The failed Indian bid to capture Umerkot

When war broke out in December 1971, Pakistan launched an offensive towards Jaisalmer in Rajasthan with its 18 Division, which was responsible for the defence of Sindh. This left only one infantry brigade to defend the whole of Sindh. Meanwhile, the Indian Army had planned an offensive of its own in the province by its 11 Division. The enemy division had been given the objective to capture Chhor through Khokhrapar. Later, the scope of their operations expanded with a subsidiary effort by a brigade towards Umerkot from Gadra.

Standing in their path at Naya Chhor was the 55 Brigade with the 21 and 39 Frontier Force (FF), as well as, the 26 Baloch regiment. The Indian division began its advance on December 4, after capturing Khokhrapar and Gadra. Pakistan’s covering troops, deployed on these axes, opposed the enemy’s advance through the use of successful delaying actions. On December 8, the Indians arrived in front of Pakistani defences at Naya Chhor. However, despite repeated attacks, the enemy was unable to make any headway against the 55 Brigade, which by now had been reinforced by a brigade from the 33 Division.

The 26 Baloch, under Lieutenant Colonel Sher Afzal Khan, had arrived at Chhor from Hyderabad on the night of December 2, meanwhile, four tank-hunting parties under Captain Mumtaz Khan joined the covering troops on the Khokhrapar-Chhor axis. The tank-hunting parties displayed an excellent job of delaying the enemy by carrying out raids on its advancing columns. On December 8, Naib Subedar Gul Sari Khan ambushed and captured an enemy reconnaissance party, including with two Indian officers. Meanwhile, Lance Naik Muhammad Adalat shot down an enemy fighter aircraft over Chhor. While two Indian brigades were moving towards Chhor from Khokhrapar, their 31 Brigade, advancing from Gadra, had captured Khinser and Chachro, southeast of Umerkot. A platoon of the B Company of the 26 Baloch, under the command of Major Muhammad Iqbal, was rushed to reinforce the Indus Rangers at Kantio to counter this new threat. Major Iqbal and his men beat back two attacks and did not allow the enemy to advance on further. On December 12, Major Iqbal was joined by the rest of his company.

In the meantime, the 26 Baloch was ordered to take up defences around Umerkot. Its three remaining companies were deployed towards the east of the town, with the C Company, under Captain Mumtaz, on the right and the D Company, under Major Hafiz ur Rehman Tariq, on the left. The regiment’s A Company, under Major Riaz Aizad, was on the extreme left, facing northeast. On December 16, the Balochi patrols detected enemy activity at Hingoro Tar, five miles east of Umerkot. The battalion reported the enemy’s presence, which it estimated to be at least two-company strong, and requested permission to attack. The intruding enemy force was actually a complete battalion, the 18 Madras, which had slipped into the territory undetected from Khinser. However, as the Brigade Headquarters was not convinced of the size of the enemy contingent, believing it to be only an enemy patrol, it gave permission for an attack by two platoons only. Captain Mumtaz Khan was deputed to lead the attack on the enemy’s left flank with two platoons of the C Company, while his third platoon under Havildar Mehboob was deployed as a screen between the C and D Companies. In the next phase, the D Company under Major Tariq was to secure the northern end of Hingoro Tar.

At first light on December 17, Captain Mumtaz Khan and his men charged at the Indian battalion. The enemy was shocked by the fierceness of the attack and Captain Mumtaz, after overrunning the Indian defences, penetrated the forces up to their battalion headquarters. Seeing their outnumbered comrades in the midst of the enemy, Havildar Mehboob’s platoon charged at the enemy from the front. The Indians were completely unhinged by this new direction of attack. Meanwhile, Captain Mumtaz broke into their battalion headquarters, killing three officers. At around 8am, the D Company, attacked the enemy on the right flank. The 18 Madras broke under the combined onslaught of the two companies and bolted from the battlefield, leaving behind 49 dead and 13 as prisoners of war, besides a large quantity of arms, ammunition and equipment. Four valiant soldiers of the 26 Baloch were martyred, while eight were wounded. The Balochis chased the Indians all the way to Khinser.

Captain Muhammad Mumtaz Khan and Naib Subedar Gul Sari Khan were awarded Sitara-i-Jurat, while Havildar Muhammad Sultan and Sepoy Mushtaq Hussain received Tamgha-i-Jurat for their gallantry during the day’s action. After their debacle at Hingoro Tar, the Indians gave up all attempts at further offensive operations in Sindh. The spirited action by one intrepid Pakistani battalion had inflicted an embarrassing reverse on the Indians and laid to rest their plans of conquest of Umerkot.