Thread by @imranahsanmirza

His efforts, not recommended in any textbook, were to save Pakistan from total defeat. Field Marshal Ayub Khan said, “The Indians attacked but Ali was there.”

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Major Farouk Adam (Sitara Jurat) wrote a tribute for Lt. Gen. Abdul Ali Malik, the war hero of Chawinda - the site of the biggest tank battles since WWII, published in TheNews in 1992.

Some excerpts:
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This man who had just been lowered under the shade in Pindori village (in 1992) was a hero of the nation – an unsung one – but then in a nation of false heroes, it should surprise few that Lt General Abdul Ali Malik should have walked into dusk relatively unnoticed.

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He was a tall, unassuming man, who, one would have thought, was not the stuff to occupy any lofty perch in history books. Soft-spoken, gentle in manner, and graceful in conduct, he seemed destined to live out his life.
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There was a solitary infantry brigade at Chawinda, bolstered by an armored regiment. The man in charge was Brigadier Abdul Ali Malik. The time to test his mettle had arrived.

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And with what fine irony it did so. Whereas the elder brother, General Akhtar Malik, had been removed from command to deny him the glory that was his due, it fell on the shoulders of the younger brother to contain the fallout of this disastrous decision and stem the rot.

6/25

A frantic message went out to Brig Malik. At Chawinda he left 3 FF, a company of 2 Punjab, a platoon of R&S and some artillery. With the rest of the brigade he moved to contain the Indians at Jassar. They were coming down Charwa-Chawinda track - a whole 4 divisions of them.
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Leading the advance with due arrogance was their famed ‘Elephant’ division – the armoured division of the Indian Army, their pride and strike force. Preceded by a formidable artillery barrage, the Indians overran a badly outnumbered 3FF.

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Brig Malik without referring to the divisional headquarters took the first of his three crucial decisions of the war.

He ordered his staff officer to break communications with the higher HQ, lest they sow any more confusion in the already confused state of affairs.

9/25

Ali was among the first to arrive at Chawinda just as dawn was breaking through the night. He saw the stream of withdrawing troops raise clouds of dust, sowing demoralization with each step they took. There was panic in the air.

10/25

Brigadier Abdul Ali Malik took his second, the most extraordinary, the most audacious decision of this, or any war. He could have been prudent, careful and conventional. No one would have blamed him.

11/25

He ordered Lt Col Nisar to put his two squadron in extended line and go over to the offensive. Lt Col Nisar said “Yes Sir” and hurried away – no hesitation, no delay, and no arguments. It was just “Yes Sir”.

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And for the first time in the history of tank warfare two squadrons were about to take on an armoured division. This momentous decision, not recommended in any textbook, was to save Pakistan from total defeat.

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The men of 25 Cavalry epitomised the gallantry and spirit that pervaded the army and the nation in 1965. They were brash and confident –an incarnation of mythical qualities.

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It was an incredible advance. We had to be on the double. The sound of tank fire spurred us on. Soon we saw the first Indian casualties. They were tanks – centurions which our magnificent cavalry had knocked out.

15/25

Two squadrons of tanks and one infantry company had blunted and then beaten back what was one armoured division and three of infantry.

16/25

Next day. Our defence would not be able to hold an Indian attack; no reinforcements could be expected; withdrawal was out of the question; so there was only one option left – Brig Ali ordered us to attack. Incredible? Yes, but true – we were again ordered to attack.

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I hauled myself on a roof-top to see ahead; just beyond, the whole plain was dotted with Indian tanks, trucks and jeep. We asked for instructions from Brig Ali. They were short crisp as the Brigadiers always were, “stay there”.

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We had come out of a great fight with honour. It was just four days of battle but the results were incredible and miraculous if not mythical. And no one deserved more credit for this than did Brigadier Ali.

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The truth is that in this battle Brigadier Abdul Ali Malik alone was worth a whole armoured division by himself. He was the ace of trumps in this deck. Him alone.

20/25

On 11th Sep, he was determined that he would defend the village no matter what. This was his third crucial decision of the war and as critical to the survival of Pakistan as the earlier two. The enemy threw everything at us.

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The cavalier in him had given way to the stoic. He was still as calm and as composed as ever - four Indian divisions were not quite enough to ruffle his poise.

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He was so averse to the word ‘withdrawal’. Once he was forced to abandon his ops HQ for a different location, instead of moving it to the rear, he planted it right in the front lines barely 100 yards from the forward trenches of my battalion.

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Brig Ali’s dogged determination broke the will of the enemy. We held on to Chawinda till the guns fell silent.

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The military leadership was heavily criticised but Ayub Khan presented Brig Ali as a saviour for the institution too, “Look what happened here at Chawinda”, he said. “The Indians attacked but Ali was there.”

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@threadreaderapp compile