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– the then tallest leader of the largest political the Muslim League wanted of him.
party of Jammu & Kashmir. Sheikh Abdullah In October ’47, Pakistani Prime Minister
stuck to his long-standing principle that unless Liaquat Ali Khan asked Col A S B Shah,
the people of Jammu & Kashmir achieved self- Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
rule, no decision could be taken by its people to Government of Pakistan, to travel to Srinagar
join either of the two dominions. Obviously the to meet with senior officials of the state. There
two emissaries failed to persuade him, it was he met with the state Prime Minister, Meher
well known that Sheikh Saheb was threatened Chand Mahajan. It is known that Col Shah had
by Dr. Taseer that if required “other means brought with him a duly drawn up Instrument
could would be used”. They also “advised” him of Accession to be signed by the Maharaja. On
to visit Karachi and meet Mr Jinnah. Sheikh his failure to get that signature, he returned
Saheb did not travel but instead sent his close to Pakistan. Soon after, a full-scale invasion of
colleague Mr Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq to Jammu & Kashmir was launched on 22 October
Lahore for these talks and discussions. Nothing ’47.
much came about as Mr Sadiq could only meet In the forenoon of 24 October, New Delhi
the middle rung of the Muslim League, and received a request from the J&K government for
not the deciding hierarchy. It was fortunate armed assistance against an “organised invasion
that he returned to Srinagar just in time (a day) from Pakistan”. The next day the Defence
before Pakistan launched an attack in the Uri committee considered this request and felt that
area to test the defences. It was as if was all arms and ammunition needed to be rushed to
pre-determined and pre-meditated. Some say Srinagar for its defence immediately. It was
that there was a plan to detain Sheikh Saheb in pointed out at that meeting that it would lead to
Pakistan and forcibly get him to agree to what a full-scale war with Pakistan if such assistance
Pandit Nehru speaking to the troops in Badami Bagh, 1951
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