing their remarkable courage
commander rushing and determination;
towards the enemy.” “they were skilful and
veterans of many
As the
small combat
brigadier advanced
on foot towards the
Indians, his carbine
had no bayonet; he
requested his men to
give him a rifle with a
bayonet. Someone
gave him a G-3 rifle
with a bayonet. The
act of leading the
assault personally and
risking his life by
being in the front,
enthused the other
men also. He was
recommended for the
award of Nishan e
Haider by his GOC,
but he was awarded
Hilal e Jurat.
Brigadier
Saadullah pays a
glowing tribute to
junior leaders, who
despite heavy odds
against them—
inadequate in
56 | Volume VI
actions.”15 Under the numbers and
most adverse firepower, Major
circumstances, they Akram and
charged like tigers.
They always
volunteered to lead
the assault anytime,
anywhere. Many
were critically
wounded or fell
fighting, but they
remained undaunted his men repulsed
till the last. Volumes many attacks,
can be filled with inflicting heavy
examples of excellent casualties on the
Pakistani junior enemy. An Indian
military leadership. Lieutenant Colonel,
However, given the Diljit Singh, paid
constraints of space, tribute to Major
only one example is Akram in these
given here. Major words, “Akram’s
Muhammad Akram name rouses the
was the Pakistani soldier
hero of the Hilli Major Muhammad Akram,
shaheed
battle, who was
proved
About the author (Source: ispr.gov.pk)
to be a tough
awarded Nishan e customer… The
Haider, the highest enemy was literally
military gallantry advancing in the
award of Pakistan. mouths of the
During the East guns…. Killing an
Pakistan War of adversary may give
1971, the 4th Battalion satisfaction, but
FF Regiment came killing a brave has
under continuous and tinge of sorrow”.
heavy air, artillery
and armour attacks War is
from the Indian side. destructive, but the
Despite enemy heroic deeds of
superiority in both Pakistan Army in
1971 should be
15 Saadullah Khan, East Pakistan to Bangladesh, (Lahore, Punjab:
UMT Press, 2021), 91.
Number 1/2024 | 57
celebrated, because obedience and

they reinforce faith in discipline. War
the ideals of service heroes of 1971
above self, courage to inspire us to emulate
sacrifice life for the best models of
Pakistan, will and action, and
determination to fight consolidate national
for honour, fidelity, confidence.
tenacity of purpose,
Professor Dr. Aalia Sohail Khan is the daughter
of Brigadier Saadullah Khan, HJ. She is former
Vice Chancellor of Rawalpindi Women University,
and has extensive experience of teaching,
research and administration. The writer can be
reached at aaliasohail@gmail.com
Churchill’s Piquet–
Chakdara, Malakand
By Lieutenant Colonel
Tanveer Jilani, retired
When first under fire A
an’ you’re wishful to legendary
duck, structure strikes
Don’t look nor take the eye while
plying from
’eed at the man that is
Chakdara to
struck, Be thankful Timargara, a
you’re livin’, and sentinel watch
trust to your luck And tower christened
Churchill's Piquet
march to your front in honour of
like a soldier. Winston
Front, front, Churchill. He was
front like a the British
soldier … premier, soldier
and an author
(The Young British
extraordinaire,
Soldier by Rudyard
who led his nation
Kipling)
and allies in
Winston Churchill as a 19
darkest hour of their
year
(Source: britishbattles.com
old officer
)
58 | Volume VI
history, and overcame (Source:
)
militarygallery.co.uk
the
ri Province.
sing tides of fascism Eager to
and Nazism. He participate in
realised a action, Churchill
comprehensive volunteered to
victory in the Second join the
World War. Malakand Field
Force, engaged
in a campaign
against a tribal
uprising in Swat
Valley, which
concluded with a
victory for the
British Indian Army in August 1897.
Major General
Chuchill’s Piquet
Sir Bindon Blood
accepted his
Commissione
services as a war-
d in February 1895,
correspondent of
Churchill entered the
the Daily
4th Queen's Own
Pioneer2, since he
Hussars as a 2nd
had earlier
lieutenant.1 In 1896,
experience of
he moved to
covering the
Cuban War
for the Daily
Graphic.3 His
dispatches
from the
battlefront
attracted such
wide
India with his attention, that
regiment and stayed on
for 19 months, Major General Sir
joining expeditions Bindon Blood
to Hyderabad and back at Bangalore

