Bugle & Trumpet Winter 2019

The Maestro of Hunza

By Brigadier Fouad Hafeez, Retired
A story of a veteran of the 1948 War of Liberation

Far to the north of the country lies our a team of

most beautiful - some might say 'most other- our Institute
worldy' - region; Gilgit-Baltistan. A peaceful, went to the
serene, mesmerising land; which showcases all area to meet
of the good things about Pakistan. Many of us s ur viving
have visited there. Many of us have tasted its veterans of
fruits, experienced the hospitality of its people, the 1948
War, he was
one of the (Ali Golzar)
many ninety-plus-years old "young men·: we
met. Short of height, but sharp of eye. A firm
handshake, and a spring in his step; Ali Gohar
was born in Hunza in 1923 or 1924, by his own
account. He was 24 years old when he enlisted in
the then Gilgit Scouts, some 6 months before the
War of Liberation began.

In his own words: "one day, we received

'.
Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat l\.oul'i<: pll'lkrt"\l.1..0ffl)

orders that we were to march to Skardu, in order

and seen or heard about the giant peaks and
to free the people of the area from Dogra rule.
gorgeous meadows that dot its landscape.
It generated a huge amount of excitement in us,
Few amongst us, though, are quite fully and we eagerly prepared for the task ahead. Back
aware of how this magical land came to be a then, the Scouts were very poorly-equipped; we
part of Pakistan. Fact is, the area known as
Gilgit-Baltistan didn't just fall Pakistan's way,
because of some land-award, or Partition-
related agreement. It was 'liberated' from the
yoke of oppressive rule, by the people of the area,
themselves. People who chose Pakistan, rather
than merely ended up here.

It was a year after the Partition of

Pakistan and India that this "War of Liberation",
or "People's War" took place. Poorly-equipped, Freedom Fighters \ own· roi.sla.imJ>lt,l ft\J-'OI..COffl)

sparsely-outfitted, scantily-armed irregular had no uniforms, or arms, or ammunition, but

forces comprising of the brave sons of the soil
of Gilgit-Baltistan were the main prosecutors
of this war. Their stories are of courage, and
honour, and endurance. Their tales are the stuff
that legends are made of.
One such example is Ali Gohar. When
we did have sturdy walnut trees growing in the
region. Clubs and batons and sticks, cut from
these trees, were what we armed ourselves with."
"In those days, the route to Skardu was
very arduous and tough. There were no roads,

■
16 I Volume I
 The Magazine of the Army Institute of Military History Pakistan

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Advance of Freedom Fighters (Source: defence.pk)

and we followed tracks that would take us.over bren-guns and Lee Enfield rifles. That was when
the highest crests, to the lowest valleys. After I picked up my first weapon; a .303 Lee Enfield."
the first few days, our boots and shoes started
to wear out. So we would skin the goats that
we would receive as part of our rations, place
squares of untanned goat leather around our
feet, and bind them together with laces made
out of leather strips. These self-made moccasins .303 Lee Enfield Rifle (Source: plnterestco.uk)

were what we wore for the remainder of the 16

days of non-stop marching it took us to reach "We stayed hardly a week in the Fort,
Skardu". · when we received instructions to march onwards
onto Kargil; a Muslim majority area in the Ladakh
When asked whether anyone fell ill valley. We set off again; happy that we'd met with
en route, Gohar smiled: "No, Sahib. We were too success so far. Passing along the banks of the
eager to reach our destination. We didn't have Indus River and clearing any opposition that
time to fall ill:' we might encounter, we crossed Kharmang and
came to Kargil; where the locals were overjoyed
"When we reached Skardu, the
to see us. They offered us food and shelter in
Kharpochou Fort and the areas surrounding it
their homes; which we never accepted, because
were manned by Hindu soldiers of the State of
we were here to rid this land of those who had
Kashmir's Dogra rulers. But once they got wind
ruled us with an iron fist. Sahib, accepting offers
of our arrival, they hastily beat a retreat, and we
s of food and hospitality would have made us little
moved into the Fort and took over their arms
better than the occupying forces that lorded over
and equipment. Inside, we found machine guns,
this land. Right, Sahib?"

Number 2/2019 17 ■ -
 Bugle & Trumpet Winter 2019 L
For close to 20 days, this force stayed drums, tablas, dhols and dholkis. He married and
bivouacked in the forests surrounding Kargil, had a son; who grew up to become an engineer.
before they were ordered to march on Leh. Ali This son, in turn, has two sons; both of whom
Gohar narrates of this experience: "when we are bankers working with the World Bank.
reached the outskirts of Leh, we started to receive
When we met him, he'd raise his gnarled-
more and more fire from the Dogra soldiers
. wrinkled hands in prayer, repeatedly: "Allah
occupying the town, so we took up positions
keep Pakistan safe. Allah, keep our country free
encircling their camps. In one such position,
and prosperous". He'd tell us tales of how - under
I was occupying a foxhole that was receiving
heavy fire. I had just taken cover behind a large
rock, when a volley of bullets came down at me,
like a hailstorm of fire. One bullet hit the rock
and sent splinters flying in all directions. The
very next moment, I felt an acute pain in my
left hand and right leg, and I could feel my right
eye start to see crimson. Three splinters had hit
me; one sliced off my left index finger, another
lodged itself in my right thigh, and a third hit me Gilgit-Baltistan
in the face, just under my right eye:' (Source: wik1media.org)

"I was evacuated from this trench and
was ultimately saved by a captive doctor of the
Dogra forces; who p-erformed surgery on me
and removed all the shrapnel I had received.
Thankfully, the only thing I lost, was a part of my
finger, and the chance to have returned fire on
those who injured me. After some days, we were
ordered to abandon the effort to take Leh, and
we marched back to Kharmang. That was the
last I saw, of any action. Thereafter, an armistice
was called for, and for us, the war ended:'
After the War of Liberation ended, Ali
Gohar decided to retire from active service, and
headed back to his hometown, Hunza. Bidding
farewell to arms, he decided to become a
musician, instead. Earning his keep by becoming
a well-known player of percussion instruments;
Dogra rule - a written authorisation of passage
was required to move from Hunza to Gilgit,
or Baltistan, or Khaplu. In short; everywhere,
"Pakistan has given us everything, Sahib. It has
given us freedom, and liberty. It has given us
opportunity. It has given us prosperity. And if
the need ever arises, I will walk up to the walnut
tree in my own home, fashion a staff out of a
branch, and defend this country to my very last
breath".
This is the true story of the man known
as Gohar Ustad (Gohar "The Maestro"), in his
native Hunza. A story that is similar to the stories
of the hundreds and thousands of such people;
who paid with sweat and blood for creating the
land we know as Pakistan.

About the author

Brigadier Fouad Hafeez is a retired mechanised infan try officer who served on various
command, staff and instructional appointments during his illustrious military career. He
commanded an infantry battalion and an Infantry Brigade. He also served in Pakistan
Military Academy as Adjutant and remained Defence Attache in Jordan. The officer is
presently serving in the Army Institute of Military History as Director, Contemporary Affairs Wing.

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