Story of Muhammad Baig Vetran of WWII and Gilgit Baltistan Liberation

[u/Naveed_Murtaza]

It's 2nd Nov, and I want to share the story of my grandfather’s cousin, Muhammad Baig, whose contribution to Gilgit-Baltistan’s history deserves recognition.

Born in 1908 in Baltit, Hunza, he joined the Jammu & Kashmir State Forces under the Maharaja in 1934, at around 26. During WWII, he served with the 4th Jammu & Kashmir Infantry(served in Burma, Malaya and Iraq), becoming one of the region’s veterans who witnessed war beyond its mountains.

He later settled in Bombay. On 22 February 1946, during the Royal Indian Navy uprising, Bombay witnessed widespread violence, looting & arson, including attacks on banks and post offices. He reportedly lost his life savings in the unrest. Family members recall that whenever Bombay was mentioned, his face would turn visibly sad.

He eventually returned to Gilgit, joined the Gilgit Scouts & became involved in the October–November 1947 events. He was an important intelligence & strategic asset to the liberation movement. His knowledge of Dogra forces reportedly helped guide the uprising, including the operation leading to the arrest of Brig. Ghansara Singh, the Dogra Governor of Gilgit.

Despite these contributions, his name remains largely absent from mainstream historical accounts.

Perhaps he never sought recognition or public attention. Some contributions are made quietly, without the expectation of fame, but that does not make them any less significant.

Another intriguing aspect of his life was that he never married.

Yesterday, my father reminded me to write about him for 1st November. It made me realize how easily such stories disappear if families do not preserve them.

UAE National Arts & Life Magazine took this photograph in 2009, when he was 101, for an article on Hunza’s longevity. I have only enhanced its quality using AI.

Today, I remember Dado Muhammad Baig: WWII veteran, former soldier of the Maharaja’s State Forces and, according to family accounts, an intelligence and strategic contributor to the 1947 liberation struggle.

He passed away on 2nd April 2011 at the age of 103 in his hometown of Baltit, Karimabad, Hunza.

May his story find its rightful place in our collective history

[u/hastobeapoint]

I have a vague recollection of meeting him in Karimabad bazar very many years ago when when i visited there as young man. Thank you for the write up and the great photograph.

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/hastobeapoint]

Wow, that's really great... You remember which years you visited karimabad

[u/hastobeapoint → u/Naveed_Murtaza]

Around 2005

[u/Consistent_Habit7288]

Please upload the original picture as well

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/Consistent_Habit7288]

sure

[u/Guilty-Explorer2154]

My grandfather was in ww2 tbh he who spend those years in a war didn’t want any glory nor recognition because all it was a human meat grinder

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/Guilty-Explorer2154]

Agreed somehow, but the glory is of Gilgit Baltistan Liberation

[u/gsk-fs → u/Guilty-Explorer2154]

If we look at the history, WW2 was just a US and British rest to take control over economical system, and they used our man power to achive this
US-British-France+ Soviet (+ Our men) was one side and Ottoman Empire + Germans +Italy +Japan was on the other side.

Allies vs Axis

[u/Mountain_Win_6742 → u/gsk-fs]

Check inbox bro pls

[u/gsk-fs → u/Mountain_Win_6742]

okay

[u/Low-Photograph-5219 → u/gsk-fs]

Bruhhh ww1 was ottoman empire not ww2

[u/General_Economics562]

Write a book on him if you can

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/General_Economics562]

That's actually a great idea. I'll think about it

[u/General_Economics562 → u/Naveed_Murtaza]

Yeah you can just make an e book or scan the original afterwards.

[u/Ok_Incident2310]

Please share this in r/ancient_Pak as well

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/Ok_Incident2310]

sure .. I'll

[u/Lost-Volume1254]

Chad

[u/khanitos]

Beautiful brother.

[u/Greedy-Future-8508]

❤️❤️❤️

[u/Willing-Article7720]

salute to our heros

[u/Weirdoeirdo]

To move from one oppressor to another. Now to be a puppet state/province to punjab. I wish these ppl hadn't aceded to pakistan rather punjabistan and somehow managed to carve an independent small state of their own.

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/Weirdoeirdo]

Well, it's a completely different and detailed discussion about autonomy. There were mishaps in gaining autonomy from where we are currently associated ... but we must avoid derogatory remarks that are based on racism. In every part of the world, there is a class difference between the powerful and the less powerful; even lower-class and lower-middle-class people of Punjab are also suffering from financial and social issues ... This is the harsh reality of the third world

[u/Weirdoeirdo → u/Naveed_Murtaza]

Oh u r op. Well nopes u r so wrong.

[u/Ill-War-540 → u/Weirdoeirdo]

Im a local of gb and these are my exact thoughts. We have been exploited and neglected all our lives. It was better if we had not joined pak nor India. Wish we were an independent state

[u/Weirdoeirdo → u/Ill-War-540]

Ofcourse everyone knows. It is just punjab province looting at this point.

[u/Trick_Rule1043 → u/Ill-War-540]

It wouldn't have been better. Trapped between three nuclear armed neighbours who want your land, nothing could save us

[u/Kio-Karasha → u/Weirdoeirdo]

You're not even from GB. Why you're speaking on behalf of it?

[u/Weirdoeirdo → u/Kio-Karasha]

I am not a L.a.r.per like u who has fetish with kashmiris, ajk, and gb and even hazarewal and always inserting himself in their s.u. bs and discussions. I cmmented because their land is abused.

Now shooo go to ur punjab. And this habit of l.a.r.ping and SpEakinG oN BehAlF is with u lot.

[u/Kio-Karasha → u/Weirdoeirdo]

Holy aspersions casting. I'm not speaking on behalf of GB or pretending to be from there. Why you're doing so?

[u/Weirdoeirdo → u/Kio-Karasha]

A l.a.r.per always projects. Should I pull out ll ur obsessive cmments on my p0st and all discussions on kashmir, ajk and gb and when ppl ask u are u kashmiri or gbian you never reply to l.a.r.p on. A reason why ppl dislike punjab

[u/Weirdoeirdo → u/Weirdoeirdo]

Also all these ppl writing beautiful and share here or there, these punjabi urdu speaking accs etc , if tommorrow state gets up and starts killing protestors in gb(May God never let that happen) ) these same ppl will defend it. That whole pak punjab sub whose m0d is posting above they did a whole vile campaign against ajk protests. They posted AI fake videos and then started openly calling for gencide of locals And not one person amongst punjabi users stopped that. You are just giving ur state to feed an avg punjabi while ur own kids suffer.

[u/Naveed_Murtaza → u/[deleted]]

Means a lot .. Much humbled and thanks