Iqbal Khan (general)

General Muhammad Iqbal Khan NI(M) HI(M) SI(M) SBt
Khan (right) c. 1980
Birth name	Mohammad Iqbal Khan
Nickname(s)	M.I. Khan
Born	Pindi Gheb, Punjab, British India
Died	Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Allegiance	British Raj (1944-1947)  Pakistan (1947-1984)
Service/branch	British Indian Army Pakistan Army
Years of service	1944–1984
Rank	General
Service number	PA – 2052[1]
Unit	Guides Infantry, Frontier Force
Commands held	Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Deputy Chief of Army Staff V Corps in Karachi IV Corps in Lahore Chief of General Staff, Army GHQ 33rd Infantry Division, Quetta DG Military Intelligence (DG MI)
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War Operation Searchlight Baloch insurgency of 1970s Soviet–Afghan War
Awards	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)  Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)  Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)  Sitara-e-Basalat

Mohammad Iqbal Khan NI(M) HI(M) SI(M) SBt (Urdu: اقبال خان‬) (1924–2000) was a senior general in the Pakistan Army who served as the third Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from being appointed in 1980 until 1984.^[2][3]

Biography[edit]

Mohammad Iqbal Khan was educated and graduated from the Military College in Jhelum and was commissioned in the British Indian Army in 1944.^[3] He joined the Guides Infantry in the 2nd Frontier Force Regiment as 2nd-Lt. and later serving in the first war with India on Kashmir front in 1947.^[3][4]

After participating in Second war with India in 1965, Brigadier Iqbal was appointed as the Director-General of the Military Intelligence in 1969, and was politically involved in supporting the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) against the Awami League.^: 50 [5] Eventually, Brig. Iqbal held the responsibility of Military Intelligence in 1971.^[6]

In 1971–73, Major-General Iqbal held the command of the 33rd Infantry Division in Quetta as its GOC, and oversaw the military operations against the armed insurgency groups in Balochistan in Pakistan.^[7]

In 1974, Major General Iqbal was posted as Chief of General Staff (CGS) under Chief of Army Staff General Tikka Khan at the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi which he served until 1976.^[8] In 1976, Maj-Gen. Iqbal was promoted to the three-star rank army general and was posted as field commander of the IV Corps based in Lahore.^[9]

In 1977, Lieutenant-General Iqbal took over the control of the Punjab in Pakistan as its martial law administrator when Chief of Army Staff Gen. Zia-ul-Haq imposed the martial law against the civilian government on 5 July 1977.^{: 194 [10]} Lt-Gen. Iqbal was later rotated when Lt-Gen. Sawar Khan took command of the IV Corps, and appointed as the field commander of the V Corps and served as the martial law administrator of Sindh in Pakistan.^[11]

In 1978, Lt-Gen. Iqbal was again posted at the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi when he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS) under President Zia-ul-Haq.^{: 430 [12]} During this time, he was appointed as the Colonel Commandant of the Frontier Force Regiment, which he served until his retirement in 1984.^[1]

Chairman Joint chiefs (1980–1984)[edit]

In 1980, Lt-Gen. Iqbal, who at that time was the senior military officer in the military, was promoted to the four-star rank and appointed as the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.^{: 156 [12]}

In 1980, Gen. Iqbal played a crucial role in maintaining of the Afghan Arabs in the country and supported the anti-Russian agitation when Soviet Union intervened in Afghanistan.^{: contents [13]} Gen. iqbal eventually and coordinated the national security meetings concerning the covert efforts in Afghanistan.^{: contents [13]: viii [14]} In 1984, Gen. Iqbal completed his four-year term and eventually retired from the military.^[2]

Awards and decorations[edit]

Foreign Decorations[edit]

Foreign Awards
Jordan	The Order of Military Merit
UK	War Medal 1939-1945
UN	UN UNOC 1 Medal

References[edit]