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World War II and Burma campaigns
Pakistan Army: from major to lieutenant general

East Pakistan
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Eastern Command in 1971 war
Surrendering of Eastern Command
Niazi's Revolver
War prisoner, repatriation, and politics
War Enquiry Commission
Death and legacy
Awards and decorations
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General
Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi
Hilal-e-Jurat & Bar[a]
HJ & BAR[a] SPk SK MC
‫امیر عبداللہ خان نیازی‬
Niazi's official military portrait as Lieutenant General (1971)

Governor of East Pakistan
In office
14 December 1971 – 16 December 1971
President Yahya Khan
Prime Minister Nurul Amin
Preceded by Abdul Motaleb Malik
Succeeded by Position abolished
Commander, Army Eastern Command
In office
4 April 1971 – 16 December 1971
Preceded by Lt. Gen. Tikka Khan
Personal details
Born 1915
Mianwali, Punjab Province, British India (now Pakistan)
Died 1 February 2004 (aged 88–89)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Resting place Military Cemetery, Lahore[citation needed]
Nationality Pakistani
Alma mater Officers' Training School, Bangalore
Command and Staff College, Quetta
Signature
Military service
Allegiance British India
Pakistan
Branch/service Indian Army
Pakistan Army
Years of service 1942–1975
Rank Lieutenant-General
(S/No. PA-477)
Unit 4th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment
Commands GOC, 10th Infantry Division
GOC, 8th Infantry Division
14th Para Brigade[citation needed]
Battles/wars World War II
Burma campaign
Battle of Imphal
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Bangladesh Liberation War
Awards Hilal-e-Jurat & Bar[a]
Sitara-e-Pakistan
Sitara-e-Kidmat
Military Cross
Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi HJ & Bar SPk SK MC (1915 – 1 February
2004) was a Pakistan Army general. During the Bangladesh Liberation War and the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he commanded the Pakistani Eastern Command in East
Pakistan (now Bangladesh), he signed the instrument of surrender as in 16 Dec. '71
his forces had to surrender to the Indian Army's Eastern Command's commander
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora by the order of the then President of
Pakistan Yahya Khan.[1]
Niazi's area of responsibility comprised the defense of East Pakistan from India
during the war in 1971, and authors and critics within the Pakistani military held
him morally responsible for his decision to unilaterally surrender the Pakistani
Eastern Command, which resulted in the war's end in a decisive Indian victory as
well as the independence of Bangladesh.[2][3]: 170 [4]
After being taken and held as a prisoner of war by the Indian military, he was
repatriated to Pakistan on 30 April 1975 as part of the Delhi Agreement. He was
dishonourably discharged from his military service at the War Enquiry Commission
led by Hamoodur Rahman.[5] The Commission leveled accusations against him for human
rights violations in East Pakistan and the supervision of smuggling efforts during
the Bangladesh Liberation War; he was held responsible for Pakistan's military
failure during the course of the conflict.[6][7][8] Niazi, however, rejected these
allegations and sought a military court-martial while insisting that he had acted
according to the orders of the Pakistan Army GHQ in Rawalpindi; the court-martial
was never granted.[7]
After the war, he remained active in Pakistani politics and supported an ultra-
conservative agenda under the Pakistan National Alliance against the government of
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s.[1] In 1998, he authored the book The Betrayal of
East Pakistan.
Niazi died in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, on 1 February 2004.[9]
Biography
Early life and British Indian Army career
Khan was born in Mianwali, British India, in 1915, into a Pashtun family. His
village, Balo Khel, is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River.[3]: 12 [10]
[11] After matriculating from a local high-school in Mianwali, he joined the
British Indian Army as a "Y cadet" in 1941 as he was selected for an emergency
commission in the army.[3]: 12
He received training in Officers Training School, Bangalore and Fatehgarh's Rajput
Regiment's training centre; he was commissioned as an Emergency Commissioned
Officer (ECO) in the rank of second lieutenant during the World War II on 8 March
1942 (following a 6 months training) into the 4/7 Rajput Regiment (4th Battalion of
the 7th Rajput Regiment) which was then a part of the 161st Indian Infantry Brigade
led by Brigadier D.F.W. Warren.[3]: 12 [12]
Main articles: Burma Campaign 1944–1945 and Battle of Imphal

On 11 June 1942, Lt. Niazi was stationed in the Kekrim Hills located in regions of
Assam-Manipur to participate in the Burma front.[10] That spring, he was part of
the 14th Army of the British Indian Army commanded by General William Slim.[10]
During this period, the 14th Army had halted the offense against the Imperial
Japanese Army at the Battle of Imphal and elsewhere in bitterly fought battles
along the Burma front.[10] His valor of actions were commendable and General Slim
described his gallantry in a lengthy report to General Headquarters, India, about
his judgment of the best course of action.[10] They agreed on Niazi's skill in
completely surprising the enemy, his leadership, coolness under fire, and his
ability to change tactics, create diversions, extricate his wounded men.[10] At the
Burma front in 1944, Lt. Niazi impressed his superior officers when he commanded a
platoon that initiated an offence against the Imperial Japanese Army at the Bauthi-
Daung tunnels.[10]
Lt. Niazi's gallantry had impressed his British commanders in the GHQ India and
they wanted to award him the Distinguished Service Order, but his rank was not high
enough for such a decoration.[10] During the campaign, Brigadier D.F.W. Warren,
commander of the 161st Indian Infantry Brigade of the British Army, gave Niazi the
soubriquet "Tiger" for his part in a ferocious fight with the Japanese.[10] After
the conflict, the British Government decorated Lt. Niazi with the Military Cross
for leadership, judgement, quick thinking and calmness under pressure in action
along the border with Burma.[13][10][3]: 12
On 15 December 1944, Lord Wavell, Viceroy of India, flew to Imphal and knighted
General Slim and his corps commanders Stopford, Scoones, and Christison in the
presence of Lord Mountbatten.[14][15] Only two British Indian Army officers were
chosen to be decorated at that ceremony— one was Lt. Niazi and the other was Major
Sam Manekshaw of the Frontier Force Regiment.[16]
After the end of World War II, in 1945, from an Emergency Commissioned Officer,
Niazi was granted a regular commission of the British Indian Army, and he got his
service number as IC0-906 (Indian Commissioned Officer-906);[3]: 12 he was promoted
as captain and sent to attend the Command and Staff College in Quetta which he
graduated with a staff course degree under then-Lt. Col. Yahya Khan.[3]: 12
Main articles: Battle of Chawinda and Indo-Pakistani war of 1965

