Iqbal Khan (general)
Encyclopedia
General
Muhammad Iqbal Khan, NI(M), SBt, is a former four star general of the Pakistan Army
who stayed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1980 to 1984 during the martial regime of Chief Martial Law Administrator
and Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
General Zia-ul-Haq
. During his career, Iqbal was Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS), Commander IV Corps
of Lahore and Chief of General Staff (CGS)
at the Army General Headquarters (GHQ).
(College No. 1187) and was commissioned in the 2nd FF Regiment
of the Pakistan Army. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War
, Iqbal Khan was serving as Director General Military Intelligence
of the Pakistan Army. He then commanded the 33rd Infantry Division at Quetta during the 1973 during counter-insurgency operations in Balochistan
, however he was kept away from action. He was later appointed Chief of General Staff (CGS)
at the GHQ from where he was elevated to lieutenant general in March 1976 and posted as commander IV Corps at Lahore.
and Commander V Corps, Karachi), and other military governors of NWFP and Balochistan. He stayed at Lahore for another year when Sawar Khan
from Peshawar replaced him. Iqbal himself was sent as commander V Corps
, Karachi
replacing Lt Gen Jehangir Arbab who was sent as permanent representative to CENTO
. At the same time, Iqbal was promoted as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS) in 1978.
and appointed as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He completed his four year term and retired from the army in 1984. During his tenure in 1983, he and Sawar Khan
, the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) were implicated in coup against the Zia regime.
, Iqbal Khan was considered to be an outstanding and honourable soldier who was a credit to the army. He stayed as Colonel Commandant of the Frontier Force Regiment from August 21, 1978 to March 17, 1985.
He was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat for his meritorious services.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Muhammad Iqbal Khan, NI(M), SBt, is a former four star general of the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
who stayed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1980 to 1984 during the martial regime of Chief Martial Law Administrator
Chief Martial Law Administrator
The office of the Chief Martial Law Administrator was a senior government post created in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia that gave considerable executive authority and powers to the holder of the post to enforce martial law in the country. This office has been used mostly by...
and Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
General Zia-ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
. During his career, Iqbal was Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS), Commander IV Corps
IV Corps (Pakistan)
The IV Corps is one of military administrative corps of Pakistan Army. Having established in 1965 after the Indo-Pakistani September War, it is currently stationed in Lahore, Punjab Province of Pakistan. Its current core commander is Lieutenant-General Rashad Mahmood.-History:The corps was formed...
of Lahore and Chief of General Staff (CGS)
Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)
Chief of General Staff, shortly abbreviated as CGS, is the most coveted position within the Pakistan Army. Although four-star Chief of Army Staff is the nominal head of the land forces, CGS is the operational and intelligence lead of the institution...
at the Army General Headquarters (GHQ).
Military career
Iqbal Khan studied at Military College JhelumMilitary College Jhelum
Military College Jhelum or MCJ, is a military high school, located at Sarai Alamgir but now in , Pakistan. Though it is physically located in Gujrat District, due to its very close proximity it is still associated with the City of Jhelum, and is considered to be in the cantonment limit of Jhelum...
(College No. 1187) and was commissioned in the 2nd FF Regiment
Frontier Force Regiment
For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
of the Pakistan Army. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
, Iqbal Khan was serving as Director General Military Intelligence
Military Intelligence of Pakistan
In Pakistan Defence Forces, the Directorate-General for the Military Intelligence , is a Pakistan Defence Forces intelligence agency and that is responsible for the military counter-intelligence. It also refers specifically to the intelligence components of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Unlike the...
of the Pakistan Army. He then commanded the 33rd Infantry Division at Quetta during the 1973 during counter-insurgency operations in Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
, however he was kept away from action. He was later appointed Chief of General Staff (CGS)
Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)
Chief of General Staff, shortly abbreviated as CGS, is the most coveted position within the Pakistan Army. Although four-star Chief of Army Staff is the nominal head of the land forces, CGS is the operational and intelligence lead of the institution...
at the GHQ from where he was elevated to lieutenant general in March 1976 and posted as commander IV Corps at Lahore.
Career in military government
When martial law was declared on 5 July 1977, Iqbal Khan, by virtue of being a corps commander was elevated to be the Martial Law Governor of Punjab. He was part of small coterie of generals under General Zia ul-Haq, who determined the national security policies in the martial regime. The other generals were Lt Gen Faiz Ali Chishti (Commander X Corps, Rawalpindi), Lt Gen Jehanzeb Arbab (Martial Law Governor of SindhGovernor of Sindh
The Governor of Sindh is the appointed Head of State of the provincial government in Sindh, Pakistan. The governor is designated by the Prime Minister and is normally regarded a ceremonial post...
and Commander V Corps, Karachi), and other military governors of NWFP and Balochistan. He stayed at Lahore for another year when Sawar Khan
Sawar Khan
General Mohammad Sawar Khan, NI is an ex-four-star general of the Pakistan Army who was the Governor of the largest province, Punjab and the Vice Chief of Army Staff during the era of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq when Zia was simultaneously the chief of army staff and the President of...
from Peshawar replaced him. Iqbal himself was sent as commander V Corps
V Corps (Pakistan)
The V Corps, also known as Victory Corps, is an administrative corps of Pakistan Army assigned in Karachi, Sindh Province of Pakistan. The V Corps is the only corps that is stationed in the Sindh Province, while the II Strike Corps and the IV Corps are both stationed in Punjab Province...
, Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
replacing Lt Gen Jehangir Arbab who was sent as permanent representative to CENTO
Cento
Cento is a city and comune in the province of Ferrara, part of the region Emilia-Romagna . In Italian "cento" means 100.-History:The name Cento is a reference to the centuriation of the Po Valley...
. At the same time, Iqbal was promoted as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS) in 1978.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
In April 1980, Iqbal Khan was promoted to full GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and appointed as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He completed his four year term and retired from the army in 1984. During his tenure in 1983, he and Sawar Khan
Sawar Khan
General Mohammad Sawar Khan, NI is an ex-four-star general of the Pakistan Army who was the Governor of the largest province, Punjab and the Vice Chief of Army Staff during the era of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq when Zia was simultaneously the chief of army staff and the President of...
, the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) were implicated in coup against the Zia regime.
Legacy and honors
Along with Generals Attiqur Rahman and Habibullah Khan KhattakHabibullah Khan Khattak
Lieutenant General Habibullah Khan Khattak was born in Wana, Waziristan, British India, now part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The son of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak, his son Ali Kuli Khan Khattak also rose to the rank of Lt Gen and retired as the Chief of General...
, Iqbal Khan was considered to be an outstanding and honourable soldier who was a credit to the army. He stayed as Colonel Commandant of the Frontier Force Regiment from August 21, 1978 to March 17, 1985.
He was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat for his meritorious services.