At Pak tanks’ graveyard, mega show to mark Indian 1965 win

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

Fifty years after Pakistan’s 1 Armoured Division was routed at Asal Uttar (now in Tarn Taran district), the Punjab Government — in collaboration with the Army — has planned a grand show on September 9 to commemorate the decisive Indian victory.

The place came to be known as the graveyard of Patton tanks because a large number of technologically superior enemy tanks were destroyed there during the 1965 Indo-Pak War.

Besides a public rally to be addressed by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal where gallantry awardees and war widows will be honoured, the Army will be demonstrating its unmanned aerial vehicles, armoured manoeuvres and heli-borne operations and displaying its weapons and equipment.

The present Commanding Officers and troops of the units that had participated in the battle of Asal Uttar, veterans who had fought in the battle and top functionaries from the Western Command are expected to be present.

Jamal Alam, son of Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid who was posthumously decorated with the Param Vir Chakra — the highest gallantry award — for single-handedly knocking out several enemy tanks, is also expected to be present on the occasion.

A meeting chaired by the Chief Minister is scheduled to be held here tomorrow to finalise the programme.

While every year, a memorial function is held at the mausoleum constructed on Abdul Hamid’s grave by his unit, 4 Grenadiers, at the site of the battle, this is for the first time that such a show is being organised.

The Battle of Asal Uttar, one of the largest tank battles of the 1965 war, was fought from September 8-10, where Indian forces repulsed a Pakistani thrust into the area that had captured Khem Karan town, 5 km from the border. It was one of the key turning points of the war which tilted the balance in favour of India.