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When the Line of Control was demarcated after the Shimla Agreement, it was done with a "thick pen" on a small-scale map - a quarter-inch to a mile or one centimetre to 2.5 km. Once interpreted on a large-scale map - one inch to a mile or one centimetre to 500 metres, the differences become glaring, with claims and counter-claims by both sides on the ground. This problem came to the fore after the 1999 Kargil War, as most of the area that was being secured now, was earlier not physically held by either side.
In the Batalik-Yaldor-Chorbat La Sector, which was under the command of my brigade, we had four such tactical features that needed to be secured. All of them were on the formidable Ladakh range and heights varied from 5,200-5,300 metres, or 17,000 to 17,500 feet.
After the 'cease fire', these features were not secured by either side owing to initial errors of judgment and the onset of winter. Out of the four, three features that were in the Batalik and Yaldor Sub Sectors were not a cause for concern as the approach from our side was easy, while being extremely difficult from the Pakistani side.
The Chorbat La sub Sector had one feature, Point 5310, which posed a peculiar problem. Pt.5310 was covered by the 'thick pen' used while demarcating the LOC, but the approach to it (particularly in winter) was arduous.
The LOC beyond Pt.5310 took a 'U-turn' of two kilometres towards India. After that, the LOC ran along the base of the 'U' for six kilometres before turning north towards the Pakistani side for two kilometres.
The area of the 'U' was known as Karubar Bowl (a 'nullah' is known as a 'bar' in this area and a 'bowl' is the military term for a small valley) and a road from its northern end connected it to Siari on the Shyok River, opening an avenue to cut off Pakistani defences opposite the Turtok Sector.
The feasible approach for us was over a glacier at the southern end of Karubar Bowl, but it involved a movement oftwo kilometres through Pakistani territory. Whoever controlled Pt.5310 also controlled the 12 square kilometres of Karubar Bowl - which meant that if we...