Publisher's Synopsis
It appears that it was Pakistani state policy to find no fault with the mighty corps commanders .Shaukat Riza picked up by Pakistans clownish looking military dictator to write Pakistan armys official history was selected since he was senile and old and harmless, and because he wrote what was regarded as politically correct ! Unofficial guiding mandate to shaukat riza was to blame Mr ZA Bhutto for all military failures of Pakistan.My personal association with some of the events in this narrative is as following .The famous triple massive minefield of Shakargarh was laid by 6 Engineer Battalion commanded by my father in one single fateful month November 1971 with a loss of one sapper soldier killed.Then Major Sardar Yahya Effendi who fought this battle as a grade two staff officer was a dear friend of mine and my regimental officer. In addition Effendi also served as a grade two staff officer with my father in 1973-74 in the Military Operations Directorate were my father was serving as a SO 1 Plans.Colonel Yahya Effendi also wrote PAVO 11 Cavalrys history .In January 2008 Effendi was gracious enough to share with me his personal account of the Changez Force. I wanted to clarify many points of tis narrative however fate had it that Effendi died in late 2008.6 Engineer Battalion was deployed in East Pakistan in 1971.My father was serving as grade two staff officer operations of 16 Division which was rail moved and airlifted from Quetta to East Pakistan in March 1971 in a guiness book record time of just six days .In September 1971 he was promoted to LTC rank and posted to command 6 Engineer Battalion.The unit was sent back to West Pakistan.In October 1971 the unit was located In Jhelum and tasked to lay the triple layer minefield in late October 1971.The unit moved to Shakargarh Bulge and laid the triple layer minefield in a record time of one month in November 1971.Thereafter 6 Engineer Battalion was tasked to launch assault brides for Pakistani 2 Corps main offensive in Bahawalnaar in December 1971.After the war 6 Engineer became part of 37 Division at Gujranwala and was again tasked to lift the mines that it had laid in early 1972.Brigadier Nisar the commander of Changez Force in his article Covering Troops Battle-Shakargarh 1971 reprinted in Sabre and Lances Annual Special issue of 1997 states that Changez Force was created on 3rd December 1971, just on the war eve .Nisar stated that it was an ad hoc brigade with just two radio sets, one telephone exchange, one jeep and an officer staff of two majors and one captain who joined him between 6th to 8th December 1971.BackroundPakistan Armys military leaders and key planners got ample opportunity to plan
