A twist to the Gilgit Rebellion

The above link to a blog gives a probable motive as to why a serving British Officer took things into his own hands and organised a mutiny in Gilgit against the governor - Brig Ghansara Singh

There is a story that Major Browne Commandant of the Gilgit Scouts was so
incensed by the Brig Ghansara Singh’s act of trampling the Union Jack after
it was pulled down that he actually planned the revolt against the Dogra
governor. It is said the plan was kept so secret that the Thum of Hunza &
Mir of Nagar had no inkling of it although their relatives & followers were
also involved in the subsequent actions. One of them Babar, was the brother in
law of the late Mir of Hunza Jamal Khan & another was his uncle Shah Khan
later a Wing Commander in the PAF. Then there was Colonel Hassan & others
Muslim officers of the Kashmir State Forces. Ghansara Singh was arrested but not
before he had put up a brave resistance.

I believe that Major Brownes papers are in the collection of some archive in UK, or at the very least some papers put together by Brig Ghansara singh on the episode..

This page quotes from Ghansara Singh's book:

Brig. Ghansara Singh the last Dogra governor who was captured by the famous
Gilgit Scouts in November, 1947. He writes: "As I had ordered Lt. Col. Abdul
Majid Khan on 31st October 1947 to reach Gilgit immediately, so I was expecting
him at any time as he was one of our loyal servants. Had he reached Gilgit as
ordered, the picture might have been different, but to our misfortune, Captain
Hassan Khan of 6th J&K Infantry instead reached Gilgit same morning."

Now , if we can find a copy of that book!

DAWN - Letters; June 6, 2003

DAWN - Letters; June 6, 2003

From the above link, two quotes were of interest to me:

Brig Ghansara Singh was the governor of the Gilgit province. He was also a
cousin of Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. Brig Ghansara Singh also wrote a book
under the title of Last Days of Gilgit and Baltistan.

I have heard of this book by Brig Singh. Apparently the papers of Maj Brown, the British officer who led the rebellion are in the collection of the Imperial War Museum. They also have a copy of the book written by Brig Ghansara Singh.

Air Marshal Asghar Khan’s father, Brig Rehmat Khan “Tahker”, a former
commander-in-chief of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (he was awarded the title
of “Tahker” by the Maharaja of Kashmir), was also once appointed governor of the
Gilgit province by the Maharaja of Kashmir

Proves what I read in PN Sharmas book 'Inside Occupied Kashmir' - excerpts of which are on the Bharat-Rakshak Website. Sharma writes that he and Flt Lt U D'Cruz were exchanged with Brig Rahmatullah and Wg Cdr Asghar Khan, his son came to pick him up. This was the only reference i found that Rahmatullah was actually a 'POW' in India. How he ended up in India was never mentioned. The above para, now confirms that Rahmatullah was the ex-cinc of the JAK State forces. the pieces fall into place

Go Air's Pretty Pink aircraft

Seen taxying one early morning in December 2005 at the Chatrapathi Shivaji International Airport.

Its novel of them to have their Internet Website URL on the aircraft..