Army Institute of Military History

Pakistan’s military history stretches far back into antiquity, to our sturdy ancestors along the Mighty Indus, who tilled the land and defended themselves against multiple waves of invaders. Our soldiers today are descendent from those very same warriors of antiquity, while structurally, the Pakistan Army is directly descended from the grand old regiments of the old Indian Army, some of which predate Pakistan by nearly two hundred years. It has a rich and proud history extending both sides of Partition (1947) – always defending Pakistan.

Army Institute of Military History (AIMH)
Active	2 June 2017–present
Country	Pakistan
Branch	Pakistan Army
Type	Institute
Role	Research and analysis on military history, history of Pakistan Army and contemporary affairs
Part of	Pakistan Army
Headquarters	AIMH Rawalpindi Cantt. [1]
Website	www.youtube.army.gov (ISPR official account)

Taken together, Pakistan’s military history and the overlapping history of Pakistan Army form a substantial part of our nation’s history. Add to this the need for our officers and men to be well-versed in general military history - a matter very close to their hearts - and one can see the case for a single organisation to handle these subjects taken together.

The COAS (Chief of Army Staff) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is credited with approving a proposal to establish the Army Institute of Military History on 2nd June 2017 – the day we were officially born. It has been set up as a semi-autonomous research body with a broad outreach both within the civilian and military domains and is steered by a designated governing body, the Army History Board (AHB).

Located in Rawalpindi and close to the Army Museum and the Army Central Library, the institute is mandated to archive, record, research, teach and promote military history, along with allied subjects such as physical history (in all its dimensions), battle honours, regimental lineages, customs of the service, matters of dress and accouterments, and so on. The institute also serves as a forum for veterans, academia, subject experts and concerned civil society members to gather and air their learned views on subjects of interest to the Army. AIMH also encompasses outreach to academia and students.

With a Military History Wing, Composite Wing and Current Affairs Wing, the institute is emerging as a centre for both historical and current affairs; a melting pot for serving and retired officers, and civilians to meet and exchange views. Our forte remains military history, with research directors assigned to regularly visit the Army’s schools of instruction, and the nation’s universities and colleges as visiting faculty and guest speakers. Military history buffs will also find themselves welcome in our lounges.

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Its mission is to advise the army staff on historical matters in an event of conflict or peacetime, as well as preserving the history and heritage of the Pakistan Army.[2] The AIMH is attached with the IG T&E Br, currently based at the Army GHQ.[3]