Muhammed Akbar Khan
Encyclopedia
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 General. He also served as the first ADC of the Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammed Ali Jinnah.
Muhammed Akbar Khan belonged to the Minhas
Rajput
clan of Chakwal
. He was born in May 1897. He was the eldest child of Sirdar (Sardar) Bahadur Raja Fazal Dad Khan. He had joined the British Army as a recruit during the First World War in 5th (Probyn's) Horse
. Due to his exceptional service record, he was recommended for commission from TSIC, Indore. He was commissioned in 1/14 Punjab
, but moved to ASC transport division. Before independence, he was one of the five Indian officers recommended for promotion by number one selection board (consisting of commander in chief and two senior commanders). Other officers Cariappa, Rajendra Singhji, Nathu Singh and Srinagesh went to the Indian Army. He was only one going for the Pakistan Army.
and hence he is regarded as the senior-most officer of the Pakistan Army. Muhammed Akbar Khan wrote many books on military strategy and Art of War by pen name of Rangroot. Muhammed Akbar Khan also has the honour of being the first ADC to Muhammed Ali Jinnah.
As the senior-most General of the Pakistan Army
, Muhammed Akbar Khan was destined to become the first Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Army. However, he declined the post.
Hassan Abbas in his book, Pakistan's Drift into Extremism writes, "In the entire history of Pakistan army, perhaps there has been only one incident in which a general repeated what George Washington had so willingly done for his nation some 215 years back. Toward the end of 1949, as General Gracey
’s term of office neared its end, he tapped Major General Akbar Khan, the senior-most Pakistani officer, to take over. General Khan refused the office on the grounds that the job was beyond his competence - an admission never made by any Pakistani army officer again, though many were eminently qualified to make it." His brother General Iftikhar Khan was thus tapped to become the C-in-C of the Pakistan Army, but he died in an aircrash, making way for Field Marshal Ayub Khan to become the C-in-C.
General Akbar Khan was the eldest of amongst his 14 siblings; His brothers were General Iftikhar Khan
(PA-2), General Anwar Khan (PA-48), Brig Muhammad Zafar Khan, Brig Afzal, Brig Yousaf.
of Rawalpindi conspiracy case and probably that is why Muhammed Akbar Khan used Akbar Khan Rangroot (recruit) to distinguish himself from the other Major General Akbar.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Muhammed Akbar Khan , OBE served as a British Indian
British Indian
The term British Indian refers to citizens of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in India. This includes people born in the UK who are of Indian descent, and Indian-born people who have migrated to the UK...
recruit in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and an officer in Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Muhammed Akbar Khan was the first Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
from the South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
to become a General in British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. At the time of independence of Pakistan, he was the most senior Muslim General. He also served as the first ADC of the Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammed Ali Jinnah.
Muhammed Akbar 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 of 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...
. He was born in May 1897. He was the eldest child of Sirdar (Sardar) Bahadur Raja Fazal Dad Khan. He had joined the British Army as a recruit during the First World War in 5th (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...
. Due to his exceptional service record, he was recommended for commission from TSIC, Indore. He was commissioned in 1/14 Punjab
14th Punjab Regiment
The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
, but moved to ASC transport division. Before independence, he was one of the five Indian officers recommended for promotion by number one selection board (consisting of commander in chief and two senior commanders). Other officers Cariappa, Rajendra Singhji, Nathu Singh and Srinagesh went to the Indian Army. He was only one going for the Pakistan Army.
Pakistan's First General
After Independence, Muhammed Akbar Khan was allotted the number one by the Pakistan ArmyPakistan 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...
and hence he is regarded as the senior-most officer of the Pakistan Army. Muhammed Akbar Khan wrote many books on military strategy and Art of War by pen name of Rangroot. Muhammed Akbar Khan also has the honour of being the first ADC to Muhammed Ali Jinnah.
As the senior-most General of 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...
, Muhammed Akbar Khan was destined to become the first Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Army. However, he declined the post.
Hassan Abbas in his book, Pakistan's Drift into Extremism writes, "In the entire history of Pakistan army, perhaps there has been only one incident in which a general repeated what George Washington had so willingly done for his nation some 215 years back. Toward the end of 1949, as General 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 term of office neared its end, he tapped Major General Akbar Khan, the senior-most Pakistani officer, to take over. General Khan refused the office on the grounds that the job was beyond his competence - an admission never made by any Pakistani army officer again, though many were eminently qualified to make it." His brother General Iftikhar Khan was thus tapped to become the C-in-C of the Pakistan Army, but he died in an aircrash, making way for Field Marshal Ayub Khan to become the C-in-C.
General Akbar Khan was the eldest of amongst his 14 siblings; His brothers were General Iftikhar Khan
Iftikhar Khan
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 of the Pakistan Army after General Douglas David Gracey's retirement...
(PA-2), General Anwar Khan (PA-48), Brig Muhammad Zafar Khan, Brig Afzal, Brig Yousaf.
Disambiguation
P.A.1 General Muhammed Akbar Khan is often confused with Major General Akbar Khan DSODistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
of Rawalpindi conspiracy case and probably that is why Muhammed Akbar Khan used Akbar Khan Rangroot (recruit) to distinguish himself from the other Major General Akbar.