When besieged Poonch City was linked with the country

K D Maini
kdmainipoonch@gmail.com
After twelve months of siege of historic Poonch city during 1947-48, it was linked with the rest of the country on 22nd November 1947, when the Rajouri column of Brigadier Yadav Nath Singh met the forces of the Poonch garrison under the command of Brigadier Pritam Singh, ‘The Savior of Poonch’, at Dhannay Pir. Major General Akbar Khan of the Pakistan Army, who had conceived and implemented ‘Operation Gulmerg’ to capture Jammu and Kashmir during 1947, wrote in his book The Raiders in Kashmir that due to the link of Poonch with the rest of India, Pakistan had lost a 250-mile-long belt from Nowshera to Sawjjian near Gulmarg top. This was the biggest defeat of Pakistani forces during the 1947-48 war.

Poonch Vijay Diwas

Every year this day is celebrated as Vijay Diwas, Bada Din or Linkup Day, jointly by the Army and Awam of Poonch to pay homage to the martyrs of Poonch, to recall the memories of the brave 40,000 hostages of Poonch city, and to commemorate the ability, courage and bravery of Brigadier Pritam Singh, under whose leadership Poonch was defended for one year in spite of a very dangerous situation. During this period, on 17th and 18th March 1948, Poonch Brigade repulsed the attack of three brigades’ offensive of Pakistan. The enemy was compelled to retreat by leaving 300 dead bodies around Poonch town, and the body of Commander Hussain Khan of Azad forces was found outside the premises of Moti Mehal.
During the 1965 Indo-Pak conflict, the brave Indian Army snatched the Uri-Poonch bulge from Pakistan, secured 538 sq. km area, 11 villages, Kahuta township, and linked Uri with Poonch by opening a 49 km long road. However, this area was returned to Pakistan in the light of the Tashkent Pact. Similarly, during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Poonch Brigade under the command of Brigadier Nato not only defended Poonch city and surrounding hilltops but also captured Nanga Tekkri Top, the last peak of the Shahstar Range. From this top the whole area of POK from Kotli to Toli Pir is exposed.
In response to the terror attack by Pakistan in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam on 22nd April 2025, in which 26 innocent tourists were brutally killed in front of their families, the Indian Prime Minister Narinder Modi assured the nation that this terrorist attack would be avenged with full force, promising to reduce terrorist camps in Pakistan to dust. Therefore, during the night of 6th and 7th May, at around 1.05 AM, the Indian Army launched a 25-minute retaliatory ‘Operation Sandoor’ targeting nine Pakistani terrorist camps including Bahawalpur camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Murdike camp of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Muzaffarabad camp of Syed Sala-ud-Din, Kotli, Bhimber and others.
On this very night, at about 2.00 PM, the Pakistani Army from LOC started targeting civilian areas of Poonch city by artillery shelling, in which a number of citizens were killed and others injured, apart from damage to residential houses, shrines and markets of Poonch. In response to this inhuman act, Poonch Brigade immediately responded and started artillery shelling on Pakistani Army pickets in a large area, which continued till the shelling on Poonch city stopped. As per authentic sources, due to shelling from the Indian side, 41 Pakistani Army personnel were killed, 47 injured, apart from destruction of Pakistani pickets around Poonch city. This could happen due to the readiness of the Indian Army, apart from defending the LOC and punishing the enemy by counterstrikes. The Army officers at various places in Poonch sector also maintained liaison with the affected people due to shelling and provided shelter to 500 locals in Mandi area.
The relations between the Army and Awam near the LOC have always remained cordial and congenial as usual. During peace time, the Indian Army provides necessary help to the natives while implementing Operation Sadhbhawana; the locals are consulted and schemes as per their needs and requirements are implemented. Some important schemes taken up under Sadhbhawana are worth mentioning.
