[DAWN] FLUSHED with victory in the Rann of Kutch in April 1965, Field Marshal Ayub Khan and his confidants thought that the time was ripe for wresting Kashmire from India by inciting the Moslem population to rise in rebellion against the occupying power, and then delivering the knockout blow by severing the road link between India and Kashmire at Akhnur.On the night of Aug 5/6 1965, 5,000 lightly gunnies slipped across the ceasefire line into occupied Kashmire. They were the Gibraltar Force. While the surprise lasted, they conducted a series of spectacular operations. Then the expected happened. Indian retribution against Moslem villages was swift and brutal; as a result, the locals not only refused to cooperate with the raiders but also started to assist the Indian forces to flush them out. To make matters worse, the Indian forces went on the offensive capturing Kargil
... three months of unprovoked Pak aggression, over 4000 dead Paks, another victory for India ...
, Haji Pir pass and Tithwal and threatening Muzaffarabad. With its fate sealed, the Gibraltar force disintegrated. In order to release the pressure being applied on Azad Kashmire, Phase 2 was launched.
