Farrakh Khan | |
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![]() Farrakh Khan (1938–2016) | |
Birth name | Farrakh Khan |
Nickname | Man of Steel |
Born | December 12, 1938 |
Died | June 25, 2016 | (aged 77)
Place of birth |
Attock, Punjab, India (Present-day in Punjab, Pakistan) |
Place of death | CMH Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan |
Buried at | Westridge Cemetery |
Allegiance |
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Service/branch |
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Years of service | 1954–1994 |
Rank |
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Unit |
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Commands held |
Chief of General Staff XI Corps, Peshawar DG Pakistan Army Rangers Military Secretary (Mil Secy) GOC 6th Armoured Division |
Battles/wars |
Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 1986–87 Indian military exercise |
Awards |
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Lieutenant-General Farrakh Khan (12 December 1938 – 25 June 2016), was a three-star rank army general in the Pakistan Army who was notable for his tenureship as the Chief of General Staff (CGS) at the Army GHQ from 1991 to 1994.[1]
Biography[]
Farrakh Khan joined the Pakistan Army in 1954, and entered in the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in 1956 where he passed out the class of 20th PMA Long Course in 1959, and gained commissioned in the 15th Lancers of the Armoured Corps.:159[2] At the PMA, 2nd-Lt Khan was notable for his role as a peer leader among the military cadets, serving as their section leader.[3]
He attended the Command and Staff College in Canada, and earned master's degree from the National Defence University in Islamabad.:159[2]
During the war with India in 1965, Capt. Khan served as one of the commanding officer in the 24th Cavalry in Frontier Force Regiment. In views of Mahmud Ali Durrani, the former NSA of Pakistan government, Capt. Khan was noted for his leadership in maintaining the performance of the tanks in the Armoured Corps and quoted:" With an excellent commanding officer and sound senior officers, our Regiment 25 Cavalry was jelled into a highly professional force which proved its mettle in the 1965 war with India and earned the title of "Men of Steel"."[3] He later served in the Western front of the third war with India in 1971.[3]
In 1984, Major-General Khan took over the command of the Army Rangers on Punjab section and served until 1985, when he was elevated as a military secretary at the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi.[4][5] In 1985, Maj-Gen Khan was elevated as GOC of the 6th Armoured Division in Kharian, and oversaw the combat deployment in response to the massive military exercise by the Indian Army in 1985–86.:Contents[6]
In 1988–1991, Lieutenant-General Khan was appointed as the Field Commander of the XI Corps, stationed in Peshawar.[3][5]
Chief of General Staff[]
In 1991, Lt-Gen. Khan was appointed as the Chief of General Staff (CGS) at the Army GHQ under Chief of Army Staff General Asif Nawaz.:970[7] After the sudden death of General General Asif, Lt-Gen. Khan was the five most senior army generals in the race for the promotion of four-star rank.[8]
Due to his office statue of Chief of General Staff, Lt-Gen. Khan had met both the necessary seniority and profound ability to become the army chief, despite the senior most Lt-Gen. Javed Nasir who was overlooked and never considered for this appointment.[8]
His closeness and impartiality on issues between President Ghulam Ishaq and Prime Minister Sharif, Lt-Gen. Khan was eventually overlooked and subsequently superseded by retiring though junior-most Lt-Gen. Abdul Waheed Kakar for the appointment of army chief by President Ghulam Ishaq.[9] Eventually, General Kakar was appointed and elevated as four-star general in the army, and became the army chief in 1994.[9] Lt-Gen. Khan decided to serve in his capacity despite being superseded, and eventually retired in 1994, competing 40 years of military service with the army.[3]
Death[]
He died at the CMH (Combined Military Hospital), Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Saturday, 25 June 2016.[10] His was buried in the Army Graveyard, Rawalpindi on 26 June 2016.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ "Press Report on Chiefs of General Staff of Pakistan Army". The News Pakistan. April 11, 2015. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-312035-Five-Chiefs-of-General-Staff-served-as-head-of-Pakistan-Army-in-64-years. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 (in en) Impact International. News & Media. 1989. https://books.google.com/books?id=FiodAQAAMAAJ&dq=lt+gen+farrakh+khan+commander+corps&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=1959. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Durrani, PA, Major-General Mahmud Ali (4 July 2016). "'A Farewell'" (in en-pk). Native Pakistan, Durrani. http://nativepakistan.com/a-farewell-obituary-of-lt-gen-farrakh-khan/. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ "Welcome to Pakistan Rangers (Punjab)". http://pakistanrangerspunjab.com/history.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Lt Gen Farrukh Khan passed away toda" (in en). 25 June 2016. https://www.facebook.com/PAKARMYBEST/photos/a.382102094129.165007.300668344129/10154021832959130. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ Musharraf, Pervez (2008) (in en). In the Line of Fire. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781847395962. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZBws32j4zwYC&pg=PT89&dq=farrakh++armoured+DIvision&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjqiO2L55fYAhUC_mMKHewEDYQQuwUILDAA#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ (in en) Jane's Defence Weekly. Jane's Publishing Company. 1991. https://books.google.com/books?id=h6xDAQAAIAAJ&dq=lt+gen+farrakh+khan&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=farrakh+khan.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sehgal, Ikram. "Integrated defence command". Sehgal publications,1994. http://www.sehgalfamily.com/?p=3019. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sethi, Najam. "A true son of the soil" (in en). Najam Sehti, 1994. http://www.najamsethi.com/a-true-son-of-the-soil/. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ 'The News' Islamabad, Sunday, 26th June, page 3 Obituary; 'The Rawalpindi Evening Post', June 25th 2016; several news channels in Pakistan
External links[]
The original article can be found at Farrakh Khan and the edit history here.