(ACTION AT CHUMIK April 1989)
Episode - III
The Razors Edge
The frozen spell of the glaciated regions is off and on broken by the roar of guns. When the spring sets in the plains, the effect of the transition spills over to the troops stationed on top of the Karakorams. The thaw breeds action. Men shake off the icy hibernation and spring to action. The transgressors respond to their nature and go about their evil doing. The vigilantes brace themselves up for reproving the culprits. In April 89, the scene for the chastisement of the adversary was set in the mountains maze of Chumik glacier.
Aerial Reconnaissance
The Lama helicopter was atop the mighty mountains. It would dip in at times to afford a closer look to its crew despite the danger of the impending fire from the enemy. The brigade commander sat intently, peering out of the window down below. The wind lashed against the chopper giving it an occasional swerve and a bump. The clouds were capping the mountains in a fluid motion and visibility was phenomenal.
Brigadier Asif Riaz Bokhari had received news of enemy activity in this sector. The Indians had a well established post at Baniya and during the past few days, their helicopters had been actively dumping ammunitions, stores and rations. The signal intercepts also were indicative of the evil intentions of the enemy in the Chumik sector. In a terrain knitted by glaciers and inter-laced with mighty mountainous ranges, the Chumik glacier bifurcates from Bilafond glacier at a distance of approximately four kilometres from Gyari, takes an eastwardly turn and lies straddled between two gigantic features. The glacier apexes at a feature that makes a tall claim of Point 22158. This point is referred to as Naveed feature, as an acknowledgement of the courage of Capt Naveed whose daring action helped in keeping it free from the Indians. Across this feature lies Saltoro shed and an approach leading to Siachen glacier.
As the helicopter whirled in the murderously thin air, Brigadier Bokhari picked out new enemy camps. He could see them straddled along the eastern and south easterly direction. Fibre glass igloos protruded like grayish carbuncles and warts on the snowy complexion of the landscape. The enemy could now conveniently overlook own Bases in the Chumik sector. Something had to be done and that too posthaste, In such a scenario the race for time and ground is more important than anything else. India had been able to occupy heights earlier in the Siachen glacier because of her surreptitious tactics. Now that the pattern of warfare in this snowy labyrinth was well understood, a quick, and audacious action was required to beat the Indians in the time and space.
The lama having completed its reconnaissance mission, circled around and making its way through canyons and soaring heights reached Gyari. Lt Col Naqvi the commanding officer of the regiment who had been entrusted with the responsibility of Bilafond and Chumik sectors was asked to meet the brigade commander.
Lt Col Naqvi a young energetic commanding officer, had a very seasoned approach to life. Though not particularly well built, he had the robustness of mind and the will power to endure and persevere in the face of all odds. Temperamentally cheerful and stoical in hardships, he gave the impression of the person who is happy with the gift of life and is un ruffled at mishaps. As a platoon commander at Pakistan Military Academy, he drove to Rawalpindi on a week-end, strangely enough he returned by public transport because his new Toyota car had been stolen. He went about the whole affair without losing his calm and equanimity of mind. He was pleasant as ever. Though this was a very trivial incident yet it was indicative of a temper and mood that characterized his personality. As a platoon commander he left indelible imprints on the minds of his students. His colleagues respected him for his scholarship, affability and commitment to profession.
The Brewing Storm
He met the brigade commander and together hey decided to chalk out a programme of action which would be put up to the higher authorities for their approval. There was a stir of excitement among the troops at Chumik. The Indians in the meanwhile had despatched an expeditionary force of 2 Dogra to scale the new heights. The spirit of their venture was well revealed by a radio intercept that read:
Detect enemy observation in Chumik and other details about enemy area. Information must be passed by 0630 hours on 16 April without fail.
Something was brewing up and the indications were not difficult to perceive. Pakistan had established two posts Sher and Victor in 1985 at vantage points amidst the Chumik mountains. These posts posed problems to the Indian Baniya Base, which supported their activities in the Gyongla sector. The Sher and Victor posts after establishment, were however vacated because of the rigours of the weather on top and the sentinels of those outposts. Added to the inclemency weather was the fire from the enemy.
