Indian Army’s Lahore sector offensive in the 1965 war with Pakistan
Source: By Man Aman Singh Chhina: The Indian Express
On 6 September in 1965, Indian Army launched an attack in the Lahore sector of Pakistan taking the Pakistan Army by surprise and advancing to the outskirts of the second largest city of the country. Explained here are the contours of the offensive operation undertaken by the Army during the 1965 Indo-Pak war and the reasons for opening up a front in Punjab.
How the events unfolded on 6 Sept 1965?
Pakistan Army had been waging an undeclared war in Jammu and Kashmir since August 1965. On 1 September, it launched an attack in the Akhnoor sector near Jammu. In retaliation to the Pakistani aggression in this sector, the Indian Army launched an attack across the International Border in Punjab. Shortly after midnight on the intervening night of 5 and 6 September, Indian Army troops crossed the International Border at several places in Punjab in an attack which caught the Pakistan Army by surprise in the Lahore sector.
Why was an attack in the Lahore sector needed?
As per the then Western Army Commander Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh the strategic concept of this offensive was to force Pakistan Army to deploy its forces in this sector and prevent their deployment in aid of their offensive in Akhnoor. The Indian plans also included capturing huge chunks of Pakistani territory which would give a bargaining advantage in future talks. Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh wanted to pose a threat to the important Pakistani city of Lahore by occupying the Ichhogil Canal, a water obstacle which provided security to Lahore from an attack by Indian forces.
The eventual attack down the Grand Trunk Road by the Indian Army’s 15 Infantry Division easily overwhelmed the border guarding forces of Pakistan at Wagah and elements of an infantry battalion reached as far as Batapur on the outskirts of Lahore down the same road.
Why did the Indian Army not fully exploit its initial gains?
After the initial success by the Indian forces attacking in the area of 15 Infantry Division and 4 Mountain Division the momentum of the attacking forces could not be maintained. Poor leadership at higher levels resulted in the removal from command of many senior officers. The Pakistanis sought to take advantage of the lull in Indian advance by launching an attack of their own in Khemkaran sector and managed to succeed in gaining ground till they were checked by Indian Army at the historic Battle of Asal Utar where the Patton tanks of Pakistan Army were decisively routed.
What was the fallout of the Lahore sector operation?
The Pakistan government as well as the military never expected that India would open a front in Punjab. They only expected Indian retaliation in Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, when the attack on 6 September took place, the Pakistan Army was caught by surprise.
The Pakistan Army was forced to rush reinforcements to the Lahore sector to fend off the Indian attack. It also had to divert the Pakistan Air Force from its focus on the Akhnoor front and employ the aircraft to attack Indian troops advancing in the direction of Lahore. As per military historians, including former Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, the capture of Lahore was not envisaged by the Indian military planners because of the large number of troops it would have required to hold on to the city. However, there were plans to destroy the bridge over River Ravi in Shahdara area of Lahore and to interdict the Lahore-Wazirabad highway in case the success in Lahore sector was to be exploited further.
