SECTION 3 - (CHAPTER 13)

STATEMENT RE. DEFENCE OPERATIONS

Lok Sabha on 8 September, 1965

I would like to keep the Hon. Members appraised of the developing situation in our efforts to contain and throw out the Pakistani aggression on our territory, since I made the Statement on the floor of the House on 6th September.

Our Army which moved across the Punjab border to deal with the Pakistani forces who had invaded Kashmir and which were trying to open another front in the Punjab has gained certain positions which it has held despite vigorous counter attacks from the other side. Our Air Force has been giving very good support to our ground troops. Our air action to hit the bases from which Pakistan has been launching air attacks on our territory has been continuing.

In the Chhamb-Jaurian sector our forces have made the enemy retreat and captured substantial number of vehicles besides stores. There are signs of his making a stand again. In other sectors of Jammu and Kashmir our troops have given very good account of themselves. In the Haji Pir area, our troops have captured another Pakistani post three miles west of the Pass and repulsed the Pakistani counter attack. Proceeding towards the north from the Poonch side, our troops have, with great gallantry, captured three important hill features in the bulge where not only have they inflicted heavy casualities on the enemy, but they have made a record haul of arms and ammunition and stores. The Pakistanis were well entrenched in these posts and had obviously been using them as bases for supporting and assisting infiltrations into J & K. In other areas of J. & K. also our ground forces have been inflicting losses on the enemy.

The Indian Air Force has achieved remarkable success, not only in the role of support to our ground troops, but also in strikes at the bases from which Pakistan has been mounting attacks on our territory.

Our air strikes in support of the Army were made over the Dera Baba Nanak area. The Air Force also struck at Pakistani ground forces concentrated in Sulemanki Head Works area and poised for an advance into India. The Saragodha and Chakala air-fields of the Pakistani Air Force have been attacked by our planes as they were being used as bases by the Pakistani Air Force to support the aggression by Pakistani ground troops on our territory. Our Air Force have also intercepted and fought with the Pakistani Air Force in the latter’s attempts to bomb air-fields and civilian targets in widespread areas, ranging from Jamnagar in the west to Kalaikund near Calcutta in the east. The Pakistanis had earlier bombed the civilian areas of Jaurian and Ranbirsinghpura. They have continued this process of bombing over Amritsar, Ferozepur and other civilian areas. No military target has been damaged in those areas, but there have been sizeable civilian casualties and damage to civilian property. Evidence has been collected to show that Pakistan had made plans to undertake these operations, as early as April.