Later in 1987, when hostilities again broke out, the force commander northern areas, Major General Ayaz ordered reactivation of these posts. They were to be so designed, that they could remain safe from both the vagaries of the avalanches and the fire from the enemy. This could be achieved if the mountains were burrowed into. The process of carving out appropriate niches in the stubborn hide of the rocky demons had been a herculean task. In the rarefied atmosphere of these staggering heights, where breathing itself becomes a conscious and laborious affair, manual labour of this nature was a colossal task. Nonetheless, before the raw and unbending courage of the brave sons of the soil nothing seemed impossible. The Victor and Sher posts came back to life much to the chagrin of the enemy. The Indians wanted to establish posts overlooking Chumik, so that they could deny own forces concentration and lodgement areas in the Gyongla sector. They also wanted the capability to compel Pakistani troops withdraw from Sher complex, failing which they would effectively exercise their offensive power manoeuvre options against these posts.
Preparing the Noose The First Phase
In a bid to castrate enemy designs, the plan was finalized without any loss of time. An envelopment plan was visualized in which two combat teams would go in for flanking attacks and would ultimately close in upon the enemy. The move from Sher Post along the Knife ridge acclivity would be led by Capt Tariq and pickets established would be named as T series. On the ground, the crevassed area would be forded and positions established along the axis, would be referred to a K series, after the name of the officer, Capt Kauser, who would lead this column. Capt Kauser would then climb up the Saddle from the right along its ridge. The two columns would converge at Point 22158. Should this plan, get bogged down, the FCNA suggested the vertical approach, which implied dropping of armed personnel on the Saddle a very risky and perilous option. Unlike the battle of the plains any attack at such an altitude, cannot be a blitzkrieg action, in which hasty strides and sprints would reduce the time gap and ensue the element of surprise. It has to be an attack laden with perseverance, toil, cool and calculated move.
The fiery and impetuous charge in the plains generates a momentum that bolsters craven hearts. The heat of the battle props up drooping spirits lending them the fire to stare death in the face. This type of courage does not work on the freezing heights. The mountains demand a different breed of men men who are infused with moral courage, or courage before responsibility, be it before the judgement seat of external authority or of inner authority that of the conscience. Again it requires an indifference to danger, contempt of death which comes with faith and ultimately becomes an abiding virtue. Positive motives like personal pride, patriotism, esprit de corps, regimental spirit also leaven up the mould and make it ferment to generate the energy that propels one to great acts of heroism. It is true that great thing happen when men and mountains meet and so great things were taking place at Chumik.
(Two sketches taken from Lt Col S M Y Naqvi's article 'The Battle of Chumik - Siachen', Pakistan Army Journal - December 1989 illustrating the various posts/positions at Chumik.)
It was decided to occupy the Saddle of Chumik a lofty, craggy colossus with steep and sharp icy walls. This monster of a mountain sent shivers to the person who tried to take a full look at it and now it was taking a stock of its snares and traps, so that it could remain unsaddled. Capt Kauser Habib, a spirited and lively young officer was tasked to move towards the Saddle ridge. He was to adopt an easterly route so that moving along the route of Wali and Hassan camps he could turn in the southerly direction and then move on straight, as the terrain permitted, to reach the Saddle. He started off with his band of 15 men. Overlooking his movement were the soldiers of 2 Dogra Battalion who had established camps at Agra II on the northern peripheries of the highest feature in he area, Point 22158. No sooner had he left Kauser Base, he was spotted by the enemy who opened fire on him: Undeterred, the party kept inching forward, taking cover where possible and traversing maximum ground at night. The matrices of the terrain were knitted with huge boulders on which ice and fresh snow slowed the movement to a snails pace. At times, a short distance of ten metres could hardly be covered in two hours. The ground had to be prodded to ascertain whether it would sustain the body weight or would simply give way to a deceptive gorge or pit. Such precautions, however, were being shelved aside for the moment, because every minute was precious and the Saddle though near to sight was distant to reach. By 17 April, the party of 15 men was able to establish K-I at the height of 17000 feet; by night fall they managed to set up K-II also. No they were relatively safe from enemy fire, because of an intervening feature.