In 1947 the United Kingdom, through the Indian Independence Act 1947, announced
their intention of partitioning British India amid the failure of the 1946 Cabinet
Mission to India. After the creation of Pakistan in August 1947, Major Niazi
decided to opt for Pakistani citizenship and joined the newly established Pakistan
Army where his S/No was redesigned as PA–477 by the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan
and he joined the Punjab Regiment.[3]: 12 He continued serving at the Command and
Staff College in Quetta and briefly completed his tenure as an instructor.[17]
His career in the army progressed well. In the rank of Lt. Col. he served as
commanding officer of two battalions in West Pakistan and one in East Pakistan.[18]
In 1961, he was promoted as Brigadier and offered discussion on infiltration
tactics at the Command and Staff College.[12] Subsequently, he published an article
on infiltration and promoted talks on military-supported local rebellion against
the enemy.[12] He served as the commander of 51st Infantry Brigade in Karachi and
was decorated with the Sitara-i-Khidmat (lit. Service Star) for his contributions
and service with the army. His leadership credentials had led him to be appointed
martial law administrator of both Karachi and Lahore to maintain control of law in
the cities of West Pakistan during this time.[19] Shortly after, he was appointed
as the commandant of School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta.
Brigadier Niazi went on to participate in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the

second war with India.[20] He was appointed as the commander of 14th Paratroopers
Brigade under 7th Infantry Division (then commanded by Maj. Gen. Yahya Khan), which
later became part of the 12th Infantry Division under Maj. Gen. Akhtar Hussain
Malik; Niazi commanded the 1st Infantry Brigade in Azad Kashmir for a brief period
but later was reappointed as the commander of 14th Para Brigade in Zafarwal sector,
he gained public notability when he participated in the famous Battle of Chawinda
tank battle against the Indian Army which halted the Indians troops rotation.[21]
His role in a tank battle led him to be decorated with the Hilal-e-Jurat by the
President of Pakistan.[21] After the war he was again took command of the School of
Infantry and Tactics.
On 18 October 1966, he was promoted as Major-General and made General Officer

Commanding (GOC) of the 8th Infantry Division, stationed in Sialkot, Punjab,
Pakistan.[22] On 22 June 1969, Major-General Niazi was made GOC of 10th Infantry
Division, stationed in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. On 2 April 1971, he was promoted
to Lieutenant General, and his initial appointment in this rank was the commander
of IV Corps,[citation needed] though he never took command of this corps as his
appointment was immediately changed and he was to take command of the Eastern
Command in East Pakistan.
East Pakistan
Main articles: Operation Searchlight, Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971 Bangladesh
genocide, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command
plan
Niazi's strategy of defending the India-East Pakistan border by deploying the

troops at the border.
Lieutenant-General Niazi volunteered for transfer to East Pakistan when Lieutenant-
General Bahadur Sher Khan declined the post.[1] There were two other generals who
had also refused postings in the East. However, Niazi said "yes" without
necessarily realizing the risks involved and how to counter them.[1]
After General Tikka Khan had initiated the Operation Searchlight military crackdown
in March 1971, many officers had declined to be stationed in the East and Niazi
arrived in Dhaka on 4 April 1971 to assume the Eastern Command from Tikka Khan.[23]
Furthermore, the mass killing of Bengali intellectuals in 1971 at the University of
Dhaka had made the East Pakistani people hostile towards the Pakistani military,
which made it hard for Niazi to overcome the situation.[24] On 10/11 April 1971, he
headed a meeting of his senior commanders to assess the situation but, according to
eyewitnesses, he used abusive language aimed at the Bengali rebels.[23] From May
through August 1971, the Indian Army trained Mukti Bahini led Operation Jackpot, a
series of counter guerrilla campaigns against the Eastern Command, and Niazi began
taking countermeasures against the Bengali rebellion.[25] By June 1971, he sent
reports on the rebellion and noted that 30,000 insurgents were hurriedly trained by
India at the India-East Pakistan border.[25] In August 1971, Niazi formulated a
plan to defend the borders from the advancing Indian Army based on a "fortress
concept" which mean converting the border towns and villages into a stronghold.[26]
By September 1971, he was appointed the martial law administrator in order to

provide his support to Governor Abdul Motaleb Malik who appointed a civilian
cabinet.[27] On the issue of the 1971 East Pakistan genocide, Niazi had reportedly
told his public relations officer and press secretary, Major Siddique Salik, that
"we will have to account every single rape and killing when back in (West)
Pakistan. God never spares the Tyrant."[28][29]
The Government of East Pakistan appointed Niazi as commander of the Eastern

Command, and Major-General Rao Farman Ali as their military adviser for the East
Pakistan Rifles and Pakistan Marines.[27] In October 1971, he created and deployed
two ad hoc divisions to strengthen the defence of the East from further
infiltration.[26]
In November 1971, General Abdul Hamid Khan, the Chief of Staff, warned him of an
imminent Indian attack on the East and advised him to redeploy the Eastern Command
on a tactical and political base ground but this was not implemented due to
shortage of time.[30]: 303–304 In a public message, Niazi was praised by Abdul
Hamid Khan saying: "The whole nation is proud of you and you have their full
support".[31]
No further orders or clarification was issued in regards to the orders as Niazi had
been caught unawares when the Indian Army planned to launch a full assault on East
Pakistan.[30]: 303 On 3 December 1971, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched
Operation Chengiz Khan, the pre-emptive PAF air-strikes on Indian Air Force bases
that officially led to start of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the third war with
India.[30]: 304 According to Krishna Chandra Sagar, Niazi was surprisingly not
aware of the attack and had no prior knowledge of the attack.[30]: 304
Credibility of this claim is given by Niazi's press secretary and public relations
officer, then-Major Siddique Salik, who wrote in Witness to Surrender, that Niazi's
chief of staff Brigadier Baqir Siddiqi reportedly scolded him of not notifying
Niazi and his staff of an aerial attack on India.[32]

