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General Abdul Hamid Khan HQA SPk SQA (Urdu: عبد الحمید خان) was a senior officer in the Pakistan Army. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, he led the Pakistan 11th Division to victory in the Battle of Kasur. He served as the Chief of Staff (COS)of the Pakistan Army under President Yahya Khan and led the army during the Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War in 1971. He is accused of inflicting genocide during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[2]
Abdul Hamid Khan | |
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| Native name | عبد الحمید خان |
| Born | 29 April 1917[1] Mandalay, British Burma (Now, Mandalay, Myanmar) |
| Died | 1984 (aged 66–67) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Allegiance |  British India (1939-47) Pakistan (1947-71) |
| Service |  British Indian Army Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1939 – 1971 |
| Rank |  General |
| Service number | PA-95 |
| Unit | 10th Baluch Regiment |
| Commands | 6th bn Baluch Regiment 3rd bn Baluch Regiment 11th Infantry Division, Lahore I Corps, Kharian Chief of Staff of the Army |
| Battles / wars |
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| Awards | .png){kind=small} Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam_(1957-86).png){kind=small} Sitara-e-Pakistan.png){kind=small} Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam.png){kind=small} Order of the Crown |
Early career
editAbdul Hamid Khan was born 29 April 1917.[1] He attended the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on the Special List 15 July 1939 and was initially attached to the Somerset Light Infantry for experience from 11 August 1939.[3] His date of commission was later antedated to 28 August 1938 and he was promoted lieutenant 28 November 1940. He was admitted to the British Indian Army 27 August 1940. He was appointed acting captain then temporary captain on 23 December 1940.[1] He had been posted to 3rd battalion 10th Baluch Regiment by October 1942. He saw action in Italy towards the end of the war.[4]
He was promoted war substantive captain and temporary major 3 February 1944. He was briefly an acting lieutenant-colonel 15 August to 18 October 1945. He had attended a wartime staff course.[1]
During the Partition of India, he opted for Pakistan and joined the newly created Pakistan Army, in 1947 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and became commanding officer of 6th battalion, Baluch Regiment, he commanded from April 1948 to November 1948. Later he was appointed commanding officer of 3rd battalion, Baluch Regiment, he served in this post from November 1948 to December 1949.[5]
1965 War with India
editDuring the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, then Major General Abdul Hamid Khan served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 11th Infantry Division at Kasur. This division in addition to 10th Infantry Division under Major General Sarfaraz Khan repelled the Indian thrust at Lahore on 6 September 1965. Following victory at the Battle of Kasur, his division pushed the Indians back to the border and captured the district of Khemkaran in Indian Punjab, though further advances were checked. He then was able to repel multiple counter-attacks by the Indian Army in an effort to retake Khemkaran.[6][7]
Career in the Yahya Government
editAfter the Indo-Pak war of 1965, Abdul Hamid Khan was promoted to lieutenant general and served as the commander of I Corps, then based in Kharian (it is currently based in Mangla).[8] After martial law was imposed by General Yahya Khan on 25 March 1969, Lt Gen Hamid Khan was made the Chief of Staff (COS) of the Pakistan Army and Deputy Martial Law Administrator (DMLA) of the country.[9] During that time he briefly held the cabinet portfolio of Home Affairs for four months. He was promoted to full general in August 1969 and was appointed as the chief of staff of the Army or in other sense the de facto commander-in-chief of the army in place of Yahya as he was the president. He is accused of war crimes during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.
Awards and decorations
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| Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam
(Crescent of the Great Leader) (SQA) |
Sitara-e-Pakistan
(Star of Pakistan) (SPk) |
Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam
(Star of the Great Leader) (SQA) | |
| Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War
(War Star 1965) |
Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War
(War Medal 1965) |
Pakistan Tamgha
1947 |
Tamgha-e-Jamhuria
(Republic Commemoration Medal) 1956 |
| Order of the Crown | India General Service Medal | 1939-1945 Star | Africa Star
(with Rosette) |
| Italy Star | Defence Medal | War Medal | Queen Elizabeth II
(1953) |
Foreign Decorations
edit| Foreign Awards | ||
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 UK
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1939-1945 Star |
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| Africa Star | 
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| Italy Star |
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| Defence Medal |
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| War Medal 1939-1945 |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal |
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 Imperial Iran
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Order of the Crown |
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References
edit- ^ a b c d The Half Yearly Indian Army List April 1946
- ^ Riza, Maj Gen Shaukat. (1990). The Pakistan Army 1966-71. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club 1990.
- ^ July 1940 Indian Army List
- ^ October 1942 Indian Army List Most Secret edition
- ^ Riza, Maj Gen Shaukat. The Pakistan Army 1947-49 Rawalpindi: Services Book Club 1989
- ^ Riza, Maj Gen Shaukat. (1984). The Pakistan Army: War 1965. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club 1990.
- ^ Rikhye, Ravi (24 February 2002). "The Battle of Assal Uttar: Pakistan and India 1965". Pakistan Orbat. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ "Changes in the Army High Command" Archived 2008-11-22 at the Wayback Machine "British High Commission", 5 May 1966
- ^ Pakistan : Martial Law "Who's Who" Archived 2008-09-23 at the Wayback Machine The American Papers - Secret and Confidential India.Pakistan.Bangladesh Documents 1965-1973, March 26, 1969