About Zafarwal

About 

Zafarwal Tehsil was agricultural region with forests during the Indus Valley Civilization. The Vedic period is characterized by Indo-Aryan culture that invaded from Central Asia and settled in Punjab region. The Kambojas,Daradas, Kaikayas, Madras, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas and Kurusinvaded, settled and ruled ancient Punjab region. After overrunning the Achaemenid Empire in 331 BCE, Alexandermarched into present-day Punjab region with an army of 50,000. The Zafarwal region was ruled by Maurya Empire, Indo-Greek kingdom, Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire, White Huns, Kushano-Hephthalites and Shahi kingdoms.

In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul in 1005, and followed it by the conquests of Punjab region. TheDelhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due tomissionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region.

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Empire invaded and occupied Narowal District. The Muslims faced restrictions during the Sikh rule. Zafarwal was part of the Kashmir region during the rule of Ranjit Singh. It was transferred to him by Ahmad Shah Durrani as a gift. In 1821, Ranjit Singh gave Shakargarh to Amir Singh Sandhanwalia as a Jagir. When the British took over Punjab in 1848, the area of Shakargarh was included in Gurdaspur District. The Nawab of Kotli (Indian-administered Kashmir) Chaudhry Jalaaldin Ali was killed by Hindus and then his ancestors also migrated to Zafarwal.

The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence ofPakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslim refugees from India settled in the Narwal District. In 1947, Shakargarh was given to Pakistan and attached to Sialkot District again. Its external roads link to Sialkot via Chawinda, Sialkot Via Kingra, Narowal, Shakargarh, Darman and Deuli Jandiala. As it is situated at the border of Indian administered Kashmir, the Population of Tehsil Zafarwal is mostly refugees of Kashmir.

The Battle of Chawinda was a part of the Sialkot Campaign in theIndo-Pakistani War of 1965. It was one of the largest tank battles since the Battle of Kursk in World War II. The initial clashes at Chawinda coincided with the tank battle near Phillora and the fighting intensified once the Pakistani forces at Phillora retreated. However, the advancing Indian 1st Armored Division was stopped at Chawinda. The battle finally ended due to the UN ceasefire.

The Indian aim of the attack was to seize the key Grand Trunk Roadaround Wazirabad and the capture of Jassoran which would enable domination of Sialkot-Pasrur railway, thus completely cutting off Pakistani supply line. The striking force of the Indian 1st Corps was the 1st Armoured Division supported by the 14th Infantry and 6th Mountain divisions and Indian infantry seized the border area on 7 September. This was followed by a short engagement at Jassoran in which Pakistan lost 10 tanks and ensured complete Indian domination of Sialkot-Pasrur railway. Realising the threat, the Pakistani Brigadier Abdul Ali Malik rushed his Brigade to Chawinda.

He ordered his staff officer to break communications with the higher headquarters, lest they sow any more confusion in the already confused state of affairs, and ordered the brigade straight to Chawinda...And then Brigadier Abdul Ali Malik took his second, the most extraordinary, the most audacious decision of this, or any war. He could have been prudent, careful and conventional. No one would have blamed him if he had put all available troops in defensive positions around Chawinda. But he did not do this. He ordered Nisar to put his two squadron in extended line and go over to the offensive, 2 Punjab he was informed, would join him as soon as it reached there. And for the first time in the history of tank warfare two squadrons were about to take on an armoured division. This momentous decision, not recommended in any text book, was to save Pakistan from total defeat.

We advanced all day in short bursts, from cover to cover. The Indians were retreating by the afternoon. We reoccupied Phillaurah, then Godgore, then Chobara. But then it was dusk, and the tanks withdrew to leaguer for the night. We were overextended and so had to abandon Chobara and take up defence around Godgore. The next morning we discovered a marked map in an abandoned Indian jeep. This showed their entire order of battle... We were stunned by our achievements of the previous day, and also made urgently conscious of how pitifully thin we were not the ground. The Indians broke through the position that we had taken back from them and routed our replacement. The signs of defeat were all over—stragglers moving back, some without weapons, some without their helmets and web equipment, without a resemblance of discipline or any sign of cohesion – demoralized troops, defeated. We dug in around Chawinda. Brigadier Ali had his headquarters in the village itself...he assessed that by this time the Indians had come to know exactly what stood against them. They threw everything at us. They often came close to success. Many times it seemed that our defense had disintegrated, only to be rallied round again...The Pakistani position at this point was highly perilous, the Indians outnumbered them by ten to one....We held on to Chawinda till the guns fell silent.