(Source:
the erstwhile North
mediastorehouse.com) in
West
October 1897, he
Sowars of 4 Queen’s Own
th
Hussars Frontier penned down The
Number 1/2024 | 59
Story of the the fort, a

Lilliputian
Malakand Field
Gibraltar8,
Force in early 1898.4 consists of the
During the fortified knoll, an
first week of enclosure for
September 18965, horses, protected
Churchill joined by a loopholed
the Field Force. wall and barbed
By then, fighting wire, and the
in the Swat Valley signal tower is a
was nearly over, detached post
and move towards around 200 yards
the Mohmands in up the cliff”.9
the Nawagai Referring to the
Valley was defence of
imminent.6 Chakdara Fort
Churchill’s from 26 July to 2
Piquet at Chakdara
was actually a signal
1 Sir W.L.S. Churchill, My Early Life (London: Odhams Press, 1930),

61.
2 Churchill, My Early Life, 121.
3 Martin Gilbert, Churchill: A Life (London: Pimlico, 2000), 58.
4 Gilbert, Churchill: A Life, 81.
tower
Churchill’s Piquet–
Chakdara,
Malakand
providing
communications
through
Chakdara Fort
heliograph (Source: pukhtoogle.com)
equipment.7 He
August 1897,
mentions
Churchill
Chakdara Fort and
mentions, “Then
the signal tower in
out of the
these words, “On
darkness began a
the further side is
fusillade, which
60 | Volume VI
did not stop until
2nd of August”.10
11 Bengal
Lancers, 45 Sikhs,
24 Punjab and Dir
Levies defended
the small
garrison11; he
notes “they had
Yousafzais of Malakand c.
been continually 1895 (Source: nam.ac.uk)
fighting for 96
hours and men fell The casus
asleep at the belli of the uprising
loopholes and in was a paradigm shift
service of the field in British Indian
guns”.12 Admiring government policy in
the fierce nature these frontiers, from
of holding line of
mountains, to extend
and consolidate
influence through a
Forward Policy,
aimed at obtaining the
frontier regions of
Gilgit, Chitral,
Jelalabad, Kandahar
11 Bengal Lancers, c. 1865 (sic).
(Source:In Malakand,) a
14
collection.nam.ac.uk
local cleric, Fakir
opposing Pathans, he Saidullah alias the
showered praise on Mad Mullah,
them; “I remark with exploited mass
pleasure, as an resentment and
agreeable trait in the declared to expel the
character of the
Pathans, the
immunity, dictated by
a rude spirit of
chivalry”.13
Fakir Saidullah alias the Mad

Mullah (Source:
paperjewels.org)
Number 1/2024 | 61
Firangi (foreigners) e
from their native w
7 “Malakand Rising 1897,” British Battles, accessed on January 20, 2024,
https://www.britishbattles.com/north-westfrontier-of-india/malakand-rising-1897/.
9 Sir W.L.S. Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War (London: Thomas
Nelson & Sons, Ltd., 1916), 116.
10 Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force, 118.
12 Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force, 126. 13 Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field
Force, 27.
lands. The British es
nonetheless, came out te
victorious, thanks to rn
the then state-of-the- fr
art weaponry o
and equipment, nt
coupled with training ie
and discipline of rs
troops, enforced by of
leadership of the th
officers. e
er
Pakistan
st
Army,
w
engaged in
hi
War on
le
Terror operations for B
rit
is
h
R
aj,
ca
n
dr
t a
w w
o le
de ss
ca o
de ns
s in
in m
th ul
62 | Volume VI
Indian General Service
tif Medal
ar 1854–1895
io insurgence of
us (Source: britishbattles.com)
fi terrorism. Churchill’s
el
advice to the then
ds
, British Indian
to Government, seems
co very relevant;
ns
“Dynamite in the
ol
id hands of a child is not
at more dangerous than
e a strong policy
vi
weakly carried
ct
or out”.16About the
y author
ea
rn Although
ed Churchill did visit
th Chakdara Fort17, it
ro cannot be established
u with certainty
g whether 2nd
h Lieutenant Winston
i Churchill actually
m stayed at Churchill’s
m Piquet, since no
ea authentic written
su reference exists to
ra this effect.
bl
Albeit,
e
what is certain is
sacrifices. An all-
his praise for the
inclusive pragmatic
bravery and
policy, pursued firmly
sacrifice of British
is the answer to
Indian soldiers
against worst
odds, and
overwhelming
Number 1/2024 | 63
numerical strength despatches18, and