Establishing T and K Series
The move of Capt Kauser and Capt Tariq had been simultaneous. Capt Kauser had turned southwards for Saddle but Capt Tariq kept moving further east towards Asghar Camp which was the upper most logistic base for supplies to Victor and Sher Posts. Victor was located on the ridge towards the north and Sher had a southerly tilt. Both these posts provided mutual support and flank protection. The assault group trudged along the steep slope. Having traversed the distance upto Sher camp in three days from the base, their onward move along the razor sharp ridge started leading to Point 22158. On 18 April, the advance of Capt Kausar was halted due to huge gaping crevasses and sharply rising ice walls. More equipment and ropes were required to ford this treacherous quagmire of snow. Men floundered in the fresh snow, yet toiled on. Some even started developing frost bite to the limbs. They could feel the icy numbness and the paralytic lameness of parts that followed the intense swelling. Eyes were welling up floods of tear a typical phenomenon of high altitudes. Such men went uncomplainingly about their work till their limbs failed them and hey collapsed. Things were getting worse, delay was intolerable, and the urgency of the situation required quick action, the Saddle had to be reached. An eastwardly approach was tried, it failed to give dividends. The night was spent in further reconnoitering and evacuation of casualties. To take a personal stock of things, Major Bilal, the Brigade Major, left Kauser base and joined Capt Kauser, together, he thought, they might be able to broach the obstacles and carve out a path for themselves.
Along the Razors Edge T Series
In the meantime, the team led by Capt Tariq had practically made little progress along the Knife edged ridge. On the razor like margin of astounding elevation these daring men were crawling along, balancing the weight of their bodies on the thin spinal protuberance of the ridge; they could not stand up, because there was no foot hold, they had straddled themselves atop the wedge fringe painfully bearing the cutting pain of its biting sharpness across the thick slippery slopes. The snow suits blunted the bite of the craggy outcrops to a certain extent, but the realization of pain on this precarious perch, which had sheer and precipitous falls on either side, was an assurance of consciousness, a feeling of gripping onto a support that anchored one of the life and sentience.
Capt Tariq and his men cut the ice with pickets and inserted pitons so that ropes could be secured for crawling upwards. Being on the skyline, exposed to the enemy, their advance was made more difficult by the fire and shells that kept them pinned down. Their plight on the knife ridge cannot be compared with anything terrestrial. Rope walking, cliff hanging or any act of trapeze or circus cannot bear any semblance to this movement. At best perhaps an extra terrestrial image can be conjured up in mind. The Razors edge (Puley Saraat) on which everyone would have to walk on the day of resurrection may imaginably serve the purpose of a comparison. It is believed that it would shrink to a razors edge for the evil doers. The first part of the analogy may hold the ground of reasoning but certainly not the second part. These men were undergoing these hardships because of the purity of their souls, the fidelity to their cause. The razors edge was there for them in this corporeal world of trails and tribulations but in the other world it would be a smooth boulevard that would lead them to the bounties of Heavens.
The First Success on the T Series
Exposed to the savage vagaries of weather on the precipitous ridge these dauntless warriors had managed to establish the first camp at T-I. They needed reinforcements, and casualties had to be evacuated. Major Tariq who had recently returned from leave was sent to Asghar Camp with a few men to augment one assaulting force (incidentally there were two Tariqs moving on this axis). He reached Asghar and from there monitored progress of the team going along the ridge. The enemy guns at Agra were spitting fire. Batteries were speaking with thunderous oratorical effect. Shells were exploding weirdly. The gun positions at Victor and Asghar responded with greater vociferousness so that the move of the assaulting troops was not hampered. In the din of war a shell exploded near Major Tariq. Stray shrapnel pierced his left temple and came out of the right cheek. The searing pain gave him the feeling of having been branded with a red hot iron that had ripped open the thin flesh of the jowls and had emptied burning lava down his throat. This sensation was gratefully submerge in the swooning unconsciousness that followed. The exchange of fire continued unabated but effective artillery fire soon quieted the enemy guns. Besides Major Tariq three soldiers sustained serious wounds, they were extricated carefully.
The pincer action had slowed down because of the unimaginably rugged terrain, the biting and enervating cold, and the accurate enemy fire; yet the will of the force was stronger than ever.