Main articles: Instrument of Surrender (1971) and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Prisoners of War Investigation
Lieutenant-General Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of

Indian Army's Eastern Command's commander Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora (sitting beside
Niazi), on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka.
When Indian Army soldiers crossed the borders and charged towards Dhaka, General
Niazi panicked when he came to realise the real nature of the Indian strategy and
became frantically nervous when the Indian Army successfully penetrated the defence
of the East.[30]: 304 Niazi's military staff further regretted not heeding the
intelligence warnings issued 20 years earlier in the 1952 Cable 1971 report
compiled by Major K. M. Arif, the military intelligence official on Niazi's staff.
[33]
According to the testimonies provided by Major-General Farman Ali in the War

Enquiry Commission, Niazi's morale collapsed as early as 7 December and he cried
frantically over the progress report presented to Governor Abdul Motaleb.[34]: 183
Niazi ultimately blamed Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan for the army's oppressive
strategy.[35] Major accusations were also directed toward Lieutenant-General Yakob
Ali Khan, Admiral S. M. Ahsan and Major-General Ali for aggravating the crisis, but
Niazi had to bear most responsibility for all that happened in the East.[citation
needed]
General Niazi, along with his deputy Rear-Admiral Mohammad Shariff, nervously tried
reassessing the situation to halt the Indian Army's penetration by directing joint
army-navy operations with no success.[36][37] The Pakistani military combat units
found themselves involved in a guerrilla war with the Mukti Bahini under Atul
Osmani, and were unprepared and untrained for such warfare.[38]
On 9 December, the Indian Government accepted the sovereignty of Bangladesh and

extended its diplomatic mission to the Provisional Government of Bangladesh.[39]
This eventually led Governor Abdul Motaleb to resign from his post and he took
refuge with his entire cabinet at the Red Cross shelter at the Inter-Continental
Dacca on 14 December.[18]
Niazi eventually took control of the civilian government and received a telegram on
16 December 1971 from President Yahya Khan: "You have fought a heroic battle
against overwhelming odds. The nation is proud of you ... You have now reached a
stage where further resistance is no longer humanly possible nor will it serve any
useful purpose ... You should now take all necessary measures to stop the fighting
and preserve the lives of armed forces personnel, all those from West Pakistan and
all loyal elements".[3]: 73–74
During this time, the Special Branch of the East Pakistan Police notified Niazi of
the joint Indo-Bengali siege of Dhaka as the Eastern Command led by Lieutenant-
General Jagjit Singh Aurora began encircling Dhaka.[40] Niazi then appealed for a
conditional ceasefire to Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora which called for
transferring power to the elected government, but without the surrender of the
Eastern Command led by Niazi.[40] This offer was rejected by Indian Army's Chief of
Army Staff General Sam Manekshaw and he set a deadline for surrender, President
Yahya Khan considered it as "illegitimate.[16][40] Niazi then once again appealed
for a cease-fire, but Manekshaw set a deadline for surrender, failing which Dhaka
would come under siege.[16]
Subsequently, the Indian Army began encircling Dhaka and Lieutenant-General Jagjit
Singh Aurora sent a message through Major-General Rafael Jacob that issued an
ultimatum to surrender in a "30-minutes" time window on 16 December 1971.[41] Niazi
agreed to surrender and sent a message to Manekshaw despite many army officers
declined to obey, although they were legally bound.[42] The Indian Army commanders,
Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, Lieutenant General J.S. Aurora, and Major-General
Rafael Farj Jacob arrived at Dhaka via helicopter with the surrender documents.[41]
The surrender took place at Ramna Race Course, in Dhaka at local time 16:31 on 16
December 1971. Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender and handed over his
personal weapon to J. S. Aurora in the presence of Indian and Bangladesh force
commanders. With Niazi, nearly 90,000 personnel of the Eastern Command surrendered
to the joint Indian and Bangladesh Army.[43]
Niazi's Revolver
Niazi's personal weapon was gifted by J. S. Aurora to Indian Military Academy for
its golden jubiliy celebration and preserved at National Museum in New Delhi.[44]
The resolver was reportedly stolen from the National Museum in 2003.[45]

Main article: Transfer of Population Under the Terms of the Delhi Agreement
Niazi, who was repatriated to Pakistan, was handed over to Lieutenant-General Abdul
Hamid, then corps commander of the IV Corps, by Indian Army from the Wagha
checkpoint in Lahore District, Punjab, in April 1975, in a symbolic gesture of the
last war prisoner held by India.[5]: 620 Upon arriving in Lahore, he refrained from
speaking to news media correspondents, and was taken under the custody of the
Pakistan Army's Military Police (MP) who shifted him via helicopter to Lahore
Cantonment where he was detained despite his strong protests.[3]: 170 He was
dismissed from his military commission and his war honours were withdrawn.[46]
Subsequently, he was placed in solitary confinement for sometime, though he was

later released.[47] Being the last to return supported his reputation as a
"soldier's general", but did not shield him from the scorn he faced in Pakistan,
where he was blamed for the surrender. Bhutto discharged Niazi after stripping him
of his military rank, the pension usually accorded to retired soldiers, and his
military decorations.[43] He was dismissed from the service in July 1975.[27]: 144
He was also denied his military pension and medical benefits, though he lodged a
strong complaint against the revoking of his pension.[46] In the 1980s, the
Ministry of Defence quietly changed the status of "dismissal" to "retirement" but
did not restore his rank.[48] The change of order allowed Niazi to seek a pension
and the medical assistance benefits enjoyed by retired military personnel.[48]
Niazi remained active in national politics in 1970s and supported the

