Ahmad Zamir

Vice-Admiral Ahmad Zamir (Urdu:احمد ضمير 30; April 1930 – 9 September 1985), HI(M), SJ was a three-star rank admiral in the Pakistan Navy. Prior to his death in 1985, he was serving as the Managing Director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering from 1983 until 1985.

Ahmad Zamir
Managing Director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering
In office
1983–1985
Secretary of Defence Productions
In office
19 April 1981 – 8 August 1982
Preceded byTariq Mustafa
Succeeded byAbdul Majid Mufti
Personal details
Born
Zamir Ahmad

(1930-04-30)30 April 1930
Delhi, India
(Present-day in New Delhi in India)
Died9 September 1985(1985-09-09) (aged 55)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Cause of deathCardiac arrest
Resting placeMilitary cemetery in Karachi
Citizenship Pakistan
RelationsKhurshid Ahmad
(Younger brother)
Military service
Allegiance Pakistan
Branch/service Pakistan Navy
Years of service1950-1985
RankVice-Admiral
(PN No. 325)[1]
UnitExecutive Branch
CommandsDCNS(Ops)
DCNS (Projects)
Commander Pakistan Fleet
Naval Intelligence (Nav Intel)
CO Pakistan Marines East
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Awards Hilal-i-Imtiaz
Sitara-i-Jurat

Biography

Ahmad Zamir's original name was given as Zamir Ahmad but changed to Ahmad Zamir to ease to pronunciation.[2]:40 His family was an ultraconservative who followed the strict teaching of the Islam, and was initially homeschooled by their father.[2]:38–41 His younger brother, Dr. Khurshid Ahmad is a well known economist and a political figure in the country.[2]:41 Despite his family's strict religious adherence, Zamir, in the Navy, was nonetheless described as moderate person.[3]:185–187

After his matriculation in 1947, he was admitted and enrolled at a technical college in Delhi to study electrical engineering but made a transfer to Forman Christian College in Lahore where he did his pre-engineering courses after his family emigrated to Pakistan after the partition of India on 14 August 1947.[4]:77 The family later moved to Karachi where Ahmad was admitted to attend the NED University of Engineering and Technology to become an electrical engineer.[4]:77 However, Ahmad left his studies in his final years to complete his B.E. program after seeing the navy advertisement and joined the Pakistan Navy in 1950.[4]:77

He was sent to United Kingdom where he attended the Britannia Naval College and graduated in electronics in 1954, upon returning, he was promoted as Sub-Lieutenant in the Navy.[4]:77 His career in the Navy progressed well, and participated in the second war with India in 1965 as Lieutenant-Commander, and was later trained at the Pakistan Military Academy in 1966–68.[3]:187 In 1969, Cdr Zamir was posted in East-Pakistan where he was instrumental in setting up the Pakistan Marines's battalions with the elements of the Baloch Regiment.[3]:187 In 1970, Captain Zamir was made commanding officer of the Pakistan Marines.[5] On 25 March 1971, Capt. Zamir deployed battalion of Pakistan Marines, together with the SSG Navy, in Chittagong. Additionally, there three more battalions were deployed with gunboats in Cox sector.[6]:187 Captain Zamir fought well in the war, and was decorated with gallantry award in his absence when he was taken war prisoner by the Indian Army in December 1971 where he was held in Jabalpur Fort.[7]:211

In 1974, Captain Zamir was repatriated to Pakistan from Zero Point Zero Point under the agreement signed with India. He continued his military service with the Navy, and was appointed as Director-General of Naval Intelligence with the rank of Commodore in 1975–77.[8]:249 In 1977, Cdre Zamir was appointed as DCNS of Operations (DCNS(Ops)), and later elevated as Chief of Staff under naval chief, Admiral Karamat Rahman Niazi, in 1979.[8]:250–251

In 1979-81, Rear-Admiral Zamir was appointed as a Commander Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK).[9]:378 In 1981, he was promoted to three-star rank and was posted in Ministry of Defence Production.[10] Vice-Admiral Ahmad served as the Secretary of Defence Production from 1981 until 1982 when he was appointed managing-director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering which he remained until his death in 1985.[11]:27[12]:7

Vice-Admiral Ahmad was initially in the race of being appointed to the four-star appointment and was promoted to four-star rank Admiral in Navy. Before the news was announced, Vice-Admiral Ahmad died of heart attack and Vice-Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey was elevated as chief of naval staff.[4]

See also

References
  1. Shabbir, Usman. "List of Gallantry Awardees – PN Officers/CPOs/Sailors «  PakDef Military Consortium". pakdef.org. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  2. Esposito, John L.; Voll, John O. (2001). "Makers of Contemporary Islam". Makers of Contemporary Islam (googlebooks). Oxford University Press. p. 41. ISBN 9780198032397. Retrieved 10 August 2017. ahmad zamir rear admiral.
  3. Akhtar, Haq Nawaz (2007). If truth be told: an alternative history of Pakistan. Karachi, Sindh, Pk: Sang-i Meel Publications.
  4. Hasan, Mahbabul (March 2011). "Meeting with History: A Conversation with Prof. Khurshid Ahmad" (pdf). www.asafas.kyoto-u.ac.jp. University of Kyoto, Japan. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  5. Zaheer, Hasan (1995). The separation of East Pakistan : the rise and realization of Bengali Muslim Nationalism (2. impr. ed.). Karachi [u.a.]: Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN 0-19-577492-2. "4 December [1971] East Pakistan: Dhaka ... and the Naval Captain Zamir were also present and having coffee.
  6. Niazi, A.A.K. (1999). The betrayal of East Pakistan (2. impr. ed.). Karachi, Pk.: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195792750.
  7. Qureshi, Hakeem Arshad (2002). The 1971 Indo-Pak War: A Soldier's Narrative. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195797787. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  8. Sirohey, Iftikhar Ahmed (1995). Truth Never Retires: An Autobiography of Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey (1st ed.). Karachi, Pk: Jang Publishers.
  9. Jane, Frederick Thomas. Jane's Fighting Ships. S. Low, Marston & Company. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  10. "Ministry of Defence Production". webcache.googleusercontent.com. Ministry of Defence Production Press. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  11. Pakistan & Gulf Economist. S. Akhtar Ali. 1984. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  12. Junejo), Pakistan Prime Minister (1985-: Mohammad; Jūnejo, Muḥammad K̲h̲ān (1985). Messages and Interviews: July 1-September 30, 1985. Directorate of Films & Publications, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
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