Exploring the Vertical Option
An extremely risky venture seemed to beacon promise of success. Now was perhaps the time to opt for the vertical approach. Capt Rafaqat a young commando officer offered his services. He would explore the possibility o jumping from the helicopter onto the Saddle. The problem of opening the doors of the chopper at the time of the jump presented a technical hitch. The doors were removed, there could be no easier and quicker solution. They say, when Alexander the great, reached Phrygia he came to a place where the fabled Gordion knot was tied. It was commonly believed that whosoever would untie it would conquer Persia. Alexander confronted with the problem wasted no time. He took out his sword and in a flash cut the Gordion knot. The gates of Persia fell open before the conqueror. The pilot of the Lama, Major Mehdi, fully cognisant of the hazardous nature of the enterprise did not flinch for a second and in the incessant gale, the helicopter took off from Kauser base. It circled around a few times to gain height and then it began to rise along the Saddle Ridge. The chopper was flying very low, almost a few meters along the ridge. Now that the distance had been reduced, the Saddle ridge exposed its true nature to the viewers. From a distance it seemed to promise some flat surface on its spine but now, it was a dagger sharp thinness that it presented. There was not a foot of even patch where a jump or a drop could be made. On either side, there were sheer precipitous falls. A jumper was sure to meet his death. The chopper returned to base camp it was an impossibility.
Along the K Series - The Catastrophe
The move along Kauser series had been checked because of ice walls and crevasses. An expeditionary force of NLI was sent to augment the team moving along the Kauser series. The group, fired with missionary zeal, laboured hard to cross the ice walls. Their efforts were crowned with success and they managed to reach near the base of the Saddle. Capt Javed Akhtar, Capt Fayyaz Akram, Capt Ghulam Jillani and Capt Sajjad Hussain Shah, now in the vanguard managed to set up K-III, at the foot of the slope that would further lead them to Point 22158.
Before the narrative goes any further let us take a closer look at these young officers. Capt Javed Akhtar had been especially heli lifted from Gyari for fording the crevasse ridden area. He has a reputation for mountaineering skills. He lived upto that estimate and within two days he had achieved the nigh impossible. He had crossed the maze of crevasses and established K-III. He was a tall handsome and well built young man in his early twenties. He looked more mature that his age. Adventurous by nature, he was not the loud mouthed type. He would prefer to enjoy the conversation of his jovial friends and would talk sense always. At the Pakistan Military Academy he had been assessed the best cadet of the 70th PMA long course and was appointed Battalion Senior Under Officer. His hard work and intelligence earned him the most coveted military prize the Sword of Honour. Son of a retired Lt Col from ASC, young Javed with all his god gifted qualities had a very promising future ahead of him. He was brave and altruistic by nature, always ready to risk his life to save that of his friends and companions. At Ali Bragnsa, one night a signal sepoy was reported missing, Capt Javed volunteered to find him. Javed and his friend Akram both started the search, went upto Naram. On their return they spotted him freezing to death. Javed carried him all the way to Ali Bragnsa. He remained very actively involved in Siachen, always, playing a part that merited the highest commendation. He had worked spiritedly in establishing Sher Post and later at Allah Din Post, he had been a great help. In the biting and freezing cold, pitted against multitudinous odds that drained out every ounce of energy, he was fasting and so were his comrades, because it was the month of Ramazan.
During the late hours of the day, one of the sepoys had expired because of pulmonary oedema at K-II. Cat Javed who was feeling exhausted and sick due to over exertion was asked by his colleagues to take the dead body to the base camp. This request was made by his friends for they sensed his ill disposition. For the time being Javed agreed to this arrangement with a bit of reservation.
Capt Fayyaz Akram, the son of a retired Major of the Pakistan Army was looking gayer than usual. Perhaps he was satisfied with days work. He was a fair looking and had a full red beard that suited him well. He had a cherubian countenance. He had been married recently, Niqah ceremony being over, he was waiting for the Rukhsati. After the completion of his tenure at Siachen, the bride and bridegroom would happily settle down at a peaceful station in the serenity of a cantonment far from the madding crowd of the cities. He had a close association with Capt Javed at the Pakistan Military Academy. The latter had been a course senior to him and had really impressed him much. In his own right Capt Fayyaz was a talented youth, his innocence and forthrightness being the mainstay of his personality. On the professional side, he was considered a Rocket Launcher expert.
Capt Jilani was a short statured, dark complexioned, spritely and jovial person from person from Hafizabad. He was the course mate of Capt Fayyaz, but somehow or the other he had lagged behind in promotion. Only three days back he had been informed over the telephone to put on his third pip. He felt elated on becoming a Capt in thick of a battle. He would boast that all these explosions and fireworks were there to celebrate his promotion. Behind the facade of this carefree person was a heart full of sympathy and warmth for the suffering of the destitute and poor. He used to donate much of his pay to the needy. He himself belonged to a lower middle class family and as such knew the sting and bite of poverty. This young man, thin and spare of frame, was morally a giant in strength and vitality.
