II Corps (Pakistan)
Encyclopedia
The II Corps, known as II Strike Corps or Army Reserve South, is army corps of Pakistan Army
stationed in Multan
, Punjab Province of Pakistan. The II Strike Corps is one of Pakistan's four heavy armoured corps. Also known as Army Reserve South, the corps is currently active in Pakistan's theater in War on Terror
where its administrative divisions and brigades led numerous operations
in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
of Pakistan. The Corps is currently commanded by 3-star general Lieutenant-General Shafqaat Ahmed as Core Commander. The Corps longest-serving Commander was then Lieutenant-General Rahimuddin Khan
.
, the fact it was under GHQ rather than II Corps, spared the corps of any blame, but was latter deemed one of the causes of failure. A major Indian attack towards Umerkot would be defeated by two of the corps divisions; the 18th after its return from Ramgarh and to II Corps command, and the 33rd Infantry Division, a task for which they were commended, after the war. In the final analysis its performance in the war; while commended by many parties, would be controversial, since at no time was its most powerful formation, 1st Armoured Division, committed to action.
that characterised the army's commitments over the next three decades in Kashmir, Siachen and Kargil, although it a few units did see action attached to other corps. As Pakistan's main strategic reserve, it was also not sent on overseas operations under the UN and with allies (such as Gulf War I and Somalia) which the army was ordered to undertake.
It would not be until 2008 when the elements of the corps would see action again. As the war in FATA heated up and militant activity increased to a hitherto unseen level, the government responded by launching a massive operation (code-named Operation Zalzala meaning earthquake) against the militant strongholds South Waziristan. The operation would be spearheaded by 14th Infantry Division of II Corps, and would succeed in evicting the militants from their stronghold. On December 26, 2008, elements of the 14th Infantry Division, are currently being redeployed to the India
n border.
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...
stationed in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, Punjab Province of Pakistan. The II Strike Corps is one of Pakistan's four heavy armoured corps. Also known as Army Reserve South, the corps is currently active in Pakistan's theater in War on Terror
War in North-West Pakistan
The War in North-West Pakistan is an armed conflict between the Pakistan Armed Forces and armed religious groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan , Lashkar-e-Islam, TSNM, Arab and Central Asian militants including Al-Qaeda, regional armed movements and elements of organized crime.The armed...
where its administrative divisions and brigades led numerous operations
Pakistani Order of Battle in FATA
Pakistan Army ORBAT in the War in FATA.- Troops :Pakistan has over a hundred thousand army and FC troops in the region.From open sources it seems that 4 Pakistani army divisions are involved in the operation, with a single corps HQ coordinating their efforts.They appear to be two regular and two...
in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...
of Pakistan. The Corps is currently commanded by 3-star general Lieutenant-General Shafqaat Ahmed as Core Commander. The Corps longest-serving Commander was then Lieutenant-General 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...
.
History
II Corps was formed in 1971 as the winds of war began to blow in the sub-continent. It was responsible for the defense of all of Pakistan south of Multan; a huge undertaking, as well as the launching of counterattacks against India itself. As war came its units would be heavily involved in the first task.1971 War
The Corps was commanded by Tikka Khan during the war. Controversially one of its divisions; the 18th Infantry Division, was taken out of II Corp's command and sent on an ill-fated offensive towards Ramgarh; which led to the debacle at the Battle of LongewalaBattle of Longewala
The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.The Indian infantry...
, the fact it was under GHQ rather than II Corps, spared the corps of any blame, but was latter deemed one of the causes of failure. A major Indian attack towards Umerkot would be defeated by two of the corps divisions; the 18th after its return from Ramgarh and to II Corps command, and the 33rd Infantry Division, a task for which they were commended, after the war. In the final analysis its performance in the war; while commended by many parties, would be controversial, since at no time was its most powerful formation, 1st Armoured Division, committed to action.
