| Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi | |
|---|---|
Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi (1915–2004)
| |
| Governor of East Pakistan | |
| In office 14 December 1971 – 16 December 1971 | |
| President | Yahya Khan |
| Prime Minister | Nurul Amin |
| Preceded by | Abdul Motaleb Malik |
| Succeeded by | Office disestablished (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asPresident of Bangladesh) |
| Commander of Eastern Command | |
| In office 4 April 1971 – 16 December 1971 | |
| Lieutenant | Rear-Admiral Mohammad Shariff |
| Preceded by | Lt-Gen. Tikka Khan |
| Succeeded by | Command relieved (Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi 1915 Mianwali, Punjab, British India (Present-day Pakistan) |
| Died | 1 February 2004 (aged 89 or 90) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Resting place | Military Graveyard in Lahore |
| Citizenship |  Pakistan 1947–2004 British India (1915–1947) |
| Alma mater | Officers Training School Bangalore Quetta Staff College |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | Tiger |
| Service/branch |  Pakistan Army (1947–71) British Indian Army (1942–47) |
| Years of service | 1942–1972 |
| Rank |   Lieutenant-General(S/No. PA-477)(Rank stripped/withdrawn) |
| Unit | 4/7 Rajput Regiment |
| Commands | GOC 10th Infantry Division GOC 8th Infantry Division Commander Parachute Training School |
| Battles/wars |
World War II
Bangladesh Liberation War |
| Awards |   Military Cross Hilal-i-Jurat (withdrawn) |
Niazi had the area responsibility of defending the borders of East Pakistan from India and held morally responsible by authors and critics within Pakistan's military for having surrendering the Eastern Command, consisting of ~92000-95000 servicemen (sources vary)[clarification needed], to the Indian Army when the preparations underwent to lay siege on Dacca:170[self-published source?] Thus ending the liberation struggle led by the Bengali Mukti Bahini which also ended the war with India amid a unilateral ceasefire called by Pakistan in 1971.
After taken and held as war prisoner by the Indian Army, he was repatriated to Pakistan on 30 April 1975 and was dishonored from his military service after confessing at the War Enquiry Commission led by Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman.The War Commission leveled accusations against him of violating the human rights, supervising the smugglinggoods during the Indian supported civil war in East as well as held him morally responsible of military failure during the course of the war. Niazi, however, he rejected the base allegations and sought for a military court-martial while insisting that he had acted according to the orders of the Army GHQ but the court-martial was never granted.After the war, he remained active in national politics and supported the ultra-conservative agenda under the conservative allianceagainst Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's government in 1970s.
In 1999, he authored the book, Betrayal of East Pakistan, where he provided his "own true version of the events of that fateful year."On 1 February 2004, Niazi died in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Biography
Early life and British Indian Army career
Amir Abdullah Niazi was born in 1915 in a small village, Balo Khel, located on the east bank of the Indus River in Mianwali, Punjab, British India. After educating from a local school in Mianwali, he joined the British Indian Army as an "Y cadet"[clarification needed] in 1937 and selected for an emergency commission as he had passed out from the Officers Training School in Bangalore.
He gained commission during the World War 2 in 8 March 1942 into the 4/7 Rajput Regiment which was then-part of the 161st Infantry Brigade led by the Brigadier D.F.W. Warren.Prior to the start of the World War II, his military commission was subjected to continuous change in the army and was only issued temporary service numbers by his British superiors.
World War II and Burma campaigns
On 11 June 1942, Lt. Niazi was stationed in the Kekrim Hills located in regions of Assam-Manipur to participate in the Burma front. That spring, he was part of the 14th Army of the British Army and the British Indian Army commanded by General Slim.
During this period, the 14th Army had halted the offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Battle of Imphal and elsewhere in bitterly fought battles along the Burma front. His valor of actions were commendable and General Slim described his gallantry in a lengthy report to General Headquarters, India, about his judgment of the best course of action.They agreed on Niazi's skill in completely surprising the enemy, his leadership, coolness under fire, and his ability to change tactics, create diversions, extricate his wounded and withdraw his men.At the Burmese front in 1944, Lt. Niazi impressed his superior officers when he commanded a platoon that initiated an offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Bauthi-Daung tunnels.
Lt. Niazi's gallantry had impressed his British commanders in the GHQ India and they wanted to award him the Distinguished Service Order, but his rank was not high enough for such a decoration. During the campaign, Brigadier D.F.W. Warren, commanding officer of the 161st Infantry Division of the British Army, gave Niazi the soubriquet "Tiger" for his part in a ferocious fight with the Japanese.After the conflict, the British Government decorated Lt. Niazi with the Military Cross for leadership, judgement, quick thinking and calmness under pressure in action along the border with Burma. On July 11, 1944, his military commission was confirmed as permanent and the new service number was issued as ICO-906.
On 15 December 1944, Lord Wavell, Viceroy of India, flew to Imphal and knighted General Slim and his corps commanders Stopford, Scoones, and Christison in the presence of Lord Mountbatten.Only two British Indian Army officers were chosen to be decorated at that ceremony— one was Lt. Niazi and the other was Major Sam Manekshaw of the Frontier Force Regiment.
After World War II, in 1945, he was promoted as army captain and sent to attend the Command and Staff College in Quetta which he graduated with a staff coursedegree under then-Lt. Col. Yahya Khan.
Staff and war appointments in Pakistan Army
In 1947, the United Kingdom announced their intention of partitioning the British India amid the failure of the cabinet mission in 1946. After the creation of Pakistan on August 1947, Major Niazi decided to opt for Pakistan and joined the newly established Pakistan Army where his S/No was redesigned as PA–477 by the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan. He continued serving at the Command and Staff College in Quetta and briefly completed his tenure as an instructor.