Lt Sajjad Hussain Shah and Capt Jilani often had sparring bouts of wit repartee. Lt sajjad being the junior most was the most mischievous. He had a wheatish complexion and like Jilani was thin and sparely built, but during his brief commissioned service had qualified mountain warfare course. He had to his credit snowborne insignia and was Rattu qualified. Siachen was his first posting as a commissioned officer.
As the mantle of darkness started descending on the day, these young officers broke their fasts and performed ablution for the Magrib prayers. Two hours before the prayers, Capt Javed had firmly announced that he would not take the body of the soldier to the Kauser Base, he insisted that this honour should go to the junior most officer, Lt Sajjad Hussain Shah. Everyone protested, but their solicitations further cemented Javeds resolve. He knew they cared for him and wanted him to rest, but how could he do that, being the senior most he had to look after their welfare. Lt Sajjad Hussain was despatched an hour before Magrib. He warmly shook hands with his friends and bade them farewell.
Capt Javed, Capt Fayyaz and Capt Jilani offered their prayers inside the tent and zipped themselves in its confines. To further cocoon themselves to warmth, they got into their sleeping bags and let their weary limbs rest.
At the foot of the slope of the Saddle, two tents had been pitched, one for the officers and the other for the jawans. Ordinarily the teams who braved their way through the labyrinthine crevasses used to retire to Kauser Base before evening, after having fixed the ropes and after having found a reliable passage forward. Today this principal was been ignored because of the urgency of the situation. No time could be lost. If the teams would revert to Kauser Base and make a fresh start the next morning precious hours would be wasted. Therefore, it was thought expedient to camp at the forward most position. In the second tent, Havildar Abdur Rehman got ready for Magrib prayers. He requested his three tents mate, who had already offered their prayers. To make room for him, so that he could bow before the Almighty in peace and perfect tranquillity. They acceded to his request. He raised his hands in Taqbeer Allah ho Akbar. Outside in the darkness of the night, guns boomed every now and then. It must have been the sharp crack of a shell exploding that must have jarred loose the snow from its bedrock. With a rumble. The snow relaxed its grip on the granite slope and went ferociously downwards dragged by its own weight. Down it came with a suddenness and force that left no reaction time. The inmates of the tents were buried under tons of snow. The whole night men dug with picks and shovels, but the bodies of the three young officers were untraceable. The body of Havildar Abdur Rehman, who was in the second tent offering his prayers, was found and buried with full military honours in his native village of Kunais in the Shyok Valley.
The Ascent
This catastrophe initially dampened the spirit of everyone at Chumik, but in a battle such thoughts have to be shelved aside. Comrades and men at arms fall while others keep moving ahead. Their immolation and sacrifice in fact whets the spirit to greater action. If they could lay their lives trying to achieve goals, then it is binding upon their friends to strain every muscle to accomplish and fulfil what they had struggled for.
The team on the Knife ridge continued its slow and perilous ascent Capt Tariq was leading his men on the Ridge. Now they were in close proximity of Agra-1, from where they could direct accurate Mortar fire on the enemy. Subedar Rafique the grey haired veteran who had been flown from Ali Brangsa with his Mortar was doing a fine job at Asghar Base. He was able to silence Agra-1 with his accurate shelling. Thus aided with useful fire support the team edge along and established T-2 on 23 April 89.
This group was reinforced by Capt Hamid Manzoor, Capt Sohail and Lt Khalid Lodhi. By this time Capt Tariq Hussain had developed severe frost bite and had to be evacuated. Now Capt Hamid Manzoor was at the head of the force. He was able to establish T-3, which has about 300 yards short of Agra-2. A huge rock interrupted his forward move. However, from this point he could effectively engage the enemy with small arms fire and direct artillery and Mortar fire with great accuracy and devastating results. So far the enemy was effectively neutralized, but a decisive blow had to be delivered, otherwise all efforts so far made would have come to nought. The vertical approach had to be tried once and for all, come what stakes may be.
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KIT Over n Out.
