Indian Army entered POK in heavy rain…captured Haji Pir in the morning, then why did India return Pakistan’s Chicken Neck? Know real story
On January 10, 1966 in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, an agreement was signed between India and Pakistan to return to the situation before August 5, 1965. One of the things included in this status quo provision was that the Hajipir pass located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir should be returned.
In an interview in 2002, Lieutenant General Dayal, a top officer of the Indian Army, had said that this pass would have given India a strategic advantage handing it back was indeed a mistake.
Where is Haji Peer, the Chicken neck of Pakistan?
Defence expert Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) JS Sodhi says that Haji Pir Pass is situated at a beautiful place in the middle of Pir Panjal mountains of Himalayas. This pass connects Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir to Rawalkot of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). This is the ‘Chickenneck’ of Pakistan. Haji Pir Pass is at an altitude of 2,637 meters (8,652 feet). Today, this is the main route for infiltration of Pakistani terrorists in Kashmir valley.
So it is being said that, if during the Tashkent agreement, India had not returned Hajipir pass Pakistan, the infiltration would have been much controlled. And hence, fter the Pahalgam terrorist attack, during Operation Sindoor of Indian Army, the demand to recapture this Haji Pir, has once again gained importance.
How important is Haji Peer Pass for India?
According to JS Sodhi, if India has the Haji Pir Pass, it can benefit the Indian Army in many ways strategically. If India had this pass, the road distance between Poonch and Uri would have been reduced from 282 km to 56 km. This could have provided better road connectivity between the Jammu and Kashmir valley. This would have also improved the army’s logistics supply and business. In the 1965 war, India captured 1,920 square kilometers of Pakistani territory, which mainly included the fertile land of Sialkot, Lahore and Kashmir regions. This also included the strategically important Haji Pir Pass.
Pakistan occupied Haji Peer in 1948
Before Partition, the main road connecting North Kashmir (Jammu Valley) to South Kashmir (Valley) passed through Haji Pir. However, in 1948, Pakistan occupied PoK, including Haji Pir Pass. This route went out of India’s hands. This pass would have helped India to easily reach a large part of PoK. This kept Pakistan constantly aware of its delicate position.
How India captured Haji Peer in 1965?
Shortly after Partition, in 1948, Pakistan occupied about a third of Kashmir. Pakistan again sought to occupy the whole of Kashmir in 1965. In August of that year, Pakistan President Ayub Khan approved Operation Gibraltar to secretly send large numbers of guerrillas into Kashmir to destabilise it and eventually occupy it with the help of the Pakistani army. But, on 15 August 1965, the Indian Army launched Operation Bakshi, crossing the Cease Fire Line (CFL) and capturing three hills. It was also decided to capture Haji Pir Bulge, as it was the main infiltration route used by Pakistan. According to Sodhi, India’s operation was extremely successful. It defeated Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar.
During the 1965 war, Western Army Commander Lieutenant General Harbakhsh Singh planned the Haji Pir Pass. The command to capture the Haji Peer Pass was given to the 19 Infantry Division led by Major General SS Kalan and the 68 Infantry Brigade led by Brigadier ZC Bakshi. On 26 August, the 1 Para Battalion advanced towards Sank. They had to climb a steep hill in heavy rain. After capturing Sank, the Indian Army put pressure on Ledwali Gali and captured it the next day.
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