My inning with my battalion started at Pallanwala, near Akhnoor. The battalion after completing a rigourous tenure at Siachen glaciar was moved to this border area. Within a few days I found myself at the forwardmost post called PP4 (Protective Post number 4). Protective patrol is a small force of 10-12 persons kept beyond the main defences to dominate the no man's land,an area interspersed with minefields, in short a place for the cannon fodder. The neighbouring PP2 had been washed away by the recent flash flood in Munawwar Tawi river which translated in some casualities. The approach to the post was by crossing the river through Flying Fox and then crossing the DCB through a trench. The post offered a living space of 5ft x 5ft x 5ft dimension, food was supplied twice a day and the daily dose of firing started at dusk which kept you awake till morning.
The area is the jugular vein of India which Pakistan has seldom failed to press in successive campaigns. The battle of Chhamb Jaurian is taught as a classical case in the military academies world over.Recently I came across a write up on the campaign by one of the fellow blogger Agha H Amin who is an ex- Major of the Pakistan army. Despite having a disagreement on the factual accuracy of some of the events, I would like to congratulate Major Amin on capturing the essence of this military campaign.
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