This year, on the demand of the citizens of Poonch, a model park for the amusement of the public has been constructed by Poonch Brigade on the ridge in Ajote village, 2 km west of Poonch city, near the LOC, at a very attractive spot which starts from Navgrah temple and goes up to the war memorial of 1947. The model park was opened this year during July 2025. From this park, the scenic view of Betar River coming from Haji Pir side, historic Poonch city, Poonch valley from Pir Pass (12,400 ft) up to Toli Pir (8,600 ft) in the west, now in POK, is exposed. This attractive spot has been enriched with pathways, flower beds, viewpoints, walk plaza, grand gazebo, benches for sitting, shining solar lights during evening hours. The park has been fenced with chain-link fencing. There remains great hustle-bustle of scenic lovers in this park. This effort of the Indian Army is being hailed by the natives of Poonch city.
About 15 years back, in the premises of Degree College ground Poonch, a big indoor sports hall was constructed by the Army for convenience of sports lovers. However, later on the building was not looked after and deteriorated with the passage of time. This year, on the request of youth of Poonch, the Brigade Commander took up the refurbishment of Sadhbhawana Hall into a cultural-cum-sports hall and completed the work within the shortest period. Professor Musaraf Hussain Shah, Ex-Principal of Degree College Poonch, appreciated the efforts of Army in reviving the indoor facility for the display of cultural talent and indoor games.
The majority of the natives near the LOC belong to Gujjar, Bakarwal and Pahari Scheduled Tribe community. More than 50 percent are still living below the poverty line. The health facilities near the LOC are very scanty, while it is not possible for poor families to visit the city for their medical checkup and purchasing medicines. Therefore, the Indian Army posted on the LOC in Poonch sector is regularly organizing medical camps for proper checkup and medicines for the ailing persons in their jurisdictions. This year Poonch Brigade organized medical camps in remote and inaccessible villages near the LOC in Mandi area at Chamber Kanari, Khet, Jallian, Kallas and Pothi. Sana Ullah Sheikh, S/o Aziz Sheikh, Ex-Naib Sarpanch Chamber Kanari, told that more than 600 patients were treated in these camps who got free medicines from the Army dispensaries.
The Army Goodwill School Sawjjian provides free education to children of remote and economically weaker sections of Sawjjian, Gagrrian, Barari, Urigam, Nehrian and Khet. 230 students are undergoing education in this school which is equipped with proper library, games facilities and computer system. Nine qualified teachers are teaching the students in a neat and clean environment in 7 rooms. Imtiaz Ahmed, S/o Ghulam Mohd, Naib Sarpanch Sawjjian, told that the natives of Gagrrian-Sawjjian area are thankful to the Army unit which is providing quality education to their students. He said that there is need of elevation of this school to the level of 8th class so that the children from remote Sawjjian glean could get the facility of further education.
On 15th August 2025, Sri Shanmukhanada Sabha and Sangeetha Sabha Mumbai organized a special felicitation ceremony to honor 23 members from 14 brave families of Poonch District for their remarkable resilience and sacrifice during Operation Sandoor. During the ceremony, the Sabha extended financial assistance of Rs. 2,50,000/- each plus household essentials worth Rs. 50,000/- to the affected families. The initiative aimed to provide both emotional and material support to help them rebuild their life with dignity.
Apart from the above, schemes like the provision of stationery items for BPL students of Sawjjian, coaching classes at hybrid schools at Nakarkote and Girls Middle School Jallian, Skill Development Centre-beauty parlor including training of 10 women to run the parlor in Gagrrian, vocational centre for lamb wool knitting at Sakloo, and provision of water tanks in Degwar Tehrwan and Bagyaldara mosques are some important works taken up by Poonch Brigade for the convenience of the public. These schemes and programmes indicate the liaison and efforts of the Army for the betterment of the public, who, apart from defending the territory on the LOC, are also providing facilities to the natives. These efforts of the Army in helping the public are creating a very congenial atmosphere in the border area.

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