of their opponents. subsequently
Naming the signal immortalised the
tower as soldiers’ courage
Churchill’s Piquet sacrifices, and
is befitting tribute, valour for eternity.
not to a British
Premier of the
Second World
War, but to a
subaltern of the
Malakand Field
Force during the
tribal uprising.
Lieutenant
Churchill fought
alongside the
nameless soldiers
of the British
Indian Army,
displayed resolve
to have his name
mentioned in
64 | Volume VI
Lieutenant Colonel Tanveer Jilani
(retired), TI (M) was
commissioned in 63 Medium
Regiment Artillery in 1994. The officer
commanded a Frontier Corps wing at Razmak,
North Waziristan Agency and also remained on
the faculty of School of Artillery. He served as a
grade-II staff officer in Military Intelligence
Directorate and grade-I staff officer in an
Infantry division and Strategic Plans Division. He is
presently serving as research assistant director in the
Army Institute of Military History. The writer can be
reached at jilanitanveer939@gmail.com
“Courage is rightly
esteemed the first of
human qualities...
because it is the
quality which
guarantees all others.”
(Winston Churchill)
Number 1/2024 | 65
A Rifle Company in Defence at Khem Kharan Distributary
A Rifle Company in Defence at Khem Kharan

Distributary
By Major Muhammad Abdur Rahman
(reprinted from Pakistan Army Journal, December 1970, after fresh editing and
proofreading)
Introduction The Enemy
On 8 September 1965 our We had failed to capture Asal
formation 11 Division had captured Khem Uttar because the enemy was holding the
Karan. Our battalion (5 FF) advanced place in strength with an estimated
along road KasurAmritsar with a view to infantry brigade supported by a tank
capturing Asal Uttar, which is about three regiment. They were well dug in, and
miles from Khem Karan. An attempt to their front and flanks were protected by
capture Asal Uttar was not successful, and mines and anti-tank guns. From
the battalion was ordered to fall back and intercepted wireless messages and
organise defences on 10 September along interrogation of prisoners of war, it was
Khem Karan Distributary. revealed that the enemy was planning a
counter attack to recapture Khem Karan.
Terrain Village Asal Uttar was to be the base for
The ground was flat, interspersed this counter attack.
with a number of water channels and
minor distributaries. The Khem Karan
Own Troops
Distributary running from east to west, When the battalion withdrew from
was more prominent. It was about 8 to 10 village Asal Uttar at about 2200 hours on 10
feet wide, with 3 to 4 feet high banks of September, it was ordered to take a
sand. Wherever smaller drains branched defensive position along Khem Karan
off from it, there were culverts. Towards Distributary by first light 11 September. The
north and south the banks of the commanding officer, therefore, without
distributaries were higher than the detailed reconnaissance, gave orders off the
surrounding area. The ground was soft, map to his company commanders, and
which could take all types of vehicles in allotted areas of responsibility. D Company,
dry weather. The cotton and sugar-cane whose action is described in this article, was
crops restricted visibility. Small groves assigned the task of covering the main road
scattered all over the countryside, provided Khem Karan-Amritsar. Because of
good cover from air and ground. Road darkness, the Company Commander ‘D’
Kasur-Amritsar was a two-way metalled Company had
road running through the area. The Khem to issue orders off the map, and allotted areas
Karan-Amritsar railway line passed to the platoon commanders. This he did to
through the area, and its embankments cover a larger frontage. On receipt of orders,
were of tactical significance. the troops started preparing their defensive
positions. Their morale was high, but
66 | Volume VI
coordination with flanking companies could limiting the already poor visibility
not be established due to darkness. At dawn still more. Behind the smoke screen,
the company commander carried out the sound of tank engines became audible. The
readjustment of defences, since certain flaws enemy was forming up, it appeared, astride
were left during the night. Co-ordination with road Kasur-Amritsar. As the tanks came
flanking companies was established and the nearer, our own anti-tank guns opened up, and
forward observation officer (artillery were also joined by the recoilless rifles of C
observer) was briefed. At this time, the Company. The enemy tanks were advancing in
company commander had to request the proper formation, by fire and movement. One
