04/09/2026
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, also known as the Second Kashmir War, a group of Pashtun tribesmen raise their rifles in a show of solidarity while assembling outdoors in Rawalpindi on 9 September in preparation for moving up to the fighting front.
Dressed in traditional clothing—shalwar kameez, waistcoats, turbans or caps—they hold bolt-action rifles (likely Lee-Enfields or similar), one man in the foreground raising his rifle high. These Pathan tribesmen and soldiers were mobilizing as irregular or supporting forces for the Pakistani side as the conflict intensified across multiple fronts.
The photograph was taken around 9 September 1965 and published or credited around 13 September 1965 at an assembly point frequently identified as Rawalpindi or its vicinity.
© Gettyimages / Bettmann / Alamy
