Pakistan Army came into being on August 15, 1947, when government of Pakistan took operational control over its armed forces which were just 36% of total army of previously British Indian Army. 64% of that army remained with India along with major share of ammunition depots, military bases and training facilities. Pakistan Army began its journey with very limited resources and unsurmountable challenges. Till then, armed forces of Pakistan have achieved tremendous success on operational front through sheer dedication of highly committed leadership. In this blog, a brief history of Pakistan Army has been discussed.
The Pakistani Armed Forces initially numbered approximately 150,000 men, but a major problem was that they were all scattered all over India at different bases and were not present to defend or assist incoming refugees. Pakistani Armed Forces had only 2,300 officers at the point of its birth against a requirement of 4,000 officers. Pakistan got only six armored, eight artillery and eight infantry regiments against India’s forty armored, forty artillery and twenty-one infantry regiments. At the time of country’s inception, Pakistan Army had only 13 tanks. With these limited resources Pakistan Army was formed with 4 divisions being raised in West Pakistan and a single division in East Pakistan.
First test of army began soon after the independence in the Kashmir area where Pakistan and Indian army faced each other in 1948 War of Kashmir. In an effort to liberate the Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistan Army along with tribal lashkars from former NWFP launched a preemptive attack. As Pakistan’s regular officers and army men were in v limited numbers when the locals Muslim, tribal militias moved to take the capital city of Srinagar, their operations were delayed due to disciplinary issues allowing Mahraja Hari Singh to sign an Instrument of Accession to India on October 26, 1947, which was followed by airlifting of troops to Srinagar. A formal ceasefire was declared effective on January 1, 1949. UN promised a plebiscite in Kashmir which hitherto remained unfulfilled, unfortunately. Despite inconclusive results, Pakistan Army and Lashkers were able to liberate 37% of former state of Kashmir.
Indian began to make illegal ingress in Pakistani territories in Rann of Kutch area in Sindh during March-April 1965. This triggered an aggressive response from Pakistan Army and soon all lost areas were won back, and Indian intruders were pushed back. Pakistan Army also took a daring operation in Kashmir sector in August 1965. Pakistan Army took over first Chambb and then Jaurian. While Pakistan Army was at the gates of Akhnur, India attacked at Lahore and Sialkot, on September 6, 1965, with an aim to take both strategic cities as Pakistan Army was stretched from Kashmir to Rann of Kutch. Pakistan Army not only defended both the cities with spectacular courage and honor but made some advances into enemy territories as well. The War lasted till 23rd September 1965, when the United Nations called for a cease-fire. Strategically, it was a stalemate but Pakistan Army with the help of nation, thwarted a massive Indian invasion with sheer professionalism, honor and highest sense of duty.
1971 was ended with creation of Bangladesh which previously was East Pakistan. This was a political failure of Pakistani leadership which was expertly exploited by Indian strategists. Later revelations have made it clear that 1971 was the finale of a conspiracy hatched by India in the 1960s using ethnic fault lines existing between the two wings of Pakistan due to cultural differences. On military front, despite fighting a massively large hybrid enemy, Pakistan Army displayed tremendous courage and professionalism which all buried in the dust of history and the final outcome of that war. India’s Field Marshal at that time, Maneckshaw, during one of his interview with BBC later recalled that Pakistan Army fought with tremendous courage in East Pakistan, but they had no chance as they were up against 1:10 Indian army and countless armed dissident Bengalis in the form of “Mukti Bahini”.
28th Mary 1998 was a historic moment when Pakistan world’s only Muslim nuclear power. The role of Pakistan Army in the success of national nuclear program is instrumental. Pakistan Army raised National Command Authority and Strategic Forces Command (Army) to shun all hostile propaganda against Pakistan’s nuclear program and effective command and control. Later, it was recognized by world bodies that Pakistan’s nuclear command and control system is among the best.
9/11 changed the world forever. Afghanistan and Pakistan became the eye of geopolitical storm. Pakistan’s north-western part became a hotbed of insurgents and militants who spilled over from Afghanistan where the US and allied forces began a 20 years long war. These Pakistani areas were under FCR laws since 1947 and there was no presence of any sort of Pakistani government / forces there. Terrorists took over large swathe of ex-FATA and Pakistan Army in 2003, launched military operations and after a ruthless, complex and multi-faceted war of nearly 2 decades, Pakistan Army has successfully pushed out all terrorists. Recently, in order to prevent any possible ingress of terrorists, Pakistan Army undertook a massive task of fencing the 2600 kilometer long Pakistan-Afghanistan border in 2017.
UN Peace-Keeping missions are an illustrious chapter of Pakistan Army. Pakistan Army has been one of the biggest contributors in UN Peace-keeping missions. Since 1960, Pakistan has sent more than 160,000 troops to 42 missions. Pakistani officers and Jawans have spilled their blood for global. So far more than 135 Pakistani officers and Jawans have lost their lives overseas while serving in various UN missions.
Apart from combat duties, Pakistan Army has golden history of its humanitarian services to nation in multiple natural disasters during the last 75 years. Pakistan Army always rush to affected areas be it flood or earthquake. Considering the climate cycle of the country, Pakistan Army, in 1970s established a dedicated organization for flood relief operations. So far, Pakistan Army has saved countless lives with their timely and swift relief operations.
There is no doubt, Pakistan Army is a cohesive bond keeping Pakistan integrity intact. Pakistan Army and nation enjoy an inseparable bond of love, affection and pride. In sha Allah, Pakistan will keep thriving and Pakistan Army will continue to play its historic role with utmost professionalism, dignity and honor.