commanding officer for an additional of our anti-tank guns, which opened up at long
recoilless rifle, some machine-guns and anti- distance, was spotted and destroyed by the
tank mines, which were provided. enemy tank. Immediately afterwards, one of
our anti-tank gunners destroyed three enemy
The day was spent in improving the Battle Map—Defence of Khem Karan (Source: Pakistan
defences. It was a problem to find suitable
places for the deployment of recoilless
rifles and machine-guns, and these had
to be deployed on the side of the canal
bank, and fields of fire created for them
through standing crops. Due to wide
frontages and the little time we had at
our disposal for preparing defences, no
patrols were sent out, nor any screens
established, and this made everyone
apprehensive about the time and
direction of the impending enemy
attack. At this stage, no plans existed at
the battalion level for a counter attack,
or counter penetration. In the absence of
screens and patrols, the defences were a
little naked.
The Battle
On 12 September, while the
company commander was going round
the defences, he received a message
from his commanding officer, who said,
“I want all of you to be very vigilant and
active. Khem Karan has to be defended
at all costs”. The die was cast, and we all
were determined to defend the captured Army Journal) tanks
in succession. This had a
territory. The enemy guns opened up at 0700 sudden effect on the morale of our troops.
hours, and the shelling continued for half an Shouts of “Nara i Takbeer and Nara i Haidri”
hour. The shells blasted the trenches, uprooted rang through the bullet-ridden field.
trees and damaged the banks of distributaries.
As the battle progressed, the
Gradually the intensity of shelling decreased,
enemy pressed on with infantry and
but this was followed by the enemy’s smoke,
tanks. Their tanks came within 200
Number 1/2024 | 67
yards of our defences. Now, probably, Their plan was to create chaos in
they were waiting for the infantry to our rear, but it was not properly executed.
catch up. At this stage, it is worth They passed through the gap as if they
mentioning the individual action of were moving on a peacetime route march.
Major Khadim Hussain of 24 Cavalry, They came in single file, knowing fully
who arrived on the scene from the rear, well that a battle was raging in the vicinity.
and took control of one of the recoilless It appeared that either they were expecting
guns whose gunner had been killed. He a free run, or they were not mentally
engaged a number of enemy tanks with prepared for combat.
this gun, destroying one of them, until
As this battalion came in our rear,
he received a direct hit and was killed.
it was spotted by our tanks hidden nearby
This officer was awarded a posthumous
in the crops. The moment our tanks
Sitara-i-Jurat. The enemy infantry now
opened fire, the whole regiment
started coming closer
A Rifle Company in Defence at Khem Kharan Distributary
and closer, but the sustained and determined surrendered without resistance. Some of
fire of our own defensive weapons, managed them ran towards our gun positions to
every time, to halt and break up the enemy surrender.
attack. The company commander moved from The Second Attack
position to position, encouraging his men and Though the enemy had withdrawn,
directing the operation. At one stage, the there was a great deal to be done by the
ammunition was running short. Quickly a company commander who quickly got busy in
party was organised, and sent to the rear to get reorganising his company. The dead were
replenishment, which arrived in time. The removed and the wounded were attended to.
battle had now waged for nearly six hours, and Ammunition was replenished, and damaged or
the enemy had failed to penetrate. We could defective weapons were replaced. The
see the enemy infantry withdrawing at about company commander wanted more anti-tank
1300 hours, under cover of tanks. Later their guns, but none were available, and he had to
tanks also followed the withdrawing infantry. make use of what he had. The immediate need
of his troops was water and food, which was
Diversionary Move
quickly provided. Their morale was high, as
While the above attack was they had withstood a determined enemy
developing, the enemy had pushed a infantry-tank attack, and made them withdraw
battalion i.e., 4/11 Sikh Regiment along with heavy losses. They had just completed
Kasur-Amritsar railway line. This gap had restoring the position and replenishing, when
been left unprotected. The battalion was to the enemy launched his second attack. Their