His career in the army progressed well and continue to climb up to the army grades 1950s as he was decorated with the Sitara-i-Khidmat (lit. Service Star) for his contribution and service with the army. In 1960–64, he was promoted as Brigadier and offered discussion on infiltration tactics at the Command and Staff College.Subsequently, he published an article on infiltration and promoted talks on military-supported local rebellion against the enemy.
Brigadier Niazi went on to participate in the second war with India in 1965 as he went commanding the paratrooper brigade stationed in Sialkot. Initially, he commanded the 5th AK Brigade directing military operations in Indian-held Kashmir but later assumed the command of 14th (Para) Brigade in Zafarwal sector where he gained public notability when he participated in the famous tank battle against the Indian Army which halted the Indian Army troop rotation.His role in a tank battle led him to be decorated with the Hilal-e-Jurat by the President of Pakistan.
His leadership credentials led him to be appointed martial law administrator of both Karachi and Lahore to maintain control of law in the cities of West Pakistan in 1966–67. In 1968, he was promoted as Major-General and made GOC of the 8th Infantry Division, stationed in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.:89–90 In 1969, Major-General Niazi was made GOC of 10th Infantry Division, stationed in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.:91 In 1971, he was promoted to three-star assignment and promoted as Lieutenant-General, initially appointed Commander of the IV Corps in Lahore.
Early life and British Indian Army career
Amir Abdullah Niazi was born in 1915 in a small village, Balo Khel, located on the east bank of the Indus River in Mianwali, Punjab, British India. After educating from a local school in Mianwali, he joined the British Indian Army as an "Y cadet"[clarification needed] in 1937 and selected for an emergency commission as he had passed out from the Officers Training School in Bangalore.
He gained commission during the World War 2 in 8 March 1942 into the 4/7 Rajput Regiment which was then-part of the 161st Infantry Brigade led by the Brigadier D.F.W. Warren.Prior to the start of the World War II, his military commission was subjected to continuous change in the army and was only issued temporary service numbers by his British superiors.
World War II and Burma campaigns
On 11 June 1942, Lt. Niazi was stationed in the Kekrim Hills located in regions of Assam-Manipur to participate in the Burma front. That spring, he was part of the 14th Army of the British Army and the British Indian Army commanded by General Slim.
During this period, the 14th Army had halted the offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Battle of Imphal and elsewhere in bitterly fought battles along the Burma front. His valor of actions were commendable and General Slim described his gallantry in a lengthy report to General Headquarters, India, about his judgment of the best course of action.They agreed on Niazi's skill in completely surprising the enemy, his leadership, coolness under fire, and his ability to change tactics, create diversions, extricate his wounded and withdraw his men.At the Burmese front in 1944, Lt. Niazi impressed his superior officers when he commanded a platoon that initiated an offense against the Japanese Imperial Army at the Bauthi-Daung tunnels.
Lt. Niazi's gallantry had impressed his British commanders in the GHQ India and they wanted to award him the Distinguished Service Order, but his rank was not high enough for such a decoration. During the campaign, Brigadier D.F.W. Warren, commanding officer of the 161st Infantry Division of the British Army, gave Niazi the soubriquet "Tiger" for his part in a ferocious fight with the Japanese.After the conflict, the British Government decorated Lt. Niazi with the Military Cross for leadership, judgement, quick thinking and calmness under pressure in action along the border with Burma. On July 11, 1944, his military commission was confirmed as permanent and the new service number was issued as ICO-906.
On 15 December 1944, Lord Wavell, Viceroy of India, flew to Imphal and knighted General Slim and his corps commanders Stopford, Scoones, and Christison in the presence of Lord Mountbatten.Only two British Indian Army officers were chosen to be decorated at that ceremony— one was Lt. Niazi and the other was Major Sam Manekshaw of the Frontier Force Regiment.
After World War II, in 1945, he was promoted as army captain and sent to attend the Command and Staff College in Quetta which he graduated with a staff coursedegree under then-Lt. Col. Yahya Khan.
Staff and war appointments in Pakistan Army
In 1947, the United Kingdom announced their intention of partitioning the British India amid the failure of the cabinet mission in 1946. After the creation of Pakistan on August 1947, Major Niazi decided to opt for Pakistan and joined the newly established Pakistan Army where his S/No was redesigned as PA–477 by the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan. He continued serving at the Command and Staff College in Quetta and briefly completed his tenure as an instructor.
His career in the army progressed well and continue to climb up to the army grades 1950s as he was decorated with the Sitara-i-Khidmat (lit. Service Star) for his contribution and service with the army. In 1960–64, he was promoted as Brigadier and offered discussion on infiltration tactics at the Command and Staff College.Subsequently, he published an article on infiltration and promoted talks on military-supported local rebellion against the enemy.
Brigadier Niazi went on to participate in the second war with India in 1965 as he went commanding the paratrooper brigade stationed in Sialkot. Initially, he commanded the 5th AK Brigade directing military operations in Indian-held Kashmir but later assumed the command of 14th (Para) Brigade in Zafarwal sector where he gained public notability when he participated in the famous tank battle against the Indian Army which halted the Indian Army troop rotation.His role in a tank battle led him to be decorated with the Hilal-e-Jurat by the President of Pakistan.
His leadership credentials led him to be appointed martial law administrator of both Karachi and Lahore to maintain control of law in the cities of West Pakistan in 1966–67. In 1968, he was promoted as Major-General and made GOC of the 8th Infantry Division, stationed in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.:89–90 In 1969, Major-General Niazi was made GOC of 10th Infantry Division, stationed in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.:91 In 1971, he was promoted to three-star assignment and promoted as Lieutenant-General, initially appointed Commander of the IV Corps in Lahore.
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