Battle of Sardar Post

Battle of Sardar Post
Part of Operation Desert Hawk
Date 8/9th April 1965 Location Rann of Kutch Result Pakistani tactical victory Communications mishap results in Pakistani withdrawal Indian retreat to Vigiokot Ensuing Battle of Biar Bet
Belligerents
Pakistan	India
Commanders and leaders
Iftikhar Khan Janjua Brig. Mohammad Azhar Brig. Sardar Ismail Cpt. Nazar Hussain  †	Lt. Gen K. Sundarji Brig. S. S. M. Pahalajani Baldev Singh  (MIA)
Units involved
51st Brigade 18th Brigade 6th Baluch	Sardar Post garrison Border Security Force
Strength
Indian claims : 3,400 men 34 tanks	~300–600
Casualties and losses
5 killed 4 missing 16 wounded	200+ casualties 21 captured
The Pakistani attack forced the Indians to retreat but a communications problem also forced the Pakistanis to withdraw to their original positions.

The Battle of Sardar Post occurred on the 9th of April 1965 during Operation Desert Hawk between Indian and Pakistani forces, and preceded the later and more important Battle of Biar Bet. In the course of the battle, the Pakistanis captured the post from the Indian Border Security Force and Indian Army.

Background

In 1965, tensions between Pakistan and India increased in hostility due to regular Pakistani trespassing in the area, leading both sides to attempt to build up their military presence. The Indians noticed this and set up a patrol post named Sardar on 13th of March 1965, 3 miles south-west of Kanjarkot.

The Indians were concerned about Pakistani troops arriving in the area, so began to plan an offensive to remove the Pakistani presence in the Kanjarkot area. A few days later, the Indian Army stopped the Frontier Corps from carrying out their duties. Hence alarming the Pakistan Army's high command, who sent Brigadier S. M Azhar instructions to keep all Pakistani territory under control but avoid provocation and maintain the status quo. Azhar received reinforcements under Iftikhar Khan Janjua and Sardar Ismail.

Battle

An attack on Sardar Post was scheduled for the night of 8/9th of April 1965, and the Pakistani 51st Brigade attacked with the help of intense artillery fire. The Pakistani 18th Brigade was ordered to take Sardar Post and 6 Baluch was to capture the nearby posts of Jungle and Shalimar and the two-pronged attack commenced at 2 AM Pakistan Standard Time.

The Pakistanis decisively achieved the surprise factor they wanted and the Shalimar and Jungle posts were captured with little to no resistance, but Sardar Post saw heavy fighting throughout the night which led into the morning. The Indian defenders of the post resisted Pakistani attempts to overrun the post and held out against the attackers, diminishing the hope that the 51st Brigade had of a quick and smooth engagement. By the afternoon of 9th April, when Brig. Azhar was about to call off the attack, the Indian defenders of the post withdrew to Vigiokot, two miles south. Due to communication problems, the Pakistanis retreated to their original positions and didn't occupy the post, although the Indians had vacated the post and the battle had effectively been won.

Aftermath

Later in the evening, Indians under K. Sundarji arrived at the post and realised that the Pakistanis had left the post as it was, and took the post again without any fighting, but the post would come under heavy attack again during the Battle of Biar Bet.

The failure of the Indians to adequately defend the post led to the realisation of the Indian government of the inability of the Border Security Force against armed aggression and led to mass reforms in the BSF. In all, the Battle of Sardar Post was tactically a Pakistani victory, but it was stated by critics that if Azhar had kept his attack up for longer and occupied the post, it would have put the Indians on the back foot. Another criticism was that "It would appear that Commander of Pak 51st Brigade (Brig. Azhar) handled the operation as ineptly as Brig Pahalajani of 31 Inf Brigade"