pass through this gap, to our rear. The unit artillery shelling was intense and accurate,
was given the following tasks:19 because they had come to know the layout of
our defences.
• To cut our line of communications, and
establish themselves in our rear. The volume and intensity of fire
• If possible, to attack the gun positions showed that a divisional artillery supported
or any administrative installations. the attack. Their advance was on the same
19Later confirmed from Prisoner of War.
68 | Volume VI
pattern as in the first phase of the attack. Our Lessons Learnt
anti-tank guns opened up when their tanks
came within range. Two enemy tanks Leadership
managed to avoid being hit, and overran our Appropriate and timely action by a
forward-most trenches. Seeing this, one of our junior leader will not only always help the
tanks20 quickly engaged the leading enemy sub-unit, but will have a direct bearing on the
tank and destroyed it. Their second tank overall success of the battle. During combat,
surrendered, which yielded two officers3, who a situation rapidly develops into a major
were made prisoners of war. The enemy crisis, and unless dealt with quickly, and with
infantry now started putting in a determined determination, can have serious
attack, but our well co-ordinated and consequences.
determined fire every time broke up the
enemy onslaught. It is during the initial stages of the
battle that constant vigilance is required on the
3 Lt Dhani Ram and Lt Sher Dil Sharma, both from Deccan
part Horse.
of junior leaders, and this calls for
Throughout this phase, the company personal leadership. Such battle situations
commander was present in the front, demand that junior leaders remain with
conducting the battle and encouraging his forward troops for conducting the battle, and
men. Our own artillery fire had to be brought encouraging their men.
quite close to our own positions at the closing
stage of the battle. This risk had to be taken
in order to beat back the enemy attack,
Need of Security Elements
which ultimately ceased, and the enemy
withdrew, leaving behind 600 wounded and In this case the battalion had not
dead. Ten enemy tanks had been destroyed, sent out screens or patrols, and therefore we
and three were captured intact. A large were ignorant of the time and direction of
quantity of small arms and ammunition was the enemy attack. This enabled the enemy
left behind when they ran back in panic. Our to plan his attack without interference.
own casualties were 2 junior commissioned
Covering of Gaps
officers and 25 other ranks killed and
wounded. The loss of equipment included 6 There will always be a paucity of
vehicles and two recoilless rifles. troops for defence. Gaps between
localities must be accepted and covered
This was the action of an infantry by small arms fire, standing patrols and
company fighting a defensive battle within a indirect fire. Troops must be earmarked to
battalion defensive area. It had beaten back seal off enemy penetration, if it occurs
an attack launched by a brigade supported by due to wide frontages. In this case, the
tanks.4 Due to the wide frontage of troops, the enemy was able to penetrate a battalion
company was on its own. It did get fire without difficulty. It was fortunate that
support from its flanking units, and some tanks happened to be there, and
administrative support from battalion outwitted the enemy’s otherwise good
headquarters. However, most of the time the move.
battle had to be fought by
the company commander and his company, with
whatever supporting weapons they had, and with
their integral company resources.
20Three tanks supported us in this operation.
Number 1/2024 | 69
Fire Control
During the first encounter with the
enemy, our anti-tank gunners opened up at
longer ranges, which caused the loss of some
anti-tank guns. Fire control during combat is
a difficult task, but it has to be insisted upon,
and personally supervised by junior leaders.
Reorganisation
Immediate coordination and
readjustment is a must, after an enemy
attack. Often the enemy repeats his attack
immediately, providing little time for the
defenders to carry out readjustments. Once
the attack is beaten back, ammunition must
be replenished, dead and wounded removed,
weapons checked and readjusted where
required, and prisoners of war sent back.
These actions were carried out by the
company commander, and therefore, he was
able to meet the second attack successfully.
70 | Volume VI
4 Later confirmed from prisoners of war, and our infantry and artillery observers.
Number 1/2024 | 71
Establishment of Asaf Jahi Dynasty
300 Years Ago

