Iftikhar Janjua

Iftikhar Janjua was a Pakistani army officer who was one of the most senior Pakistani officers to have been killed in action. He is known in Pakistan as the hero of Rann of Kutch, as he was a brigadier in command of 6 Brigade, during the fighting in April 1965 prior to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He was killed in a helicopter crash, in Kashmir, during the Battle of Chamb while in command of 23 Infantry Division during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. He was born in 1922 in Sargodha, a city in Punjab province of British India. He joined the British Indian Army in 1942 and was commissioned in the 16th Punjab Regiment in 1943. He served in various assignments and participated in the Second World War and the First Kashmir War. He was posted to the East Pakistan Rifles as a company commander in 1958. On 8,9 April, in a series of events not entirely clear, clashes broke out between the Indian forces and the Pakistani forces at a post near Ding, Rann of Kutch. On 23 April Brigadier Iftikhar Janjua ordered the 4 Punjab to capture point 84 by first activity around Chad Bet. Since the progress of 6 Punjab was slow 2 Frontier Force (FF) was directed to join them. By first light, the battalion reached its objective without suffering too many casualties. 2 FF later attacked Biar Bet along with a squadron of 12 Cavalry. Biar Bet was captured by 0600 hours on 26 April. The outcome of the Rann of Kutch was considered as a positive for the Pakistan Army. As described by Lt General Gul Hassan Khan, then Director of Military Operations, in his later memoirs - "the set back in Kutch proved immeasurably disconcerting to the Indian army. As a result, the Government of India was in a quandary. On the other hand, ours was in a state of euphoria. The high command of our army was intoxicated by our showing and our morale could not possibly have been higher. We were ready for any task that may be assigned to us without any question.". The restraint shown by India would later convince Field Marshal Ayub Khan that the Indian Government was in no mood to fight. This encouraged them into launching the Kashmir offensive, which led to the War in September 1965. ⁴ After the 65 War, Janjua was the divisional commander of 6 Armoured Division even though he himself was an infantry officer - no mean feat. In 1971, he was given the command of 23 Infantry Division, which was deployed in Kashmir. He was tasked with capturing Chamb, a strategically important town in Kashmir, which turned out to be a decisive victory for Pakistan on the Kashmir front of 1971. He was a brilliant and charismatic leader who inspired his troops to continue to fight despite the odds. He was always in the front lines during the heat of the battle. He was killed on 9 December 1971, when his helicopter was shot down by Indian anti-aircraft fire near Chamb. He was buried with full military honours in Chamb. He was posthumously awarded the Hilal-e-Jurat and Bar, the second highest military award of Pakistan, for his courage and sacrifice. ¹