Chapter 17: First Indo Pak War - II

The early morning of December 6, 1947, broke with a pale light over the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir.

General Mehta stood on a ridge overlooking the valley that led to Gilgit-Baltistan, the mountains casting long shadows as dawn crept in.

His troops had been preparing for it unknowingly and now the moment had come to execute Rohan's bold strategy.

There was no turning back.

Behind him, the soldiers, bundled up against the bitter cold, were lined up in formation, awaiting his command.

The plan was simple on paper, but in practice, it was a dangerous gamble.

From Kashmir, the Indian forces would push towards Gilgit-Baltistan, a strategic area they needed to control.

At the same time, offensives from Punjab and Rajasthan were underway, targeting Lahore and Multan, respectively.

The idea was to stretch Pakistan's forces so thin that they couldn't effectively defend any single front.

"Signal the units," Mehta said quietly to Colonel Rao, who was at his side. "We move at dawn, no sooner."

Rao nodded, his face tense but determined. "Our scouts report minimal resistance ahead, General. The Pakistanis aren't expecting an assault this deep into the winter."

Mehta gave a tight smile. "That will change soon enough. We're about to wake them up."

As the sun crept higher, the Indian forces began their march.

Moving through the mountainous terrain was slow, and the biting cold made every step feel like a struggle.

The rumble of trucks carrying supplies echoed through the narrow passes, but the soldiers pressed on, determined.

There was no room for weakness.

Meanwhile, far to the south, in the deserts of Rajasthan, another front was opening.

The Indian forces had mobilized under the command of Colonel Sam Manekshaw, and their goal was to take Multan.

The strategy was to create confusion, diverting Pakistan's attention away from Kashmir and keeping their forces scattered.

But as Sam's forces moved towards the border, something unexpected happened.

"Sir!" a young lieutenant ran up to Sam, panting from exertion. "Pakistani forces are moving towards us. They're reinforcing positions in this sector."

Sam frowned, taking out his binoculars.

In the distance, he could see the glint of armor and the dust clouds rising from the Pakistani convoy.

"How many?" he asked, his voice sharp.

"At least 10,000 troops, sir," the lieutenant replied. "They're setting up a defensive line just ahead of our position."

Sam cursed under his breath.

The plan had relied on speed, hitting Pakistan before they could fully mobilize in this area.

But it seemed their intelligence hadn't been perfect. "Tell the men to dig in and prepare for an artillery barrage," Sam ordered, his jaw clenched.

"This won't be as easy as we thought."

In Punjab, the situation was no less tense. General Singh's forces had crossed the border under the cover of darkness, but their progress towards Lahore had been slower than anticipated.

The terrain was difficult, and while the initial resistance from Pakistani forces had been light, Singh knew it was only a matter of time before the full weight of Pakistan's army came crashing down on them.

"General, reports are coming in from reconnaissance units," Singh's adjutant, Major Malik, said as they crouched behind a ridge overlooking a Pakistani encampment. "They've spotted heavy artillery moving into position ahead."

Singh grunted. "We need to keep pushing. Lahore is the key to this operation. If we take the city, Pakistan will lose its nerve."

"But sir," Malik hesitated, "if they dig in, it could turn into a siege."

"I know," Singh said, his voice grim. "But we can't afford to stop now. If we don't move fast, we'll be bogged down for weeks. And we can't let Mehta's forces be left vulnerable in the north."

The Pakistani reaction had been quicker than they had anticipated.

Across all fronts, it seemed their enemy was determined to make this a drawn-out conflict.

In Pakistan, confusion reigned in the military high command.

In Rawalpindi, General Ayub Khan, the Pakistani Chief of Staff, was fielding frantic reports from commanders across the border regions.

"Sir, the Indians have launched a coordinated assault from three directions," an aide said breathlessly. "They're moving towards Gilgit in the north, and they've also initiated offensives in Punjab and Rajasthan."

Khan slammed his fist on the table. "This was not expected! We thought they'd only defend Kashmir, but now they're trying to open a full-scale war on multiple fronts."

"Should we redirect more troops to Multan and Lahore, sir?"

Khan hesitated.

Moving reinforcements would leave other areas vulnerable, but they couldn't afford to lose either city.

"Deploy two additional brigades to Lahore immediately. I want all available forces in the south on high alert. They're trying to break us down piece by piece, and we can't let that happen."

But even as the orders were given, Khan knew they were at a disadvantage.

Pakistan's forces were spread thin, and the Indian strategy was throwing their command into disarray.

If India could maintain their momentum, they would push deeper into Pakistani territory than anyone had expected.

By midday, Indian forces had engaged the Pakistani defenders in all three sectors.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, Mehta's troops had encountered the first line of Pakistani resistance.

The terrain was brutal, and the fighting was close and fierce, with both sides using the mountains to their advantage.

But despite the intensity of the battle, Mehta's forces continued to press forward.

"Hold the line!" Mehta shouted over the din of gunfire.

His men were fighting with everything they had, determined to push the Pakistanis back.

But the enemy wasn't giving ground easily.

"We need more artillery support!" one of Mehta's officers shouted.

"Call it in!" Mehta replied, his voice strained. "We need to break their line before they can regroup."

Back in Punjab, General Singh's forces had begun their assault on Lahore, but the city was heavily defended.

Pakistani soldiers had fortified the outskirts, and the fighting was slow and bloody.

Singh knew that time was not on their side.

"Sir, we're meeting heavy resistance," Major Malik reported, his face grim. "They've dug in deep. It's going to be tough to break through."

Singh cursed under his breath. "Keep pressing. We don't have the luxury of time. If we let up, they'll reinforce and we'll be stuck here for weeks."

The fighting raged on, with Indian and Pakistani forces locked in a brutal struggle.

But as the day wore on, it became clear that the initial push was slowing.

The element of surprise had worn off, and Pakistan was mobilizing faster than anticipated.

In Rajasthan, Colonel Sam's forces had managed to push forward, but the situation was tense.

The Pakistani defenses near Multan were stronger than expected, and both sides had taken heavy casualties.

"Sir, they're bringing in reinforcements from the south," one of Sam's officers reported. "We're going to be outnumbered soon."

Sam gritted his teeth. "We can't stop now. If we let them reinforce Multan, we'll be stuck here for weeks. Keep pressing the attack, but send a message to General Singh, we need more support."

As the battles raged across all fronts, Rohan sat in his office, listening to reports from his commanders.

He had expected resistance, but the intensity of the fighting was greater than anticipated.

Still, he remained resolute.

He turned to Neeraj Kumar, who stood by his side. "It's happening, Neeraj. This is what we've been preparing for."

Neeraj nodded, his expression serious. "Do you think we'll be able to take Gilgit-Baltistan?"

"We have to," Rohan replied, his voice firm. "If we can take Gilgit, we'll secure Kashmir for good. But it won't be easy."

"General Mehta is holding his ground, but it's going to be a long fight," Neeraj said. "And Singh's forces are struggling to break through in Lahore."

Rohan sighed, the weight of leadership pressing down on him. "We need to keep pushing. Tell General Singh and Sam to continue attacking. But Gilgit-Baltistan is the key. Send in more reinforcement, deploy the reserve and other battalions as soon as possible, if it takes a more men i will give but nothing can stop me from taking Gilgit baltistan even if it means Total War. Pass this message to the army command"

Neeraj stunned hearing Rohan's declearation nodded and left the room, leaving Rohan alone with his thoughts.

He knew that the coming days would be critical.

The success of his three-pronged strategy depended on the courage and resolve of his men, but the battle was far from over.

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