— The News February 11, 1992 By Farouk Adam SJ

However, the Pakistani situation improved as reinforcements arrived, consisting of two independent brigades from Kashmir, 8 Infantry Division, and most crucially, their 1 Armoured Division. For the next several days, Pakistani forces repulsed Indian attacks on Chawinda. A large Indian assault on 18 September involving India's 1st Armoured and 6th Mountain Divisions was repelled, with the Indian 1st Armoured and 6th Mountain divisions taking heavy losses. On 21 September the Indians withdrew to a defensive position near their original bridgehead, with the retreat of Indian first armoured division, all their offensives were ceased on that front.

Pakistani General vetoed the proposed counterattack "Operation Windup", According to the Pakistani C in C the operation was cancelled since "both sides had suffered heavy tank losses......would have been of no strategic importance...." and above all "the decision...was politically motivated as by then the Government of Pakistan had made up their mind to accept cease fire and foreign sponsored proposals".

Amidst the operation, on 22 September, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that called for an unconditional ceasefire from both nations. The war ended the following day. The military and economic assistance to both the countries had been stopped when the war started. Pakistan had suffered attrition to its military might and serious reverses in the battle at Khemkaran and Chawinda which made way for the acceptance of the UN Resolution.

According to Indian claims, at the end of hostilities on 23 September 1965, India held about 200 square miles (518 square kilometres)of Pakistani territory in the Sialkot sector including the towns and villages of Phillora, Deoli, Bajragarhi, Suchetgarh, Pagowal, Chaprar, Muhadpur, Tilakpur,Thro Mandi, Khanpur Sydan, south east and east of Sialkot city, which were returned to Pakistan after the Tashkent Declaration in January 1966. Likewise, by the end of the hostilities, Pakistan held up to 1,600 square miles of Indian territory, of which 1,300 square miles included desert sectors. Despite the "huge losses on both sides", The Australian attributed the victory in this battle to Pakistan. The battle has also been described as the largest Tank Battle since the World War II.

Schools

The schools & Colleges Of Zafarwal City.

• A to Z Academy, Near ZFC, Zafarwal

• Teacher's Academy, Near ZFC, Zafarwal
• Professors Academy, Husnain Town, Zafarwal
• Vocational Training Institute Zafarwal
• Beacon Science College Zafarwal Campus
• Fahmul-Quran Islamic University Sialkot Road Zafarwal**.
• The Educators Bari Campus Narowal Road Zafarwal
• City Model High School Purana Chawinda Road Zafarwal
• Neelum Education System and training school Eidghah road Zafarwal
• Muslim Model Higher secondary School Hussnaian Town Zafarwal
• Ghazali Public High School Katchehry Road Zafarwal
• Hassan Scholars School College Road Zafarwal
• Allied School Zafarwal Campus
• The Knowledge School Zafarwal Campus
• The Zafarwal Public Higher Secondary School Nangli Gate Old Chawinda Road Zafarwal
• Unique Higher Secondary School Narowal Road Zafarwal
• Govt High School for boys katchehry Road Zafarwal
• Govt High School for girls Gali Masjid Usmania Eid Gah Road Zafarwal
• Govt Special Education Center New Chawinda Road Zafarwal
• Quid e Azam Science School Zafarwal
• Falcons Academy Of Sciences Zafarwal
• Um-ul-Madaris Zafarwal
• Royal Computer College Near Women Degree College Jandiala road Zafarwal.
• Dare Arqam School's Campus Narowal Road Zafarwal.
• Govt Degree College for Women Jandiala Road Zafarwal.
• Govt Boys Degree College Darman Road Zafarwal.
• Standard Polytechnic Institute Katchehry Road Near Darman By Pas Zafarwal.
• Government Vocational Training Institute for Boys Katchehry Road Near Darman By Pas.
• Government Vocational Training Institute for Girls New Chawinda Road Zafarwal.
• Harmain Islamic University Narowal Road Near Shagun Merriage Hall Zafarwal.
• Jinnah Islamia Girls High School Mustafa Abad Narowal Road Zafarwal.
• The Leader Ship Science College Old Chawinda Road Zafarwal.
• Leader's Croup of College's Zafarwal Campus.