Lieutenant General Tariq Khan
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Lieutenant General Tariq Khan-A Soldier of Substance
by
Agha.H.Amin
Colonel Sikandar Hayat Khan belonged to an illustrious family of Durrani Pashtuns from Dheri Zardad a village on the Kabul river in Charsadda.He had also been an year or so junior to my uncle at the Cadet College Hassan Abdal.Durrani was married to sister of Begum Nasim Wali Khan.
Durrani was extremely excited that young officers attending a course at the School of Infantry and Tactics had thrashed Quetta Police en masse for having misbehaved with an officer under the leadership of one Lieutenant Tariq Khan who was had earlier passed out as the top gentleman cadet with the sword of honour from 55 PMA Long Course.
The incident stayed in my mind .
Battalion Senior Under Officer Tariq Khan receives the Sword of Honour from Chairman Joint Chief General Sharif , another extremely upright officer-
ما شاء اللهOfficers and Appointments 55 PMA Long Course |
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I joined the Pakistan Military Academy in Many 1981 and passed out in March 1983 being commissioned in 11 Cavalry , which incidentally was the parent unit of General Tariq Khans father Colonel Nawabzada Azmat Khan.
My faher recollected that his uncle Squadron Leader Rahmat Khan was a test pilot at Drigh Road Airbase in 1964-68 where my father was the Garrison Engineer.
My first encounter with Captain Tariq Khan was in the armour basic course where he was an instructor.His second in command was Captain Mohammad Khalid my very close friend and regimental officer from 11 Cavalry .Although I did not do the course properly I was deeply impressed with Captain Tariq Khans professionalism and uprightness.Captain Khalid (Tanga) too held him in very high esteem.
I again served with Captain Tariq Khan while he was in the 4 Cavalry at Multan from September 1986 to May 1988.He was a perfectionist in all matters and his gunnery standards were very high.In March 1987 he objected to being a conducting officer at the wedding of Major General Hameed Guls daughter.This was a time when sycophancy and appeasement was at its height in the army.
Tariq Khan is known for taking stands on matters of principle and fear of forfeiture of material factors or loss of fear of loss of advancement in worldly rank has never deterred him.This actually has been the hall mark of his personality throughout his military career.
I did not meet Captain Tariq Khan after 1988 but we stayed in correspondence and Colonel Tariq Khan was instrumental in getting three of my articles in the Command and Staff College Quettas Citadel Journal in 1997 and 1998.He was then the Chief Editor of the journal.
I had found the armys higher command system in my article anachronistic and unworkable and had suggested army command type headquarters
I sent him my book Pakistan Army till 1965 and he wrote a very interesting reply .
In 2004 I permanently shifted to Afghanistan. My route of exit and entry was the Khyber Agency and I saw that the Frontier Corps known as FC was severely demoralised.Desertions were rising and Mohmand Rifles had literally evaporated.
It was at this time that I learned from many officers that now Major General Tariq Khan reversed the cycle and through his leadership restored the morale of the FC by leading from the front.
ما شاء الله
He had been promoted major general in 2006 and commanded an armoured division in Multan and later the 14 infantry division in South Waziristan leading Operation Zalzala against the militants.On 1 October 2010 he was promoted to the rank ofLieutenant General and appointed Corps Commander Mangla.
ما شاء الله
When I called upon him in September 2009 I found him the same Captain Tariq Khan that I knew in 1988 in Multan.This was inspiring beacuse most officers become arrogant and snobbish on getting general officer rank.
General Tariq Khan-ما شاء الله led from the front and participated in more than 65 operations in the FATA region of Pakistan.This was the main reason why the FCs morale was restored.
He commanded 35000 sq kms of the total 48000 kms of the conflict Zone in the ongoing Low Intensity war in Pakistans FATA region.
When NATO aircrafts arbitrarily attacked an FC checkpost and killed three FC troops it was Major General Tariq Khan who was most instrumental in closing the border with Afghanistan.
This bold action literally brought the US and the NATO to their knees.
As a consequence of this action , a joint inquiry was conducted at Bagram Airbase under stewardship of FC DIG Brig Usman who presided over the court.
Thus Major General Tariq Khans role was crucial in obtaining a public and an international apology from the US which has never done so since the second world war. Pakistan got compensation for the causalities and put procedures in place to secure the border.
His daughter is married to his nephew, Faris Khan. Faris is a civil engineer in California.
General Tariq Khan is a keen hunter and has traversed the entire breadth of Pakistans border areas.
General Tariq Khans daughter is a very active journalist and has attacked the US perception in the Tribunal as a regular columnist. She is also quoted in the Monterrey Institute, her articles have been published in the Post Graduate Naval College in defence of Pakistan.
As citizens of this unfortunate country we pray that men like Tariq Khan rise to the top.Only good captains can take us out of this fomidable strategic storm in which we are caught.I think this is the time in the history of this country where too little time is left and we are in the critical time span in our history.One false step and we are gone !
As the adage goes that the wind and the waves is on the side of the ablest navigators.
As the adage goes that the wind and the waves is on the side of the ablest navigators.