ultraconservative agenda on a conservative Pakistan National Alliance platform
against the Pakistan Peoples Party.[1] In 1977, he was again detained by the police
when the Operation Fair Play military coup occurred on 5 July, overthrowing the
government of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Martial law was enforced and
Niazi retired from politics.[49] Niazi remained a hardliner for rest of his life.
[50]
In 1982, Niazi was summoned and confessed to the War Enquiry Commission led by
Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman and the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the events
involving the secession of East Pakistan in April 1975.[51] The War Commission
leveled accusations against him of several kinds of ethical misconduct during his
tenure in East Pakistan. The Commission opined that Niazi supervised the betel leaf
and imported paan using an official aircraft, from East Pakistan to Pakistan.[52]
[53]
The Commission indicted him for corruption and moral turpitude while noting his
bullying of junior officers who opposed his orders.[54] Niazi tried placing the
blame on the Yahya administration, his military adviser Maj. Gen. Farman Ali,
Admiral S.M. Ahsan, Lieutenant-General Yakob Ali, and the military establishment.
The Commission partially accepted his claims by critically noting that General
Niazi was a Supreme Commander of the Eastern Command, and that he was responsible
for everything that happened in the East."[citation needed] Though he showed no
regrets, Niazi refused to accept responsibility for the Breakup of East Pakistan
and squarely blamed President Yahya.[55] The Commission endorsed his claims that
Yahya was to blame, but noted that Niazi was the Commander who lost the East.[55]
The Commission recommended a court-martial be held by the Judge Advocate General

that would indict Niazi for serious breaches of military discipline and the
military code.[34]: 185 No such court-martial took place,[56] but nonetheless, he
was politically maligned and indicted with the war crimes that took place in East
Pakistan. Niazi did not accept the Commission's inquiries and fact-findings,
believing that the Commission had no understanding of military matters.[57] Niazi
claimed that a court-martial would have besmirched the names of those who later
rose to great heights, and that he was being used as a scapegoat.[57]
In 1998, he authored a book, The Betrayal of East Pakistan, which describes his
view of the events that led to 16 December 1971.[1]
Death and legacy

Niazi died on 1 February 2004 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.[1]
Political commentators described Niazi's legacy as a mixture of the foolhardy, and
the ruthless.[53]
A.R. Siddiqui wrote in Dawn newspaper: "When I last met him on 30 September 1971,
at his force headquarters in Kurmitola, he was full of beans".[1]
From the mass of evidence coming before the War Enquiry Commission from witnesses,
both civil and military, there is little doubt that Niazi came to acquire a bad
reputation in sex matters, and this reputation has been consistent during his
postings in Sialkot, Lahore and East Pakistan.[58] The allegations regarding his
indulgence in the export of Pan by using or abusing his position in the Eastern
Command and as Commander of his command also prima facie appear to be well-founded.
[59]
Niazi in his book revealed that he was very depressed at the time of surrender and
that he signed the instrument of surrender with a "very heavy heart".

(Crescent of Courage)
1. 1965 War
2. 1971 War
Sitara-e-Pakistan
(Star of Pakistan)
(SPk)
Sitara-e-Khidmat
(Star of Service)
(SK)
Tamgha-e-Diffa
(General Service Medal)
1. 1965 War Clasp
2. 1971 War Clasp
Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War

(War Star 1965)

(War Star 1971)
Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War

(War Medal 1965)

(War Medal 1971)
Pakistan Tamgha
(Pakistan Medal)
Tamgha-e-Jamhuria
(Republic Commemoration Medal)
1956
Military Cross (MC)[13][60]

(awarded for GALLANTRY
in Kohima 1944)
1939-1945 Star Africa Star Burma Star

War Medal 1939-1945
(with MiD oak leaf)
awarded in Java 1945
India Service Medal

1939–1945
General Service Medal

(awarded in Java 1946)
Queen Elizabeth II
Coronation Medal
(1953)
Foreign Decorations
Foreign Awards
UK Military Cross (MC)[13][60]
1939-1945 Star
Africa Star
Burma Star
War Medal 1939-1945 (with MiD oak leaf)
India Service Medal 1939–1945
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Notes
"Bar" refers to a second award of the same honour.
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Raja, Dewan Mohammad Tasawwar (2010). O General My General (Life and Works of
General M A G Osmany). The Osmany Memorial Trust. pp. 35–109. ISBN 978-984-8866-18-
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Preston, Ian (2001). A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia.
Psychology Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-85743-114-8.
Kapur, Paul (2016). Jihad as Grand Strategy: Islamist Militancy, National
Security, and the Pakistani State. Oxford University Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-19-
061182-8.
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the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
"Fall of Dhaka 1971". Story Of Pakistan. Story Of Pakistan. 4 June 2002. Retrieved
8 January 2017.
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Nepal. Epitome Books. p. 117. ISBN 978-93-80297-15-6.
"Niazi's weapon safe at IMA museum: officer". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 13 July
2023.
"Pistol symbolising Pak defeat stolen". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
Sehgal, Ikram ul-Majeed (2002). "Unknown". Defence Journal. 7 (8): 49. Retrieved 9
January 2017.
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Children". McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-7735-2621-1.
Analyses. 1980. p. 620.
Kak, B. L. (1979). Z. A. Bhutto: Notes from the Death Cell. Rādhā Krishna Press.
"'We should never trust India'". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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p. 79. ISBN 978-0-415-56566-0.
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and America's War on Terror: Allah, the Army, and America's War on Terror.
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Its Unquiet Legacy. Yale University Press. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-300-22102-2.
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"Commission Report". Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 9
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Recommendation for Award for Amir Abdullah Khan Rank: Lieutenant Service No:...
1944.
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Lieutenant-General
Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi
HJ & BAR[a] SPk SK MC
‫امیر عبداللہ خان نیازی‬
Niazi's official military portrait as Lieutenant General (1971)

