Munawar Pass

Munawar Pass is a 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) high mountain pass located in Pir Panjal Range in Indian Kashmir. It lies in the north of Pir ki Gali and overlooks the town of Rajouri.^[1] Munawar Pass witnessed some of the heaviest fighting during Operation Gibraltar in 1965 and was held by a Pakistani guerrilla force under Major Munawar Awan, who had also captured Indian Army Garrison at Rajouri.^[2] Munawar and his actions became a folk tale in the area and the pass was named after him by locals, a name it retains to date. He assembled the locals, armed them and established pickets all along the Mehndar-Rajouri area, because of his intense activity with his Ghaznavi Force, a head money worth 1 lackh by Local Indian Administration was placed on him; however, he managed to escape the Indians and withdrew back into Pakistan with his force at the start of 1965 Indo–Pak war.^[3]

• Pir Panjal Range
• Malik Munawar Khan Awan