RAJA SAKHI DALER KHAN
above (left)
Khan, was born in a village in Kotli, present day Pakistan-administered-Kashmir.
He was initially affiliated with the Indian national Congress, but later left and joined the Muslim League, during the early forties.
Towards independence, he visited the Prime Minsister & Maharaja of Kashmir, Ram Chandra Kak, and Hari Singh, asking them about their plans regarding the fate of Kashmir, i.e joining India or Pakistan.
He had a hint that the Maharaja was considering other options. He therefore felt that Kashmir’s Muslims were in a state of danger.
He along with his fellows published the Azad Kashmir Pamphlet on the 17th of July, 1947, which supported the state’s accession to Pakistan.
As partition neared, a rebellion broke out in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, which is where Khan’s hometown was also located. The Maharaja began to massacre Muslims in a bid to the crush the rebellion. Around 2,37,000 Muslims were killed in the state’s Jammu division.
Khan, along with another prominent commander, led Pakistani irregulars and troops into Kashmir, on the 22nd of October, 1947.
The troops went to the aid of their fellow Muslims and captured the Western parts of the state.
A map of the region, depicting the Pakistani advancement into Kashmir
The Maharaja fled to Jammu. And his state troops were badly defeated. This prevented the rest of the Muslims of Kashmir from falling into the hands of the Dogra troops. If it weren’t for Daler Khan, Muslims would’ve been totally wiped off from Jammu and Azad Jammu & Kashmir wouldn’t be free today.