In office
14 December 1971 – 16 December 1971
President Yahya Khan
Prime Minister Nurul Amin
Preceded by Abdul Motaleb Malik
Commander, Army Eastern Command
In office
4 April 1971 – 16 December 1971
Preceded by Lt. Gen. Tikka Khan
Personal details
Born 1915
Mianwali, Punjab Province, British India (now Pakistan)
Died 1 February 2004 (aged 88–89)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Resting place Military Cemetery, Lahore[citation needed]
Nationality Pakistani
Alma mater Officers' Training School, Bangalore
Command and Staff College, Quetta
Signature
Military service
Allegiance British India
Pakistan
Branch/service Indian Army
Pakistan Army
Years of service 1942–1975
Rank Lieutenant-General
(S/No. PA-477)
Unit 4th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment
Commands GOC, 10th Infantry Division
GOC, 8th Infantry Division
14th Para Brigade[citation needed]
Battles/wars World War II
Burma campaign
Battle of Imphal
Bangladesh Liberation War
Awards Hilal-e-Jurat & Bar[a]
Sitara-e-Pakistan
Sitara-e-Kidmat
Military Cross
Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi HJ & Bar SPk SK MC (1915 – 1 February
2004) was a Pakistan Army general. During the Bangladesh Liberation War and the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he commanded the Pakistani Eastern Command in East
Pakistan (now Bangladesh), he signed the instrument of surrender as in 16 Dec. '71
his forces had to surrender to the Indian Army's Eastern Command's commander
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora by the order of the then President of
Pakistan Yahya Khan.[1]
Niazi's area of responsibility comprised the defense of East Pakistan from India
during the war in 1971, and authors and critics within the Pakistani military held
him morally responsible for his decision to unilaterally surrender the Pakistani
Eastern Command, which resulted in the war's end in a decisive Indian victory as
well as the independence of Bangladesh.[2][3]: 170 [4]
After being taken and held as a prisoner of war by the Indian military, he was
repatriated to Pakistan on 30 April 1975 as part of the Delhi Agreement. He was
dishonourably discharged from his military service at the War Enquiry Commission
led by Hamoodur Rahman.[5] The Commission leveled accusations against him for human
rights violations in East Pakistan and the supervision of smuggling efforts during
the Bangladesh Liberation War; he was held responsible for Pakistan's military
failure during the course of the conflict.[6][7][8] Niazi, however, rejected these
allegations and sought a military court-martial while insisting that he had acted
according to the orders of the Pakistan Army GHQ in Rawalpindi; the court-martial
was never granted.[7]
After the war, he remained active in Pakistani politics and supported an ultra-
conservative agenda under the Pakistan National Alliance against the government of
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s.[1] In 1998, he authored the book The Betrayal of
East Pakistan.
Niazi died in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, on 1 February 2004.[9]
Biography
Khan was born in Mianwali, British India, in 1915, into a Pashtun family. His
village, Balo Khel, is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River.[3]: 12 [10]
[11] After matriculating from a local high-school in Mianwali, he joined the
British Indian Army as a "Y cadet" in 1941 as he was selected for an emergency
commission in the army.[3]: 12
He received training in Officers Training School, Bangalore and Fatehgarh's Rajput

Regiment's training centre; he was commissioned as an Emergency Commissioned
Officer (ECO) in the rank of second lieutenant during the World War II on 8 March
1942 (following a 6 months training) into the 4/7 Rajput Regiment (4th Battalion of
the 7th Rajput Regiment) which was then a part of the 161st Indian Infantry Brigade
led by Brigadier D.F.W. Warren.[3]: 12 [12]
Main articles: Burma Campaign 1944–1945 and Battle of Imphal

On 11 June 1942, Lt. Niazi was stationed in the Kekrim Hills located in regions of
Assam-Manipur to participate in the Burma front.[10] That spring, he was part of
the 14th Army of the British Indian Army commanded by General William Slim.[10]
During this period, the 14th Army had halted the offense against the Imperial
Japanese Army at the Battle of Imphal and elsewhere in bitterly fought battles
along the Burma front.[10] His valor of actions were commendable and General Slim
described his gallantry in a lengthy report to General Headquarters, India, about
his judgment of the best course of action.[10] They agreed on Niazi's skill in
completely surprising the enemy, his leadership, coolness under fire, and his
ability to change tactics, create diversions, extricate his wounded men.[10] At the
Burma front in 1944, Lt. Niazi impressed his superior officers when he commanded a
platoon that initiated an offence against the Imperial Japanese Army at the Bauthi-
Daung tunnels.[10]
Lt. Niazi's gallantry had impressed his British commanders in the GHQ India and
they wanted to award him the Distinguished Service Order, but his rank was not high
enough for such a decoration.[10] During the campaign, Brigadier D.F.W. Warren,
commander of the 161st Indian Infantry Brigade of the British Army, gave Niazi the
soubriquet "Tiger" for his part in a ferocious fight with the Japanese.[10] After
the conflict, the British Government decorated Lt. Niazi with the Military Cross
for leadership, judgement, quick thinking and calmness under pressure in action
along the border with Burma.[13][10][3]: 12
On 15 December 1944, Lord Wavell, Viceroy of India, flew to Imphal and knighted
General Slim and his corps commanders Stopford, Scoones, and Christison in the
presence of Lord Mountbatten.[14][15] Only two British Indian Army officers were
chosen to be decorated at that ceremony— one was Lt. Niazi and the other was Major
Sam Manekshaw of the Frontier Force Regiment.[16]
After the end of World War II, in 1945, from an Emergency Commissioned Officer,
Niazi was granted a regular commission of the British Indian Army, and he got his
service number as IC0-906 (Indian Commissioned Officer-906);[3]: 12 he was promoted
as captain and sent to attend the Command and Staff College in Quetta which he
graduated with a staff course degree under then-Lt. Col. Yahya Khan.[3]: 12
Main articles: Battle of Chawinda and Indo-Pakistani war of 1965

In 1947 the United Kingdom, through the Indian Independence Act 1947, announced
their intention of partitioning British India amid the failure of the 1946 Cabinet
Mission to India. After the creation of Pakistan in August 1947, Major Niazi
decided to opt for Pakistani citizenship and joined the newly established Pakistan
Army where his S/No was redesigned as PA–477 by the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan
and he joined the Punjab Regiment.[3]: 12 He continued serving at the Command and
Staff College in Quetta and briefly completed his tenure as an instructor.[17]
His career in the army progressed well. In the rank of Lt. Col. he served as
commanding officer of two battalions in West Pakistan and one in East Pakistan.[18]
In 1961, he was promoted as Brigadier and offered discussion on infiltration
tactics at the Command and Staff College.[12] Subsequently, he published an article
on infiltration and promoted talks on military-supported local rebellion against
the enemy.[12] He served as the commander of 51st Infantry Brigade in Karachi and
was decorated with the Sitara-i-Khidmat (lit. Service Star) for his contributions
and service with the army. His leadership credentials had led him to be appointed
martial law administrator of both Karachi and Lahore to maintain control of law in
the cities of West Pakistan during this time.[19] Shortly after, he was appointed
as the commandant of School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta.
Brigadier Niazi went on to participate in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the
second war with India.[20] He was appointed as the commander of 14th Paratroopers
Brigade under 7th Infantry Division (then commanded by Maj. Gen. Yahya Khan), which
later became part of the 12th Infantry Division under Maj. Gen. Akhtar Hussain
Malik; Niazi commanded the 1st Infantry Brigade in Azad Kashmir for a brief period
but later was reappointed as the commander of 14th Para Brigade in Zafarwal sector,
he gained public notability when he participated in the famous Battle of Chawinda
tank battle against the Indian Army which halted the Indians troops rotation.[21]
His role in a tank battle led him to be decorated with the Hilal-e-Jurat by the
President of Pakistan.[21] After the war he was again took command of the School of
Infantry and Tactics.
On 18 October 1966, he was promoted as Major-General and made General Officer

