Battle of Hussainiwala

The **Battle of Hussainiwala** was fought between India and Pakistan in the Hussainiwala enclave as part of the western front of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. After fierce fighting, Hussainiwala bluge was captured on 4 December 1971 by the 106th Infantry Brigade of the Pakistani Army, and the defending Indian 15 Punjab unit retreated with heavy losses.

## Background

The Indian area of Hussainiwala is located west of the Sutlej along the Ferozepur-Lahore highway. It covers about 7.5 hectares and runs in a curved shape from the rail and road bridge towards Shamoke in a northwesterly direction. The countryside is mainly near the river and crossed by with protective banks of earth, important among them being the Ullake, the Hockey Spur, the Perimeter and the Guide. All of them run parallel to the river from southwest to northeast and at right angles to the old railway and road banks.

The importance of this enclave to India is three reasons. Economically, it forms a part of the Hussainiwala headworks send water the Gang Canal system which bring water the dry district of Ganganagar and Karanpur. This role has however been less important now after the construction of the Harike headworks and the Rajasthan feeder. Politically, it is the site of the Shabeed Bhagat Singh memorial. Militarily, the area affords depth to the headworks and the road-rail bridge in defence and provides a readymade starting point across the Sutlej to support offensive operations in developing a thrust towards Kasur and Lahore. In addition, it can also act as a launching pad for a counteroffensive to relieve pressure against formations holding the axes near from Kasur towards Amritsar and the Beas.

### Pakistani order of battle

As part of Operation Chengiz Khan, the 11th Infantry Division under Major General Majeed Malik would be responsible for activities in the Kasur District, while the 52 Brigade would be deployed to advance into Khemkaran. The 106 Brigade under the command of Brigadier Mohammad Mumtaz Khan would capture the village of Hussainiwala. The 106 Brigade consisted of the Three Punjab, Nine Punjab, and the 41 Baloch. The 45 Field Regiment Artillery would provide artillery support.

### Indian order of battle

During the engagement, responsibility for the sector rested with the 7th Infantry Division of the Indian Army. Within the division, operations were conducted by the 35th Infantry Brigade, which formed the principal combat grouping in the area. The infantry brigade was commanded by Brigadier Pran Anand, a recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal.
The brigade’s core infantry component was provided by the 15th Punjab Regiment, supported by the 49th Air Defence Regiment to provide additional support, and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, which furnished the brigade’s armour and mobile firepower. External support from artillery units were allocated as well.
To reinforce the defensive layout along the frontier, the Border Security Force (BSF) was also integrated into the order of battle. In this capacity, the 25th and 31st Battalions of the BSF were placed under command, thereby augmenting the brigade’s infantry strength and contributing to the security of key positions.

### December 3

At twilight of 3 December, Pakistani 106 Infantry Brigade (11 Division) attacked with two infantry battalions and a troop of armour. The opening barrage of artillery fire completely surprised the Indian 15 Punjab (35 Brigade), a reinforced two-battalion strength unit tasked to defend the enclave. The whole area was extremely well prepared for defence with pill-boxes, concrete emplacements and bunkers. Anti-tank ditches had also been dug in selected tactical places and mines and barbed-wire had been extensively used.

Major General Sukhwant Singh mentioned in his book, India's Wars Since Independence, that the Pakistani operational plan envisaged a three-pronged offensive: the first advancing along the main road axis through the defensive barrier, the second directed southwards towards the bridge at the perimeter-defended locality, and the third launched from the northwestern axis with the objective of overrunning the Border Outposts (BOPs).

The B Company (Three Punjab) ran into minefields planted by the 15 Punjab during their advance but continued on despite heavy enemy fire and succeeded in occupying the mouth of the main bridge. At 6:30 PM, the 41 Baloch crossed the Dipalpur Canal, Major Muhammad Hanif. Waves of Pakistani attacks persisted throughout the night, however halting at the Bhagat Singh Memorial. The Memorial changed hands twice as Major SPS Waraich (Commander of the Indian Barriers at the Memorial) halted the Pakistani advance. Major Ashraf Khan of the 41 Baloch had arrived at the Hussainiwala headwaters after crossing the Dipalpur Canal with heavy casualties, as he cut off Indian resistance along the perimeter of the headwaters. The Four Cavalry arrived as armored support for the 41 Baloch to diminish and capitulate remaining Indian resistance.

### December 4

As the morning of the 4 December arrived, the Indian Air Force provided air support with 24 sorties on the positions of the Pakistani soldiers. The Hussainiwala bridge sustained damage with four of its spans being destroyed between the two days.

By the night of December 4, the resistance offered by the 15 Punjab was hopeless, as the Pakistanis had secured the Dipalpur Canal and the headwaters, and Hussainiwala was bound to fall. In order to prevent the complete extermination of the 15 Punjab, Lt. Colonel Shastry retreated from Hussainiwala.

## Aftermath

Upon the withdrawal of the 15 Punjab from Hussainiwala, the village fell to the Pakistani Army. The Pakistani Army would withdraw from both Hussainiwala and Kaiser-e-Hind after the end of the war.

### Casualties

Pakistan suffered from 148 casualties. The Indian figures are uncertain. Pakistan claims Indian losses were much higher, The Indian official history of the war, without quoting any figures, concedes that "disaster fell upon the defending Indian forces". However, two key officers of the battle, Major Warich and Major Sandhu were reportedly announced missing in action, and nobody knows about them till now.

### Decorations

The personnel of the Pakistan Army were awarded 1 Hilal-i-Jur'at, 5 Sitara-e-Jurat, 6 Tamgha-i-Jurat, and 1 Imtiazi Sanad for their conduct during the Battle of Hussainiwala.

## References

- (review of Ahmed Habib's book)

## Infobox (military conflict)

- **conflict**: Battle of Hussainiwala
- **place**: Hussainiwala, Indian Punjab, India
- **territory**: Pakistan captured 207 sq km (80 sq miles) land of Hussainiwala enclave
- **combatant2**: Pakistan
- **commander1**: Brig. Pran Anand
 Lieutenant Colonel, Lt.
 Col T.S Shastry
  Major (rank), Maj. Kanwalijit Sandhu
  Major (rank), Maj. S.P.S Warraich
- **commander2**: Maj. Gen Majeed Malik
 Brig. Mohammad Mumtaz Khan
  Lt. Col Ghulam Hussain Chaudhry
  Walayat Khan
  Habib Ahmed
  Asif Khurshid Afzal
- **combatant1**: India
- **units1**: * 7th Indian Infantry Division, 7th Infantry Division
**35th Infantry Brigade
***Punjab Regiment (India), 15th Punjab Regiment
***49 Air Defence Regiment (India), 49 Air Defence Regiment
***3rd Cavalry Regiment (India), 3rd Cavalry Regiment
*Border Security Force
**25th BSF Battalion
**31st BSF Battalion
- **units2**: * 11th Infantry Division (Pakistan), 11th Infantry Division
**  11th Infantry Division (Pakistan)#Order Of Battle, 106th Infantry Brigade
*** Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)#Current units, 3 Punjab
*** Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)#Current units, 9 Punjab
*** Baloch Regiment#Current units, 41 Baloch
**Support:**
 Regiment of Artillery (Pakistan)#Units, 171 Field Regiment and
45 Field Regiment Artillery
- **date**: 3–4 December 1971
- **image**: Pakistan army on kaser-e-hind fort.png
- **caption**: Pakistani troops hoist Pakistani flag at Kasr-e-Hind fortress in Hussainiwala area
- **partof**: Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
- **result**: Pakistani victory
- **casualties1**: Heavy losses
- **casualties2**: 148 casualties