16th Punjab Regiment - Post-independence History

Post-independence History

On the Partition of India and independence of Pakistan in 1947, the 16th Punjab Regiment was allotted to Pakistan Army. At the time, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th. Sikhs and Dogras were transferred to the Indian Army and the regiment's new class composition was fixed as Punjabis and Pathans. In 1948, the 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions fought in the war with India in Kashmir. In 1956, a major reorganization was undertaken in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 16th Punjab Regiment was amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 15th Punjab Regiments to form one large Punjab Regiment. The four regimental centres were also merged and the combined centre moved to Mardan. The line-up of the new regiment was:

• 1 Punjab - 1/1st Punjab
• 2 Punjab - 2/1st Punjab
• 3 Punjab - 3/1st Punjab
• 4 Punjab - 5/1st Punjab
• 5 Punjab - 1/14th Punjab
• 6 Punjab - 2/14th Punjab (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
• 7 Punjab - 3/14th Punjab
• 8 Punjab - 4/14th Punjab
• 9 Punjab - 1/15th Punjab
• 10 Punjab - 2/15th Punjab
• 11 Punjab - 3/15th Punjab
• 12 Punjab - 4/15th Punjab
• 13 Punjab - 1/16th Punjab
• 14 Punjab - 2/16th Punjab
• 15 Punjab - 3/16th Punjab
• 16 Punjab - 5/14th Punjab (Pathans)
• 17 Punjab - 4/16th Punjab (Bhopal)
• 18 Punjab - 7/1st Punjab
• 19 Punjab - 7/16th Punjab
• 20 Punjab - 14/1st Punjab