By Anoshka Johum
Following the prosperous reign of the Persian noble and Qutub Shahis, the Mughal
emperor Aurangazeb administrator who served ruled over the city of Hyderabad. However, the at
the Mughal court. The establishment of the Asaf Jahi dynasty in 1724 family came to India in
marked a turning point in the history of the the late 17 century and Deccan region. This dynasty,
th
also known as became employees of the the Nizams of Hyderabad, played a crucial role Mughal
Empire. They were in shaping the political landscape of southern patrons of Persian culture,
language, and literature,
Nizam-ul-Mulk Mir and the family found ready
Qamar-ud-din Khan
Siddiqui patronage. Mir Qamar rose
to prominence through
(Source: letsquiz.com)
his administrative skills and military prowess.

He served as the governor of several provinces
in the Mughal Empire, including Malwa and
Awadh, where he earned a reputation for
effective governance and loyalty to the
Mughal Emperor. However, his ambitions
extended beyond serving as a mere provincial
governor. He aspired to carve out an
independent principality in Deccan, where he
could exercise greater autonomy and establish
his own dynasty.
In 1724, Nizam-ul-Mulk was appointed

Map of Nizam of Hyderabad (Source: quora.com) as the Subedar (governor)
India during the early modern period. The of Deccan by the Mughal decline of the Mughal
Empire in the early 18th Emperor Muhammad century led to the fragmentation of central
Shah. Taking advantage authority, and the emergence of regional of the weakening
central powers across the Indian Subcontinent. In the authority in Delhi, Deccan region,
the decline of Mughal control he declared de facto created a power vacuum that various
local independence, and rulers sought to exploit. established the Asaf Jahi
dynasty, named after the
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqui, also Mughal Emperor honorific title Asaf Jah
72 | Volume VI
Muhammad Shah bestowed upon him by the
(Source: pinterest.com)
known as Nizam-ul-Mulk, was a distinguished
21
Mughal court.
With the support of his loyal army and in southern India. Over subsequent centuries,
influential allies, he consolidated his control the Nizams expanded their territories,
over the Deccan region, establishing his capital consolidated power, and played a key role in
at Aurangabad. He adopted the title Nizamul- regional politics.
Mulk (administrator of the realm), and began
to govern the Deccan as an autonomous state, Under the Nizams' rule, Hyderabad
albeit nominally acknowledging Mughal became a centre of culture, learning, and
suzerainty. commerce, attracting scholars, artisans, and
traders from across the Subcontinent and
beyond. The Nizams also maintained a delicate
balance of power with other regional powers,
including the Marathas, the British East India
Company, and the princely states of southern
India.
The Asif Jahi dynasty ruled for over

two centuries, from 1724 to 1948 CE, which
was considerably more protracted than its
predecessors, the Qutub Shahis. The state
spanned an enormous 95,337 square miles,
Aurangabad—capital of Asif Jahi Dynasty (Source:

His rule was characterized by
dreamstime.com)
stability, effective administration, and
patronage of arts and culture. He implemented
various reforms to strengthen the economy,
promote trade and commerce, and maintain
law and order in his domain. His enlightened
governance earned him the respect and
admiration of his subjects, as well as
recognition from neighbouring powers.
The establishment of the Asaf Jahi
dynasty in 1724 laid the foundation for the
emergence of the Nizams of Hyderabad, as one Qutub Shahi dynasty (Source: lotusarise.com)
of the most powerful and influential dynasties
21 Nizam-ul-Mulk has various titles awarded to him by different rulers. For instance he was awarded title of Chin
Qilich Khan by Aurangzeb, Nizam-ul-Mulk by Farrukhsiyar, and Asaf Jah by Muhammad Shah.
Number 1/2024 | 73
which is the combined area of Nepal and Qutb Shahis did. The dynasty's legacy
Kashmir, and more space than Mysore or continues to resonate in the Deccan region,
Gwalior. By virtue of its vast size, cultural where its contributions to governance,
richness, and diversity of languages and architecture and culture remain an integral part
peoples, Hyderabad attained national of the region's heritage. It ushered in an era of
prominence during this dynasty. stability and prosperity, laying the groundwork
Historiographers, nevertheless, hasten to assert for the rise of the Nizams of Hyderabad as
that the Nizams were unable to match the prominent rulers in southern India.
extent of their contributions to the state that the
Bibliography
• “The Nizam Dynasty.” Hyderabad online. October 24, 2013. Accessed on April 16,
2024.https://web.archive.org/ web/20070416073722/http://www.hydonline.com/cityscape/history/nizams.htm
• Aggarwal, Raghav. “How the Nizams ‘stole’ Hyderabad: Understanding origins of Asaf Jah dynasty.”
Business Standards. Last updated on September 16, 2022. https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-
affairs/howthe-nizams-stole-hyderabad-understanding-origins-of-asaf-jah-dynasty-122091600252_1.html
• Bandyopadhyaya, Sekhara. From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India. Hyderabad: Orient
Blackswan, 2004.
• Kate, P. V. Marathwada under the Nizams, 1724-1948. Delhi, India: Mittal Publications, 1987.
• Mehta, Jaswant Lal. Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. India: sterling Publisher,
2005.
• Niyati, Mohammad Reza. “Administration System Under the Nizams of Hyderabad, India.” Indian Historical
Review 48, no. 1 (2021): 92–107. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/03769836211009709
• Richards, John.F. The Mughal Empire, Part 1. Vol. 5. Cambridge University Press, 1993.
About the author