War in North-West Pakistan
As a heavy armour and mechanised formation, it was unsuited for the mountain warfareMountain warfare
Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
that characterised the army's commitments over the next three decades in Kashmir, Siachen and Kargil, although it a few units did see action attached to other corps. As Pakistan's main strategic reserve, it was also not sent on overseas operations under the UN and with allies (such as Gulf War I and Somalia) which the army was ordered to undertake.
It would not be until 2008 when the elements of the corps would see action again. As the war in FATA heated up and militant activity increased to a hitherto unseen level, the government responded by launching a massive operation (code-named Operation Zalzala meaning earthquake) against the militant strongholds South Waziristan. The operation would be spearheaded by 14th Infantry Division of II Corps, and would succeed in evicting the militants from their stronghold. On December 26, 2008, elements of the 14th Infantry Division, are currently being redeployed to the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n border.
List of commanders
- Lt Gen Tikka KhanTikka KhanGeneral Tikka Khan, HJ, HQA, SPk, was a senior four-star general in the Pakistan Army who served as the first Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 3 March 1972 to 1 March 1976. Before his four-star assignment, Khan was a Martial Law Administrator of erstwhile East-Pakistan...
, September 1971 – March 1972 - Lt Gen Muhammad ShariffMuhammad ShariffGeneral Muhammad Shariff was retired four-star general in the Pakistan Army who was the first Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee since its inception in 1976 till his retirement in 1978...
, March 1972–1975 - Lt Gen Muhammad Zia-ul-HaqMuhammad Zia-ul-HaqGeneral 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...
, 1975 – March 1976 - Lt Gen Rahimuddin KhanRahimuddin KhanRahimuddin 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...
, September 1978 – March 1984 - Lt Gen Raja Saroop KhanRaja Saroop KhanLieutenant General Raja Saroop Khan is a career Pakistan Army officer who served as the Governor of Punjab from 1995 to 1996.Raja Saroop Khan of Jabot was commissioned in the 7th PMA Long Course from Pakistan Military Academy in 1953...
, March 1984 – March 1988 - Lt Gen Shamim Alam KhanShamim Alam KhanGeneral Shamim Alam Khan, NI, SJ, SBt, is a retired four-star rank general in the Pakistan Army was the Supreme Commandant of the Pakistan Defense Forces as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1991 to 1994...
, March 1988 – May 1989 - Lt Gen Hamid Gul, May 1989 – August 1991
- Lt Gen Jehangir KaramatJehangir KaramatGeneral Jehangir Karamat, NI, TBt, afwc, psc, fsc, is a retired four-star general and a renowned military scientist who served as the former Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army from January 1996 to October 1998, and then former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States from November 2004 to June...
, 1992–1994 - Lt Gen Salahuddin Tirmizi, February 1996 – October 1998
- Lt Gen Yusaf KhanYusaf KhanGeneral Muhammad Yusaf Khan Qaimkhani , is a retired four-star general of the Pakistan Army who served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff from October 8, 2001 until October 7, 2004...
, October 1998 – August 2000 - Lt Gen Syed Mohammad Amjad, August 2000 – April 2002
- Lt Gen Shahid Siddiq Tirmizey, April 2002 – September 2003
- Lt Gen Mohammad Akram, September 2003 – October 2004
- Lt Gen Afzal Muzaffar, October 2004 – May 2005
- Lt Gen Syed Sabahat Hussain, May 2005 – April 2006
- Lt Gen Sikander Afzal, April 2006 – October 2009
- Lt Gen Shafqaat Ahmed, October 2009 – present
Order of battle
The Corps order of battle is:- HQ II Corps; MultanMultanMultan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
- 1st Armoured Division; MultanMultanMultan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
- 14th Infantry Division; OkaraOkara, PakistanOkara is the capital city of Okara District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The name Okara is derived from Okaan, a name of a tree, the city is located south-west to the city of Lahore and is famous for its agriculture-based economy and cotton mills...
- 40th Infantry Division; OkaraOkara, PakistanOkara is the capital city of Okara District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The name Okara is derived from Okaan, a name of a tree, the city is located south-west to the city of Lahore and is famous for its agriculture-based economy and cotton mills...
- 1st Armoured Division; Multan