Commanding (GOC) of the 8th Infantry Division, stationed in Sialkot, Punjab,
Pakistan.[22] On 22 June 1969, Major-General Niazi was made GOC of 10th Infantry
Division, stationed in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. On 2 April 1971, he was promoted
to Lieutenant General, and his initial appointment in this rank was the commander
of IV Corps,[citation needed] though he never took command of this corps as his
appointment was immediately changed and he was to take command of the Eastern
Command in East Pakistan.
East Pakistan
Main articles: Operation Searchlight, Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971 Bangladesh
genocide, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command
plan
Niazi's strategy of defending the India-East Pakistan border by deploying the

troops at the border.
Lieutenant-General Niazi volunteered for transfer to East Pakistan when Lieutenant-
General Bahadur Sher Khan declined the post.[1] There were two other generals who
had also refused postings in the East. However, Niazi said "yes" without
necessarily realizing the risks involved and how to counter them.[1]
After General Tikka Khan had initiated the Operation Searchlight military crackdown
in March 1971, many officers had declined to be stationed in the East and Niazi
arrived in Dhaka on 4 April 1971 to assume the Eastern Command from Tikka Khan.[23]
Furthermore, the mass killing of Bengali intellectuals in 1971 at the University of
Dhaka had made the East Pakistani people hostile towards the Pakistani military,
which made it hard for Niazi to overcome the situation.[24] On 10/11 April 1971, he
headed a meeting of his senior commanders to assess the situation but, according to
eyewitnesses, he used abusive language aimed at the Bengali rebels.[23] From May
through August 1971, the Indian Army trained Mukti Bahini led Operation Jackpot, a
series of counter guerrilla campaigns against the Eastern Command, and Niazi began
taking countermeasures against the Bengali rebellion.[25] By June 1971, he sent
reports on the rebellion and noted that 30,000 insurgents were hurriedly trained by
India at the India-East Pakistan border.[25] In August 1971, Niazi formulated a
plan to defend the borders from the advancing Indian Army based on a "fortress
concept" which mean converting the border towns and villages into a stronghold.[26]
By September 1971, he was appointed the martial law administrator in order to

provide his support to Governor Abdul Motaleb Malik who appointed a civilian
cabinet.[27] On the issue of the 1971 East Pakistan genocide, Niazi had reportedly
told his public relations officer and press secretary, Major Siddique Salik, that
"we will have to account every single rape and killing when back in (West)
Pakistan. God never spares the Tyrant."[28][29]
The Government of East Pakistan appointed Niazi as commander of the Eastern

Command, and Major-General Rao Farman Ali as their military adviser for the East
Pakistan Rifles and Pakistan Marines.[27] In October 1971, he created and deployed
two ad hoc divisions to strengthen the defence of the East from further
infiltration.[26]
In November 1971, General Abdul Hamid Khan, the Chief of Staff, warned him of an
imminent Indian attack on the East and advised him to redeploy the Eastern Command
on a tactical and political base ground but this was not implemented due to
shortage of time.[30]: 303–304 In a public message, Niazi was praised by Abdul
Hamid Khan saying: "The whole nation is proud of you and you have their full
support".[31]
No further orders or clarification was issued in regards to the orders as Niazi had
been caught unawares when the Indian Army planned to launch a full assault on East
Pakistan.[30]: 303 On 3 December 1971, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched
Operation Chengiz Khan, the pre-emptive PAF air-strikes on Indian Air Force bases
that officially led to start of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the third war with
India.[30]: 304 According to Krishna Chandra Sagar, Niazi was surprisingly not
aware of the attack and had no prior knowledge of the attack.[30]: 304
Credibility of this claim is given by Niazi's press secretary and public relations
officer, then-Major Siddique Salik, who wrote in Witness to Surrender, that Niazi's
chief of staff Brigadier Baqir Siddiqi reportedly scolded him of not notifying
Niazi and his staff of an aerial attack on India.[32]

Main articles: Instrument of Surrender (1971) and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Prisoners of War Investigation
Lieutenant-General Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of

Indian Army's Eastern Command's commander Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora (sitting beside
Niazi), on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka.
When Indian Army soldiers crossed the borders and charged towards Dhaka, General
Niazi panicked when he came to realise the real nature of the Indian strategy and
became frantically nervous when the Indian Army successfully penetrated the defence
of the East.[30]: 304 Niazi's military staff further regretted not heeding the
intelligence warnings issued 20 years earlier in the 1952 Cable 1971 report
compiled by Major K. M. Arif, the military intelligence official on Niazi's staff.
[33]
According to the testimonies provided by Major-General Farman Ali in the War