Anoshka Johum is a PhD scholar at the department of Defence and Strategic Studies
Quaide-Azam University, Islamabad. Previously, she was working as a Research
Associate with an Islamabad-based think tank. Her areas of research interests are
South Asia’s strategic environment, cyber security and hybrid warfare. She is
currently working as civil research
assistant at the Army Institute of Military History. She can be reached at anushkajohum@gmail.com
74 | Volume VI
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks
will accomplish nothing in life.”
(Muhammad Ali)
Military History Minestrone

Our quiz; for the military history enthusiast and novitiate alike
(“Minestrone”; a thick soup of Italian origin has no fixed recipe as it can be
prepared out of whatever vegetables one has.)
Select the correct option

1. Which treaty marked the end of the First Opium War, and imposed harsh terms on China?
(a) Treaty of Chapoo (b) Treaty of Amoy

(c) Treaty of Nanking (d) Treaty of Chinkiang
2. In the run up to the First Opium War, the British stored drugs in which Chinese city?
(a) Chengdu (b) Guangzhou

(c) Shenzhen (d) Chongqing
3. Who betrayed Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula and sided with British forces, during the Battle of
Plassey?
(a) Mir Qasim (b) Mir Sadiq

(c) Mir Jaffar (d) Mir Miran
4. What title was Robert Clive granted after his victory at the Battle of Plassey?
(a) Baron of Plassey (b) Knight of the Garter

(c) Baron of Bengal (d) Earl of Calcutta
5. On October 6, 1947, a war council under the patronage of Khan Sahib was set up at:
(a) Srinagar (b) Chhachhan

(c) Hajira (d) Palandri
Number 1/2024 | 75
6. What was the main purpose of Churchill's Piquet, as described in the article “Churchill’s
Piquet”?
(a) To house British soldiers (b) To provide communication
during the tribal uprising through heliograph equipment
(c) To serve as a fortification (d) To store ammunition and
against tribal attacks supplies for the British Indian
Army
Military History Minestrone
7. According to the article, what pivotal role did the Ottomans play in terms of their military
organisation and economic structure?
(a) They relied on mercenaries (b) Their military forces
for their military forces were not paid regularly
(c) They funded their military (d) They provided regular
through taxation on their subjects pay to their permanent core
of
forces
8. What strategic importance did Mahe on the Malabar Coast hold for the British East India
Company?
(a) It served as a major (b) It provided access to valuable trading post

with China spices and textiles
(c) It was considered a gateway and (d) It was a key military stronghold
logistic lifeline for the French EIC against Mysore
9. What was the primary task assigned to D Company 5 FF in the defensive operation
described in the article “Defence at Khem Karan”?
(a) Covering the main road (b) Intercepting enemy
Khem Karan-Amritsar communications
(c) Providing medical aid to (d) Engaging in
reconnaissance
wounded soldiers missions
10. What terrain feature was of tactical significance according to the article “Defence at
Khem Karan”?
(a) Khem Karan-Amritsar railway (b) Road Kasur-Amritsar

(c) Khem Karan Distributary (d) Small groves scattered across he
countryside
76 | Volume VI
(Answers on back cover inner side)
Glimpses of AIMH Activities
Major General Kamal Anwar Chaudhry, Director General

Major General Naseem Anwar, Commandant Command
Military Training, 13 December 2023 and Staff College Quetta, 19 December 2023
Lieutenant General Zahid Latif Mirza, retired, A delegation of AEC officers undergoing Education
23 January 2024 Officer Basic Course, 29 January 2024
Number 1/2024 | 77
A delegation of Centre of International Strategic Major General Kamal Azfar, DG DW&CE,

