Every year on 6th September, we remember the 17 days long Pak-India War of 1965. We often think and talk of wars in grand historic terms, but ultimately it is the lives of ordinary people that is touched in extraordinary ways in times of war. We sometimes fail to remember that soldiers are not just the pawns of history. They are people. Today we present a set of rare pictures of soldiers and people from the 1965 war.
Photo details (L to R): (1) An old villager appears to be quite amused as he is initiated into the mysteries of this AMX-13 tank left in Chamb area by the Indian Army. (2) Indian prisoners of war are cheering their favorites in the three-legged race in one of the camp’s sports meets. (3) Soldiers from Punjab Regiment at BRB Canal. (4) Pakistani soldier at Khem Karan marker. (5) Sailor on guard on the brow of submarine Ghazi. (6) No. 19 Squadron pilots.
After signing Tashkent Agreement (from L-R). Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Pakistani Foreign Minister Z. A. Bhutto, President Ayub Khan and Soviet Union Prime Minister Kosygin. One interesting thing to note in this photograph is that everyone seems to be smiling and happy except Mr. Bhutto.
Note: All photographs used in this post, except for Tashkent Agreement, are from the website of Pakistan Defense Consortium. Click on each image for larger view.
Pakistan Zindabad. Insh’Allah, Pakistan will prosper and grow despite all odds.
Zardari has been elected officially on Sep 6 too. I hope this day doesn’t become another one of those saddest days in our history. But it looks like Pakistan ka Allah hi hafiz hai ab.
Hi,
Those were good days. Patriotism and unity were prevalent. PAkistani soldiers rose to the occasion.
why doesn’t this blog do any article on the recent US aggression on Pakistan. is it too controversial for the US based authors?
Yes, why would the true patriot smile at a moment like this. He may have been crazy, but he was brilliant. I hope his party doesn’t die a sad death at the hands of Zardari.
You do realize that Bhutto is not smiling because he realized that Ayub Khan had not only lost teh war (despite what our propaganda since then has been) but had signed off even more to Shastri in Tashkent. Bhutto opposed the Tashkent agreement and then immediately resigned after his return from there because Ayub had lost on the negotiating table even the small gains our soldiers had achieved. That was the end of Ayub and the rise of Bhutto because people saw Ayub for the hollow guy he was.
God bless Pakistan : Happy Defense Day