Enquiry Commission, Niazi's morale collapsed as early as 7 December and he cried
frantically over the progress report presented to Governor Abdul Motaleb.[34]: 183
Niazi ultimately blamed Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan for the army's oppressive
strategy.[35] Major accusations were also directed toward Lieutenant-General Yakob
Ali Khan, Admiral S. M. Ahsan and Major-General Ali for aggravating the crisis, but
Niazi had to bear most responsibility for all that happened in the East.[citation
needed]
General Niazi, along with his deputy Rear-Admiral Mohammad Shariff, nervously tried
reassessing the situation to halt the Indian Army's penetration by directing joint
army-navy operations with no success.[36][37] The Pakistani military combat units
found themselves involved in a guerrilla war with the Mukti Bahini under Atul
Osmani, and were unprepared and untrained for such warfare.[38]
On 9 December, the Indian Government accepted the sovereignty of Bangladesh and

extended its diplomatic mission to the Provisional Government of Bangladesh.[39]
This eventually led Governor Abdul Motaleb to resign from his post and he took
refuge with his entire cabinet at the Red Cross shelter at the Inter-Continental
Dacca on 14 December.[18]
Niazi eventually took control of the civilian government and received a telegram on
16 December 1971 from President Yahya Khan: "You have fought a heroic battle
against overwhelming odds. The nation is proud of you ... You have now reached a
stage where further resistance is no longer humanly possible nor will it serve any
useful purpose ... You should now take all necessary measures to stop the fighting
and preserve the lives of armed forces personnel, all those from West Pakistan and
all loyal elements".[3]: 73–74
During this time, the Special Branch of the East Pakistan Police notified Niazi of
the joint Indo-Bengali siege of Dhaka as the Eastern Command led by Lieutenant-
General Jagjit Singh Aurora began encircling Dhaka.[40] Niazi then appealed for a
conditional ceasefire to Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora which called for
transferring power to the elected government, but without the surrender of the
Eastern Command led by Niazi.[40] This offer was rejected by Indian Army's Chief of
Army Staff General Sam Manekshaw and he set a deadline for surrender, President
Yahya Khan considered it as "illegitimate.[16][40] Niazi then once again appealed
for a cease-fire, but Manekshaw set a deadline for surrender, failing which Dhaka
would come under siege.[16]
Subsequently, the Indian Army began encircling Dhaka and Lieutenant-General Jagjit
Singh Aurora sent a message through Major-General Rafael Jacob that issued an
ultimatum to surrender in a "30-minutes" time window on 16 December 1971.[41] Niazi
agreed to surrender and sent a message to Manekshaw despite many army officers
declined to obey, although they were legally bound.[42] The Indian Army commanders,
Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, Lieutenant General J.S. Aurora, and Major-General
Rafael Farj Jacob arrived at Dhaka via helicopter with the surrender documents.[41]
The surrender took place at Ramna Race Course, in Dhaka at local time 16:31 on 16
December 1971. Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender and handed over his
personal weapon to J. S. Aurora in the presence of Indian and Bangladesh force
commanders. With Niazi, nearly 90,000 personnel of the Eastern Command surrendered
to the joint Indian and Bangladesh Army.[43]
Niazi's Revolver
Niazi's personal weapon was gifted by J. S. Aurora to Indian Military Academy for
its golden jubiliy celebration and preserved at National Museum in New Delhi.[44]
The resolver was reportedly stolen from the National Museum in 2003.[45]

Main article: Transfer of Population Under the Terms of the Delhi Agreement
Niazi, who was repatriated to Pakistan, was handed over to Lieutenant-General Abdul
Hamid, then corps commander of the IV Corps, by Indian Army from the Wagha
checkpoint in Lahore District, Punjab, in April 1975, in a symbolic gesture of the
last war prisoner held by India.[5]: 620 Upon arriving in Lahore, he refrained from
speaking to news media correspondents, and was taken under the custody of the
Pakistan Army's Military Police (MP) who shifted him via helicopter to Lahore
Cantonment where he was detained despite his strong protests.[3]: 170 He was
dismissed from his military commission and his war honours were withdrawn.[46]
Subsequently, he was placed in solitary confinement for sometime, though he was

later released.[47] Being the last to return supported his reputation as a
"soldier's general", but did not shield him from the scorn he faced in Pakistan,
where he was blamed for the surrender. Bhutto discharged Niazi after stripping him
of his military rank, the pension usually accorded to retired soldiers, and his
military decorations.[43] He was dismissed from the service in July 1975.[27]: 144
He was also denied his military pension and medical benefits, though he lodged a
strong complaint against the revoking of his pension.[46] In the 1980s, the
Ministry of Defence quietly changed the status of "dismissal" to "retirement" but
did not restore his rank.[48] The change of order allowed Niazi to seek a pension
and the medical assistance benefits enjoyed by retired military personnel.[48]
Niazi remained active in national politics in 1970s and supported the

ultraconservative agenda on a conservative Pakistan National Alliance platform
against the Pakistan Peoples Party.[1] In 1977, he was again detained by the police
when the Operation Fair Play military coup occurred on 5 July, overthrowing the
government of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Martial law was enforced and
Niazi retired from politics.[49] Niazi remained a hardliner for rest of his life.
[50]
In 1982, Niazi was summoned and confessed to the War Enquiry Commission led by
Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman and the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the events
involving the secession of East Pakistan in April 1975.[51] The War Commission
leveled accusations against him of several kinds of ethical misconduct during his
tenure in East Pakistan. The Commission opined that Niazi supervised the betel leaf
and imported paan using an official aircraft, from East Pakistan to Pakistan.[52]
[53]
The Commission indicted him for corruption and moral turpitude while noting his
bullying of junior officers who opposed his orders.[54] Niazi tried placing the
blame on the Yahya administration, his military adviser Maj. Gen. Farman Ali,
Admiral S.M. Ahsan, Lieutenant-General Yakob Ali, and the military establishment.
The Commission partially accepted his claims by critically noting that General
Niazi was a Supreme Commander of the Eastern Command, and that he was responsible
for everything that happened in the East."[citation needed] Though he showed no
regrets, Niazi refused to accept responsibility for the Breakup of East Pakistan
and squarely blamed President Yahya.[55] The Commission endorsed his claims that
Yahya was to blame, but noted that Niazi was the Commander who lost the East.[55]
The Commission recommended a court-martial be held by the Judge Advocate General

that would indict Niazi for serious breaches of military discipline and the
military code.[34]: 185 No such court-martial took place,[56] but nonetheless, he
was politically maligned and indicted with the war crimes that took place in East
Pakistan. Niazi did not accept the Commission's inquiries and fact-findings,
believing that the Commission had no understanding of military matters.[57] Niazi
claimed that a court-martial would have besmirched the names of those who later
rose to great heights, and that he was being used as a scapegoat.[57]
In 1998, he authored a book, The Betrayal of East Pakistan, which describes his
view of the events that led to 16 December 1971.[1]
Death and legacy

Niazi died on 1 February 2004 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.[1]
Political commentators described Niazi's legacy as a mixture of the foolhardy, and

the ruthless.[53]
A.R. Siddiqui wrote in Dawn newspaper: "When I last met him on 30 September 1971,
at his force headquarters in Kurmitola, he was full of beans".[1]
From the mass of evidence coming before the War Enquiry Commission from witnesses,
both civil and military, there is little doubt that Niazi came to acquire a bad
reputation in sex matters, and this reputation has been consistent during his
postings in Sialkot, Lahore and East Pakistan.[58] The allegations regarding his
indulgence in the export of Pan by using or abusing his position in the Eastern
Command and as Commander of his command also prima facie appear to be well-founded.
[59]
Niazi in his book revealed that he was very depressed at the time of surrender and
that he signed the instrument of surrender with a "very heavy heart".