Studies (CISS), AJK, 12 February 2024 19 February 2024
Lieutenant General Fayyaz Hussain Shah, HI (M), IGT&E, inspecting an internship programme lecture on 14
Feb 2024
78 | Volume VI
Visit of Mrs. and Mr. Suresh Pal Singh Bhalla, Turkiye Army delegation, 20 February 2024 (Sikh
Foundation of Canada), 19 February 2024
Students from NUML University, 21 February 2024 A delegation of Oxford University, 21 February 2024
AIMH team visited Chawinda battlefield, prior to A team of Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN),
Army Staff Ride (ASR), 2 March 2024 4 March 2024
Number 1/2024 | 79
A delegation of students from Tribal district Bajaur,

AIMH presence at a job fair at National University of
Modern Languages, 5 March 2024 5 March 2024
Brigadier Muhammad Uzair Ahmed Qureshi, Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik, HI (M),
Director AIMH, conducting as Army Staff Ride (ASR) Adjutant General, 8 March 2024 from 5-7
March 2024, at Chawinda battlefield
80 | Volume VI
Cadets from PMA, 1-5 April 2024 Lieutenant General Rahat Naseem Ahmed, HI (M),
Commander 12 Corps, 15 April 2024
Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia, retired, 22 April 2024 Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz Satti, HI (M),
Commander 2 Corps, 27 May 2024
Number 1/2024 | 81
AIMH celebrated its 7th Founders’ Day on 4 June 2024
82 | Volume VI
Term reunion
(By Rear Admiral Mian Zahir Shah, retired, author of Bubbles of Water)
Military History Minestrone (Answers)

1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (d)
6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (c) 9. (a) 10. (a)

11 Bugle Trumpet Summer 2024

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

11 Bugle Trumpet Summer 2024

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

11 Bugle Trumpet Summer 2024

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bugle & Trumpet Summer 2024

From The Editor’s Desk

The Irregular Cavalry

over a regimental durbar at Hasni in 1827 the Company army

In 1861, the Bengal Army was

London. Bibliography Books:

About the author

Security and Economics in Pakistan

new attacks would not be

Company Nawab of Mysore became

1 Dalrymple, The Anarchy, 317.

from Sweden, via the port of massive industrial-technological

national spending priorities. On like Japan, South Korea,

existence and its survival in a

5 Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, 444.

the GDP, which was drastically enterprises. Presently there are

the foundations of the not occur always due to lack of

the country, it may help other Army. The Government

(IT) and energy, through Wars, that the higher direction of

without analysing its full Schools and Colleges (APSACS),

Brigadier Ghulam Jilani (retired), SI (M) was commissioned in

The Battle of Plassey—Pivot of

Subcontinent. The victory encounter, as the

company officials in complicated secret

against him, but as a

13th, Robert Clive made his whereas the forces under

was still not sure of his nation.com.pk) point,

against any action against the

the Army of Siraj-ud- this stage it appeared as if

was that the British gained

a very experienced general.

(Source: britishbattles.com(right) ) 24.

Robert Clive became a great British hero after the Battle

His example led to

French gun captured at the Battle of

general. He became a member

Later on the British got rid of the

About the author

Tariq Aqil is a teacher of world history, English

“Know thy self, know thy

The First Opium War

8 “Opium War,” National Army Museum,

easily defeated Chinese War, is now widely

10 Jack P. Hayes, “The Opium Wars in China,” Asia Pacific Curriculum,

By this time, the situation had become

10 Lane J. Harris, The Peking Gazette (China: Brill, 2018).

Battle of Ningbo (Source: fandom.com)

it difficult to assault. The British commander,

In terms of effects—physical as well The Chinese defenders, commanded by

However, the British were well-equipped and

On March 10, the British began their

the British had only 19 killed or wounded.20

countries. The treaty was one of the first

Aftermath It was perhaps for this very reason that

“Part of the happiness of life consists not in

Baba-e-Poonch Khan Sahib Colonel Khan Muhammad

Map 1: road infrastructure of Poonch and surrounding areas

Empire from 1586 until 1751, Singh as part of the princely

Kashmir Regiment), Muhammad

Map 2: Poonch Jagir (1946) (Source: reddit.com)(later