Sawar Khan
Encyclopedia
General
Mohammad Sawar Khan, NI(M)
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 Pakistan
.
district Rawalpindi. Sawar Khan was commissioned before partition into the Indian Army's Corps of Artillery. He later opted for Pakistan Army in 1947. As a captain, Sawar became the Instructor Gunnery (IG) at the Artillery School.
, Peshawar, where he replaced the recently superseded Lt Gen Majeed Malik. He continued to serve in Peshawar till January 1978 when he was replaced by Lt Gen Fazle Haq
. In 1978, Lt Gen Sawar Khan moved to Lahore to take over IV Corps as its Corps Commander. He took over from Lt Gen Iqbal Khan
who proceeded as the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS), a newly created post.
and Commander V Corps, Karachi), Lt Gen Iqbal Khan
(CJCSC), and the other military governors of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Fazle Haq
and Rahimuddin Khan
.
After two year stint, he was replaced with Lt Gen Ghulam Jilani Khan and promoted to four-star general.
, the first deputy chief of army staff who took over in 1978. General Sawar was replaced by the Zia's deputy General Khalid Mahmud Arif in March 1984 after completing the four-year term. Sawar was a professional soldier and hailed from the Potohar plateau of north Punjab
, which had been a traditional recruitment area for the British and the Pakistani armies.
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....
Mohammad Sawar Khan, NI(M)
Nishan-i-Imtiaz
The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a...
is an ex-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 was the Governor
Governor of Punjab (Pakistan)
The Governor of Punjab is the appointed head of state of the provincial government in Punjab, Pakistan. The governor is designated by the Prime Minister and is normally regarded a ceremonial post...
of the largest province, Punjab and the Vice Chief of Army Staff during the era of General Muhammad 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...
when Zia was simultaneously the chief of army staff and the President of Pakistan
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
.
Military career
He belongs to Gujar KhanGujar Khan
Gujar Khan is a city in Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the headquarters of Gujar Khan Tehsil, the largest tehsil of Punjab. It is approximately 55 kilometres southeast of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan and 220 km to the north west of Lahore, capital of Punjab...
district Rawalpindi. Sawar Khan was commissioned before partition into the Indian Army's Corps of Artillery. He later opted for Pakistan Army in 1947. As a captain, Sawar became the Instructor Gunnery (IG) at the Artillery School.
General Officer
He was promoted to Lt General on 24 March 1976 by General Zia-ul-Haq after he became the Chief of Army Staff superseding five other generals. Sawar Khan who at the time was serving as Adjutant General (AG) at the GHQ was sent as the Commander XI CorpsXI Corps (Pakistan)
The XI Corps is an active administrative corp of Pakistan Army. The XI Corps is the only one corps that is assigned in the North-West Frontier Province . It is currently stationed in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtaunkhuwa. The Corps was established and quickly raised in 1975 to support administrative...
, Peshawar, where he replaced the recently superseded Lt Gen Majeed Malik. He continued to serve in Peshawar till January 1978 when he was replaced by Lt Gen Fazle Haq
Fazle Haq
Lieutenant General Fazle Haq was a 3-star rank general in the Pakistan Army, and former Martial Law Administrator of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. He was the "Corps-Commander" of the XI Corps, and commanded all the Pakistan Army assets assigned in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province...
. In 1978, Lt Gen Sawar Khan moved to Lahore to take over IV Corps as its Corps Commander. He took over from Lt Gen Iqbal Khan
Iqbal Khan (general)
General Muhammad Iqbal Khan, NI, 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...
who proceeded as the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS), a newly created post.
Martial Law Administrator of Punjab
When Zia imposed martial law, the then Lt Gen Sawar Khan was sent as the governor of Punjab province in 1978, in addition to his responsibilities as Commander IV Corps, Lahore. 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 (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), Lt Gen Iqbal Khan
Iqbal Khan (general)
General Muhammad Iqbal Khan, NI, 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...
(CJCSC), and the other military governors of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Fazle Haq
Fazle Haq
Lieutenant General Fazle Haq was a 3-star rank general in the Pakistan Army, and former Martial Law Administrator of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. He was the "Corps-Commander" of the XI Corps, and commanded all the Pakistan Army assets assigned in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province...
and Rahimuddin Khan
Rahimuddin Khan
Rahimuddin Khan Afridi is a retired four-star general of the Pakistan Army who was the fourth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1984 to 1987. He was also the longest-serving Governor and martial law administrator of Balochistan, from 1978 to when he resigned in 1984...
.
After two year stint, he was replaced with Lt Gen Ghulam Jilani Khan and promoted to four-star general.
Deputy Chief of Army Staff
In April 1980, when the post of the deputy chief of army staff (created by Zia-ul-Haq) was redefined and re-designated as the Vice Chief of Army Staff, General Sawar replaced Lt Gen Iqbal KhanIqbal Khan (general)
General Muhammad Iqbal Khan, NI, 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...
, the first deputy chief of army staff who took over in 1978. General Sawar was replaced by the Zia's deputy General Khalid Mahmud Arif in March 1984 after completing the four-year term. Sawar was a professional soldier and hailed from the Potohar plateau of north Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, which had been a traditional recruitment area for the British and the Pakistani armies.