Siege of Skardu


The Siege of Skardu was a prolonged military blockade carried out by the Gilgit Scouts, Chitral Scouts and Chitral State Bodyguards, acting in coordination against Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and the Indian Army in the town of Skardu, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

Background

Under Major W.A. Brown and Captain Matheson, Gilgit Scouts had revolted on 31 October 1947, by unfurling the Pakistani flag, in response to Maharaja Hari Singhs's accession to India, the 1st Indo-Pakistani War had been prompted.

Siege of Skardu

In November 1947 the situation in the Astore and Skardu was precarious. The Gilgit Scouts were retreating and the Indian forces had made a considerable advance across the Burzil Pass. The ruler of Chitral, Muzaffar ul-Mulk who had recently acceded to Pakistan sent the State Bodyguard's and Chitral Scouts to assist the Gilgit Scouts. Together they relieved the Karmi and Domel sector and headed towards Skardu in large number.
When Muslims soldiers of 6 Jammu and Kashmir State Forces defected and killed Sikh soldiers, Major Sher Jung Thapa, stationed at Leh, was promoted as Lieut. Colonel and asked to proceed to Skardu for its defence. On reaching Skardu on 3 December, he realised that his position was untenable and immediately sought permission to withdraw the garrison and the civil administration to Kargil and also requested reinforcements. The request for withdrawal was turned down and he was asked "to hold to last man and last round". Thus began the defence of Skardu.
The Indian forces, along with the non-Muslim civil population of Skardu, withdrew into the Skardu Fort where they were besieged. The volunteers from Chitral were entrusted with the siege.
Meanwhile, Srinagar, under the control of the Indian Army, assembled 3 successive Skardu relief columns, but they were not successful in reaching Skardu. With Gilgit under Pakistan’s control, the besieging forces appeared on their way to take control of Skardu and the entire region leading to Kargil and Leh. However, Skardu had become the stumbling block. In the face of ineffective relief, including air dropping of ammunition, it was a matter of time before the end neared. By mid-August 1948, the Skardu garrison was in beggarly shape. On 14 August 1948, outnumbered five to one, and with the last box of the reserve ammunition used, the garrison surrendered.