Pakistan’s 1947 Kashmir invasion bid

The first Indo-Pakistani war started after armed tribesmen from Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province invaded Kashmir in October 1947.

Way back on October 22, 1947, Pakistan first unleashed tribesmen along with its army to foist a brutal war on the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Just nine weeks after the Partition, India had to fight back tribesmen, marshaled by Pakistan, to save J&K from the tribal militia. The day is celebrated as Black Day in Jammu and Kashmir.

The first Indo-Pakistani war started after armed tribesmen from Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province invaded Kashmir in October 1947. Besieged both by a revolt in his state and by the invasion, the Maharaja requested armed assistance from the government of India.

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In return he acceded to India, handing over powers of defence, communication and foreign affairs. In May 1948, the regular Pakistani army was called upon to protect Pakistan’s borders. Fighting continued throughout the year between Pakistani irregular troops and the Indian Army.

What happened on October 22, 1947

On October 22, thousands of tribal invaders crossed into Kashmir overrunning outposts of Hari Singh’s State forces in Muzaffarabad, Domel and other places on the road to Srinagar. The Kashmir forces were too small in number. According to the Ministry of Defence’s official history of the war, “The plan of the invaders was tactfully sound and, in the beginning, brilliantly executed. The main attack had to be frontally launched along the motor road. Apart from the rifles, the standard weapon of the raiders, the main force had also a few light machine guns and travelled in about 300 civilian lorries.”

Resistance against tribal invaders

Two Kashmiris are celebrated for their resistance that helped keep the invaders out of Srinagar for a few days, until Indian troops arrived on October 27, a day after Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession to India.

One is Brigadier Rajinder Singh, who had just been appointed as the new Chief of Staff of the state forces. He had headed out of Srinagar with 200 troops, and his decision to blow up a bridge in Uri slowed the advance of the tribesmen, although it did not stop them. Singh was killed in action on October 25.

The other is Shahid Maqbool Sherwani, whose story has been immortalised by Mulk Raj Anand in Death of a Hero. Sherwani, a National Conference worker in Baramulla, gave the invaders wrong directions to Srinagar airport. He was crucified by them when they realised he had tricked them.

The invaders were held off close to Srinagar, at a place called Shalteng, and there was a battle in Budgam, close to the airport. By November 8, the Indian Army had taken control of Srinagar; on November 9, of Baramulla; and by November 13, of Uri.

Kashmir’s accession to India

The war ended on 1 January 1949 when a ceasefire was arranged by the United Nations. A ceasefire line was established where the two sides stopped fighting and a UN peacekeeping force established. In 1954 Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India was ratified by the State’s Constituent Assembly. In 1957, it approved its own Constitution, modelled along the Indian Constitution. Since that time India has regarded that part of the State which it controls as an integral part of the Indian union.

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