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To capture Lahore, Indian Army planned to capture Kasur and then advance towards Lahore. To execute this objective, Indian 4th Mountain Division, 2nd Independent Armoured Brigade Group and an additional Armoured Regiment (9th Deccan Horse) had assembled in Bhikhiwind-Khem Karan area, poised for a frontal attack on Kasur but the brave men of Pakistan Army again became a barrier and undertook a limited offensive to prevent Indian build-up towards Lahore.
Pakistan Army's 1st Armoured Division and 11th Infantry Division counter-attacked, took the war into Indian territory and captured Indian town Khem Karan after fierce fighting.
At last light of 7 September, the leading elements of 5th Armoured Brigade of 1st Armoured Division were just two kilometers ahead of the customs post at Khem Karan. A day later on 8th September, the brigade broke out on two axes and M-47 Patton tanks of 6th Lancers under their indomitable Commanding Officer Lt Col Sahib Zad Gul made progress on the right towards Valtoha beyond Asal Uttar and advanced about 10 kilometres. However, 24th Cavalry led by Ali Imam while advancing on the left met stiffer opposition from the Sherman tanks of 9th Deccan Horse.
By the afternoon of 8th September, 24th Cavalry was hammering the western flank of Indian 4th Mountain Division at Asal Uttar and a maneuver by two squadrons forced 1/9th Gorkha Rifles to abandon its defenses in panic.
There was unfortunately no infantry to occupy the captured area when the armoured regiments pulled back at night for an urgently needed replenishment and the success achieved by a hard day of fighting was lost, ultimately changing the environment when the brigade resumed a delayed advance in the afternoon of 9th September. The defenses of Indian 4th Mountain Division at Asal Uttar had been reinforced by 3rd Cavalry equipped with Centurion tanks along with the headquarters of 2nd Independent Armoured Brigade. Also on the same day (9th September), leading elements of Pak Army's 4th Armoured Brigade had crawled into the bridgehead position while GHQ had decided on the previous night to induct 1st Armoured Division with an open-ended mission to overrun maximum Indian territory. As 5th Armoured Brigade operated across the main road from Khem Karan, 4th Armoured Brigade launched a wider maneuver from the west but the gains by these two brigades to skirt Indian defenses at Asal Uttar were not very effective. However on the right, leading squadron of 6th Lancers managed to penetrate all the way till Valtoha practically bypassing Indian defenses at Asal Uttar. Unfortunately, this opportunity was not utilized and CO of 6th Lancers was martyred and its tanks struggled back through the night as no orders were received. In three days of operations, Pakistani armour had penetrated just 10 kilometers of Indian territory.
On the morning of 10 September, 5th Armoured Brigade launched a two-pronged advance and the Indian 2nd Independent Armoured Brigade was well prepared for this thrust around its western flank. Its commander Brig. Theograj had instructed his tanks to wait until Pakistani tanks of 4th Cavalry had approached quite close before opening fire.
As 4 Cavalry battled forward, it bogged down in a plain flooded by a breached nullah and faced stiff Indian fire from a cordon of concealed stationary tanks and artillery. In spite of taking more casualties and tanks being bogged, 4th Cavalry pushed forward and barely 10 tanks managed to reach the finish line of assigned objective. A number of crew of 4th Cavalry abandoned their tanks as the unit ran out of fuel and ammunition while some were taken prisoner. The regiment lost all but seven of its tanks – some destroyed and the rest bogged all along the route it had taken.
With 6 Lancers down to 21x tanks, the brunt of operations fell on 24 Cavalry, which was launched with three infantry companies to capture Asal Uttar and exploit up to area Chima. The objective was to strike the defense of Indian 4th Mountain Division and the first attack was checked on the fringes by tanks and recoilless rifles. The second attack was aborted when the brigade commander was ambushed leaving the brigade in disarray. This caused the majority of vehicles including those of HQ 5th Armored Brigade to rush back towards Rohi Nullah.
The operations of 1st Armoured Division on the 10th of September were its climax. A crisis emerged in the Ravi-Chenab Corridor and 1st Armoured Division was ordered to suspend operations and withdraw.
As the withdrawal commenced, Indians launched a number of attacks to recover lost ground. However, this time they seriously underestimated the strength of Pakistani forces after previously making gains in battle of Asal Uttar. In the first attack on 12th of September by an infantry brigade supported by a squadron, a large number of 4th Sikh Regiment attacking Khem Karan from the east was caught between the tanks of 6 and 15 Lancers and surrendered. Lt Col Anant Singh, 7 officers and 350 soldiers were among those who surrendered. On the same day, Maj Khadim Hussain of 24 Cavalry who was on the task to replenish his unit used an abandoned 106mm RR, struck three tanks and got martyred.
A few hours later, another Indian unit supported by Shermans assaulted from the east of main road and met strong fire from the defending companies of 5 FF Regt. A squadron of M24 Chaffee tanks from 12 Cavalry under Sqn Ldr Rafi Alam was covering the right flank of the defenses and was ordered to support 5 FF Regt. It swung west and towards Khem Karan Distributary and struck the flank of the Indian armour, destroyed two tanks and forced the others to withdraw.
Several Indian Army attempts to advance on Khem Karan-Kasur were repulsed on 13th September and accurate shelling of Pakistani artillery on 17th September disorganized two Indian heavy concentrations getting ready for attack on Khem Karan which resulted in destruction of four Indian tanks.
On 18 September, four Indian attempts to gain ground foiled and Pakistani artillery kept on pounding Indian positions while two Gnat aircraft were also shot down by PAF.
On 19th September, Indians launched three air raids during visit of local and foreign journalists at Khem Karan. Two Indian counter attacks were again beaten back and Indians were pushed back several miles inside their territory.
On 22 September, Indian first Field Marshal Carriappa's son Flt Lt K.C Carriappa's Hunter aircraft was hit over Kasur and he was taken POW after he ejected while repeated Indian attempts were foiled till the announcement of ceasefire.
On 23 September, Indian Army while pretending to readjust for ceasefire tried to launch a whole division but remained unsuccessful.
Indians have so far failed to make any impact on Pakistani positions in their attempt to push forward. Pakistan's smaller army but well armored and in high state of readiness is now fighting on Indian soil in two sectors of the 50 mile Lahore front. Reuters and BBC, September 12, 1965.
It is clear from the fury with which the enemy (Pakistan) is fighting on all fronts that it has not been easy for the Indian Army to advance in to Pakistan territory. 'Times of India', Bombay, September 16, 1965.
