Iftikhar Khan
Encyclopedia
Major General
Muhammed Iftikhar Khan was an officer inherited by the Pakistan Army
from British India. He had been nominated to become the first local Commander in Chief (C-in-C) of the Pakistan Army after General Douglas David Gracey
's retirement. However, his death in a tragic plane crash in 1949 was a disaster for the newly formed country.
Hassan Abbas, in his book, “Pakistan’s Drift into Extremism”, in Chapter 2, page 26, describes a watershed incident that occurred in 1949 that had “a huge impact on the military and political history of Pakistan, but is often ignored by historians”. The incident reported was the plane crash at Jungshahi
which had on board the designated next Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan, Major General Iftikhar Khan. According to Major General Sher Ali, the history of Pakistan would have been different if Major General Iftikhar Khan had become C-in-C of the Pakistan Army, because he would never have allowed the army to be used for political purposes and would never have used his position as a doorway to political power.
Muhammed Iftikhar Khan belonged to the Minhas
Rajput
clan from Chakwal
. His father Sirdar (or Sardar) Bahadur, Raja Fazal Dad Khan was a hereditary Landlord (or Zamindar).He joined army in 1920 in Probyn's horse
regiment. He was chosen to do course from Sandhurst Military Academy
and was commissioned with a British Indian Army cavalry unit (7th Light Cavalry
) on 29 Aug 1929. His batchmates at Sandhurst were Md. Azam Khan(one of players of 1958 coup), Md. Mumtaz Ali Khan (later in political service)and Thomas Bryan Henderson-Brookes.(Indian Army, later investigated 1962 war operations). He was distinguished in operations in the Second World War with his senior colleagues Sirdar Tara Singh Bal (later Indian Army), Ahmed Jan Mehsud (later Pakistan Army),J N Chaudhuri (later Indian army chief). There were only two tank/cavalry regiments open to Indian officers.
Five of Muhammed Iftikhar Khan brothers (in total he had seven brothers) joined the Army and became officers. His elder brother, Muhammed Akbar Khan
was the first Indian Muslim to become a General in the British Indian Army. His brother, Brigadier Muhammed Zafar was the first Indian Commander of Cavalry and his brother General Muhammed Anwar Khan was the first E-in-C of Pakistan Army. Iftekhar Khan 's honesty and sound operational knowledge coupled with goodwill his family enjoyed with British worked in him superseding officers senior in age. (He,Akbar Khan DSO and Nazir Ahmed were promoted to major general soon after partition in a clear rebuff to senior colleagues). But his untimely death finished a promising career and he remains a big "what if "in the history of subcontinent.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Muhammed Iftikhar Khan was an officer inherited by 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...
from British India. He had been nominated to become the first local Commander in Chief (C-in-C) of the Pakistan Army after General Douglas David Gracey
Douglas David Gracey
General Sir Douglas David Gracey, KCB, KCIE, CBE, MC and bar was an Indian Army officer in both the First and Second World Wars. He also fought in French Indochina and was the second Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army...
's retirement. However, his death in a tragic plane crash in 1949 was a disaster for the newly formed country.
Hassan Abbas, in his book, “Pakistan’s Drift into Extremism”, in Chapter 2, page 26, describes a watershed incident that occurred in 1949 that had “a huge impact on the military and political history of Pakistan, but is often ignored by historians”. The incident reported was the plane crash at Jungshahi
Jungshahi
Jungshahi is a town of Thatta District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It lies to the west of Karachi at 24°51'26N 67°46'21E and is a Union Council of Thatta tehsil...
which had on board the designated next Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan, Major General Iftikhar Khan. According to Major General Sher Ali, the history of Pakistan would have been different if Major General Iftikhar Khan had become C-in-C of the Pakistan Army, because he would never have allowed the army to be used for political purposes and would never have used his position as a doorway to political power.
Muhammed Iftikhar Khan belonged to the Minhas
Minhas
Minhas or Manhas or Minhas-Dogra is a Suryavanshi Rajput clan from the Punjab region and Jammu & Kashmir in India and Pakistan. It is an off-shoot of Jamwal-Dogra Rajputs, the founders of the city and state of Jammu and its rulers from ancient times to 1948 CE...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clan from Chakwal
Chakwal
Chakwal is the capital of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad and is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan, chief of the Mair Minhas tribe from Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur...
. His father Sirdar (or Sardar) Bahadur, Raja Fazal Dad Khan was a hereditary Landlord (or Zamindar).He joined army in 1920 in Probyn's horse
5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse
The 5 Horse is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. Previously, it was known as the 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse, which was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army...
regiment. He was chosen to do course from Sandhurst Military Academy
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and was commissioned with a British Indian Army cavalry unit (7th Light Cavalry
7th Light Cavalry
The 7th Light Cavalry, was a regular army cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army which first came into British service with the East India Company and went on to serve on the North West Frontier and in World War I and World War II.-Formation:...
) on 29 Aug 1929. His batchmates at Sandhurst were Md. Azam Khan(one of players of 1958 coup), Md. Mumtaz Ali Khan (later in political service)and Thomas Bryan Henderson-Brookes.(Indian Army, later investigated 1962 war operations). He was distinguished in operations in the Second World War with his senior colleagues Sirdar Tara Singh Bal (later Indian Army), Ahmed Jan Mehsud (later Pakistan Army),J N Chaudhuri (later Indian army chief). There were only two tank/cavalry regiments open to Indian officers.
Five of Muhammed Iftikhar Khan brothers (in total he had seven brothers) joined the Army and became officers. His elder brother, Muhammed Akbar Khan
Muhammed Akbar Khan
General Muhammed Akbar Khan , OBE served as a British Indian recruit in the First World War and an officer in Second World War. Muhammed Akbar Khan was the first Muslim from the South Asia to become a General in British Army. At the time of independence of Pakistan, he was the most senior Muslim...
was the first Indian Muslim to become a General in the British Indian Army. His brother, Brigadier Muhammed Zafar was the first Indian Commander of Cavalry and his brother General Muhammed Anwar Khan was the first E-in-C of Pakistan Army. Iftekhar Khan 's honesty and sound operational knowledge coupled with goodwill his family enjoyed with British worked in him superseding officers senior in age. (He,Akbar Khan DSO and Nazir Ahmed were promoted to major general soon after partition in a clear rebuff to senior colleagues). But his untimely death finished a promising career and he remains a big "what if "in the history of subcontinent.
External links
- The Quaid: Pakistan’s Tom Paine or Thomas Jefferson? By Mohammad Ashraf Chaudhry http://www.pakistanlink.com/Opinion/2005/July05/08/01.HTM