Pashtun volunteers for the Kashmir War, December 1947.

Pashtun volunteers for the Kashmir War, December 1947.

Photo by Margaret Bourke-White.

Account of the Kashmir War 1947-48 by Khan (a Pashtun tribesman from Barawal in Dir) who participated in it, is as follow :

"The Nawab of Dir announced jihad against the Hindu ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, who was conspiring against the Muslim majority. I was young when we received the news that the Nawab has ordered us to help Kashmiri Muslims against the Hindu ruler. Around 50 people from our village, including my elder brother, joined immediately”.

"There were over 600 people, including soldiers from the Nawab's force, in our first contingent when we set off for Kashmir. We marched to Mirpur [a city now in AJK] to help the Kashmiris.”

"On our second night there, we, along with the Nawab’s army, attacked and captured an Indian base in the Samas Kot area. We killed 135 Indian soldiers, while my elder brother and 12 other soldiers and tribals were martyred from our side" .

"That was a sad day as I lost my elder brother. But I was also satisfied that we were helping our Kashmiri brothers."

According to Khan, at least 700 people from Dir, including soldiers, were killed as they first fought against the Dogra army and then Indian forces.

“The pain of losing our dear ones is something we have lived with ever since,” he said.

“But, today, I can proudly say that we fought for our Muslim brothers and sisters in Kashmir and liberated a big part from Indian occupation, which is now called Azad Jammu and Kashmir.” [Source: The Express Tribune].