(Crescent of Courage)
1. 1965 War
2. 1971 War
Sitara-e-Pakistan
(Star of Pakistan)
(SPk)
Sitara-e-Khidmat
(Star of Service)
(SK)
Tamgha-e-Diffa
(General Service Medal)
1. 1965 War Clasp
2. 1971 War Clasp

(War Star 1965)

(War Star 1971)

(War Medal 1965)

(War Medal 1971)
Pakistan Tamgha
(Pakistan Medal)
Tamgha-e-Jamhuria
(Republic Commemoration Medal)
1956
Military Cross (MC)[13][60]

(awarded for GALLANTRY
in Kohima 1944)
1939-1945 Star Africa Star Burma Star
War Medal 1939-1945
(with MiD oak leaf)
awarded in Java 1945
India Service Medal

1939–1945

(awarded in Java 1946)
Queen Elizabeth II
Coronation Medal
(1953)
Foreign Decorations
Foreign Awards
UK Military Cross (MC)[13][60]
1939-1945 Star
Africa Star
Burma Star
War Medal 1939-1945 (with MiD oak leaf)
India Service Medal 1939–1945
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Notes
"Bar" refers to a second award of the same honour.
References
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appraisal". Dawn. Islamabad. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
Joura, J. S. (2011). A Blessed Life. New Delhi: Sanbun Publishers. pp. 109–110.
ISBN 9788170103851.
Bhattacharya, Brigadier Samir (2014). NOTHING BUT!. India: Partridge Publishing.
ISBN 9781482817201. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2010). "The Cold War and the Nuclear Age, 1945–2008". A
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Analyses. 1983. p. 620.
"Gendercide Watch". Gendercide.org. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
Mir, Hamid (16 December 2014). "Forty-three years of denial". The Indian Express
(Opinion). Noida, India. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
Ahmed, Khalid (7 July 2012). "'Genetic engineering' in East Pakistan". The Express
Tribune. Islamabad, Pakistan. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
Jaffor Ullah, A H (6 February 2004). "On General Niazi's departure". The Daily
Star. Dhaka. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
"Lieutenant-General A. A. K. Niazi". The Times. London. 11 March 2004. Archived
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Recommendation for Award for Amir Abdullah Khan Rank: Lieutenant Service No:...
1944.
External links
Pakistan: Independence and Military Succession
Video of Surrender By General Niazi, A. A. K.
Lt. Gen A.A.K. Niazi
Military offices
Preceded by
Lieutenant General Tikka Khan
Commander of Eastern Command
7 April 1971 – 16 December 1971 Succeeded by
Office abolished
Political offices
Preceded by
Abdul Motaleb Malik
14 December 1971 – 16 December 1971 Succeeded by
Office abolished
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Bangladesh Bangladesh Liberation War
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Pakistan Army
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World War II and Burma campaigns

Pakistan Army: from major to lieutenant general

Niazi's official military portrait as Lieutenant General (1971)

Niazi died in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, on 1 February 2004.[9]

World War II and Burma campaigns

Main articles: Burma Campaign 1944–1945 and Battle of Imphal

Pakistan Army: from major to lieutenant general

Main articles: Battle of Chawinda and Indo-Pakistani war of 1965

Brigadier Niazi went on to participate in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the

On 18 October 1966, he was promoted as Major-General and made General Officer

Niazi's strategy of defending the India-East Pakistan border by deploying the

By September 1971, he was appointed the martial law administrator in order to

The Government of East Pakistan appointed Niazi as commander of the Eastern

Surrendering of Eastern Command

Lieutenant-General Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of

According to the testimonies provided by Major-General Farman Ali in the War

On 9 December, the Indian Government accepted the sovereignty of Bangladesh and

War prisoner, repatriation, and politics

Subsequently, he was placed in solitary confinement for sometime, though he was

Niazi remained active in national politics in 1970s and supported the

War Enquiry Commission

The Commission recommended a court-martial be held by the Judge Advocate General

Death and legacy

Awards and decorations

Hilal-e-Jurat & Bar[a]

1. 1965 War Clasp

2. 1971 War Clasp

Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War

Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War

Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War

Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War

Military Cross (MC)[13][60]

1939-1945 Star Africa Star Burma Star

awarded in Java 1945

India Service Medal

General Service Medal

Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata

WikipediaThe Free Encyclopedia

Wiki Loves Monuments: Photograph a monument, help Wikipedia and win!

Niazi's official military portrait as Lieutenant General (1971)

Niazi died in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, on 1 February 2004.[9]

He received training in Officers Training School, Bangalore and Fatehgarh's Rajput

World War II and Burma campaigns

Main articles: Burma Campaign 1944–1945 and Battle of Imphal

Pakistan Army: from major to lieutenant general

Main articles: Battle of Chawinda and Indo-Pakistani war of 1965

On 18 October 1966, he was promoted as Major-General and made General Officer

Niazi's strategy of defending the India-East Pakistan border by deploying the

By September 1971, he was appointed the martial law administrator in order to

The Government of East Pakistan appointed Niazi as commander of the Eastern

Surrendering of Eastern Command

Lieutenant-General Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of

According to the testimonies provided by Major-General Farman Ali in the War

On 9 December, the Indian Government accepted the sovereignty of Bangladesh and

War prisoner, repatriation, and politics

Subsequently, he was placed in solitary confinement for sometime, though he was

Niazi remained active in national politics in 1970s and supported the

War Enquiry Commission

The Commission recommended a court-martial be held by the Judge Advocate General

Death and legacy