Sialkot Dagger
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Akhnoor Dagger | |
|---|---|
  Akhnoor Dagger Location in Punjab, Pakistan | |
| Coordinates: 32°49′N 74°41′E / 32.81°N 74.68°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| District | Sialkot |
| Elevation | 301 m (988 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+5:00 (PST) |
The Akhnoor Dagger[1]: 15 [2] or Sialkot Dagger,[citation needed] sometimes nicknamed the "Chicken's Neck",[2][a] is the name for a narrow strip of Pakistani territory that extends into the Indian administered-Jammu and Kashmir south of Akhnoor. This sensitive piece of land, which lies on the de facto Indo–Pakistani border on the west side of the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, is part of Punjab Province's Sialkot District and measures roughly 170 km2 (66 sq mi).
It less than 10 kilometres (6 mi) from the only bridge across the Chenab River at Akhnoor, and thus, it has been a focal point in major wars between India and Pakistan, as it is seen as a corridor towards most of Jammu and Kashmir.[3]
One of the main thrusts of Operation Grand Slam in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was to capture Akhnoor through the Sialkot Dagger, which could potentially have choked the Indian Army in the region; however, the plan failed.[1]: 23 [2] In the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the strip was captured by India and returned to Pakistan with the Simla Agreement the following year.[4]
Notes
[edit]- ^ "Chicken's Neck" more commonly refers to the Siliguri Corridor, a stretch of land in West Bengal, India.
References
[edit]- ^ a b P. S. Bhagat (1974) [1966]. The Shield and the Sword: India 1965 and After, the New Dimensions (2nd ed.). Vikas. ISBN 9780706902914.
- ^ a b c JS Sodhi (2024). China's War Clouds: The Great Chinese Checkmate. Blue Rose. pp. 114-115. ISBN 9789362614575.
- ^ Probal Dasgupta. "A tale of two 'Chicken’s Necks': How India’s armed forces kept Pakistan and China at bay." Scroll.in. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
- ^ Sunil Sharan (2021). Modi 2.0: Beyond the Ordinary. Bloomsbury India. p. 21. ISBN 9789389449754.
External links
[edit]- Pakistan's Chicken Neck: How India can take Control | Akhnoor Dagger – video showing the location of the Akhnoor Dagger (in Hindi)
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