Fall of Dogras in Gilgit by Late Col. Hassan Jarral Sahib(1947)

Nov - 1947, Col. Hassan Khan Jarral Sahib who was then Company Commander - revolted against the ruling Gogras and captured Gilgit with a small team of Muslim Rajputs and locals. He also arrested the Governer 'Brigadier Ghansara Singh' and appointed Raja Raees Khan as President of the new Republic.

British Lease Gilgit - 1935

The settings of this revolt can be traced back to the year 1935 of the 'GREAT GAME ERA', when Maharaja Hari Singh withdrew his own administrative machinery and handed over Gilgit Agency to the British on a sixty year lease due to persistent British interest.

Military Cross - 1943

This was followed by the outbreak of Second World War. Two Battalions of Jammu and Kashmir State Forces i.e. 2 & 4 Jammu and Kashmir participated in this war in a big way. Captain Mirza Hassan Khan Jarral Sahib and Captain Mohammad Aslam of 4 Jammu and Kashmir, considered to be the crackest unit of State Forces, were promoted as Major together on 3 November 1943, beside bestowment of the coveted award of Military Cross.

Quid-e-Azam meeting - Bombay

During this period Mirza Hassan Khan Sahib along with other Muslim officers met Quaid-e-Azam in Bombay and sought his guidance. Who prophetically advised that the interest, which has brought them to him, would guide them further . After Second World War, the Muslim elements of Jammu and Kashmir State Army reached back Satwari Cantonment, Jammu from overseas in January 1946;to find themselves in an atmosphere of changed attitudes, religious intolerance and turbulent times. The future of the state of Jammu and Kahmir in general and that of its Muslim population in particular was in doldrums, due to impending partition of the Sub-Continent.

Secret Military Revolution Council 1946

The motivated Muslim officers of the State Forces got together and hatched a secret Military Revolutionary Council, headed by Major Mirza Hassan Khan Jarral sahib and it initially consisted of Major Afzal Shaheed, Major Mohammad Din, Major Rehmat Ullah, Major Sher, Major Ghazanfar Ali Shah, Major Feroz Din, Captain Mansha. Major Aslam (Shangrila fame) was cultivated with difficulties. Gradually with hard work some other Muslim officers were also included. The indoctrination was amazingly welcome by majority of the Muslim Junior Commissioned Officers and other ranks. According to Colonel (late) Mansha Khan,the over clever type were not included. Though there were some reasonably senior serving Muslim officers, but they were not confided due to their slavish mentality.

Gilgit-Before 1947 - Brigadier Ghansara Singh memoir

Brigadier Ghansara Singh Jamuwal, the last Dogra Governor of the Northern Kashmir province of Gilgit-Baltistan; very clearly mentions in his memoir 'Gilgit-Before 1947' that it was in the knowledge of General Headquarters Sirinagar that Hassan had started work for Pakistan in Sirinagar. It is pertinent to note that a total of only three and a half of Muslim J&K Regiments of the State Forces were instrumental in determining the course of War of Liberation. The hard worked out strategy for toppling Dogra regime, in case of its accession with India got a jolt, when opportunist Major Aslam got himself quietly posted to undiv ided Indian Army at Ranchi to reap promotion benefits and thus left Jammu; his task and his native town unattended. Major Afzal Shaheed was in Nowshera and Mirza Hassan Khan was successful in getting himself posted to an independent Company of 6 Jammu and Kashmir at Sirinagar, Badami Bagh Cantonment in July 1947. As the secrecy of Military Council was leaking out, therefore they were eager for a prompt action but were hindered by the standstill agreement between Quaid-e-Azam and Maharaja Hari Singh.

Official History of The Jammu & Kashmir Rifle by Major General D.K Palit

Major General D.K Palit.VrC in his book on 'Official History of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles' writes "There was a plot in the offing to subvert the Muslim elements of Jammu and Kashmir. In these troubled times some among the Muslim officers continued to tender loyal service, but there were many who had begun to plan acts of treachery and betrayal that were to deal a crippling blow to the defence of the State".

Rajauri Operations 1947 by Lieutenant Colonel Rehmat Ullah Khan

Furthermore, Major then Lieutenant Colonel Rehmat Ullah Khan in his reports of 25 April 1948 and 3 June 1952,respectively on 'Rajauri Operations' writes, In 1947,out of the 15000 strength of State Forces, only about 1500 were Muslims, most of whom were in 2nd, 4th and 6th Kashmir Rifles, where they formed 50% of the strength. These units were stationed in Noashera, Muzafarabad and Gilgit respectively.

Dogra Ruler and the discrimining policy of the Muslim Officers

Since 1940, the Dogra Ruler who was himself the Commander in Chief of the State Forces, had been following a policy of open discrimination against the Muslim officers, who were being superseded. Muslim troops were therefore disgruntled. All of them were, moreover, pro Pakistan and expected the State to from part of it. Some Muslim officers of the Dogra Army had long been in league with each other to rebel against Dogra Raj in the State, when the British withdrew. In 1947, these officers were scattered in the State, in Noashera, Muzzafarabad, Gilgit etc. thus when the Dogra started a planned massacre of the unarmed Muslim population of the Jammu province, and the Maharaja decided to accede to India, these troops rose in revolt and a widespread and spontaneous uprising took place in the Mirpur, Muzzafarabad and Gilgit areas.

Mirs and Rajas allegiance to Maharaja Kashmir

At this juncture, all important Mirs and Rajas of Gilgit, Baltistan were summoned to Srinagar and they vowed their allegiance to Maharaja Kashmir, beside earning allocation of jagirs in Srinagar valley. August was a month of mounting tension in the State. As a direct result of leaked out secrecy of the Secret Military Council, Mirza Hassan Khan Sahib alongwith his D company was posted out forthwith to Bunji, in order to relieve a company of 5 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles commanded by Captain Dugra Singh.

It is to be observed that initially the intension was only to dispose off a troublesome field officer in a remote corner and the rest of 6 Jammu and Kashmir Battalion stationed at Nowshera was not to be rushed to Gilgit/ Baltistan; especially in wake of the troubled state of affairs of the state and fact that out of a total of nine Battalions of the state Army, almost one Battalion was already looking after the peaceful Northern regions. It is worth mentioning here that at this stage there were hectic movements of the State troops to and fro.

Accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union Oct 1947

About the beginning of October 1947, there was some local disturbances due to a clash between the Muslim and Sikh elements in the Kashmir State Forces. The tension accentuated by the sudden announcement of the accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union.

Liberation of Gilgit by Hassan Jarral Sahib & Company - Nov. 1947

Then Company Commander Hassan Khan Jarral Sahib (who was retired by Pakistan as Colonel later) of 6 J & K regiment and Subedar Maj. Gilgit scouts Raja Babar Khan revolted against the ruler of Jammu & Kashmir and arrested his appointed Governor, Brigadier Ghansara Singh and established an independent state of Gilgit on Ist November, 1947.

New Local Provisional Government Setup & Pakistan Government Invitation

There was an almost bloodless revolution and after the arrest of Ghansara Singh, Military Revolutionary Council, led by Capt. Mirza Hassan Khan Jarral Sahib, appointed Raja Shah Raees Khan as President of the Republic of Gilgit and Mirza Hassan Khan Jarral as Commander-in-Chief of the army. They then happily invited the Pakistan Government to take-over. Pakistan got this occupation of Gilgit without any efforts or loss at the time.

The story of how Col. Hassan sahib's family ended up in Gilgit. Coming soon...

Major Brown & Conspiracy

Col. Hassan meets Jarrals