6 September 1965

6 September 1965

"We are at war": President Ayub

September 6. President Ayub Khan addresses the nation: "The hour of trial for a hundred million people of Pakistan has struck…
"A state of emergency has been declared. We are at war. Our brave soldiers have gone forward to repel the enemy… We are invoking the United Nations’ Charter to exercise our inherent right of individual and collective self-defence recognised in Chapter VII of the Charter.
"My dear countrymen, in this hour of trial you have to remain absolutely calm. You must know that each one of you has to perform a supreme duty which demands complete dedication and devotion… Be prepared to strike and to strike hard; for the evil which has raised its head against your borders is doomed to destruction. Go forward and meet the enemy. God is with you..."


September 7. The Pakistan Airforce has shot down 53 Indian fighter planes so far, and after its successful defence of Sargodha today, it is assumed that Pakistan’s superiority over air has already been established for the rest of the war The Pakistan Airforce has shot down 53 Indian fighter planes so far, and after its successful defence of Sargodha today, it is assumed that Pakistan’s superiority over air has already been established for the rest of the war.

At 3:00 AM on September 6, 1965, without a formal declaration of war, Indians crossed the international border of West Pakistan and launched a three-pronged offensive against Lahore, Sialkot and Rajasthan. There was a fierce tank battle on the plains of Punjab. The domestic Indo-Pak conflict transformed into an international conflict and raised Super Power concerns.

The U. S. suspended military supplies to both sides during the Indo-Pak War. Both the Soviet Union and the United States took a united stand to curtail the conflict within the boundaries of the Sub-continent from escalating into a global conflict. China threatened to intervene and offered military support to Pakistan. It was to keep China away from this conflict that both the Soviet Union and the United States pressured the U. N. to arrange for an immediate ceasefire.