Colonel Aga Javed Iqbal passed away in Dubai on July 16, 2013. He was from the first generation of post-independence officer corps that joined Pakistan army right after independence. He was from the generation that absorbed all the best traditions of British Indian army and carried it forward in the formative years of the army of the new nation. He was born in Montgomery (now renamed Sahiwal) on 23rd October 1930. He was commissioned with the 3rd PMA Long Course and joined Probyn’s Horse on 16 July 1951. Probyn’s Horse was numbered 5 in 1922 re-organization but it is the only cavalry regiment of India and Pakistan still known as Probyn’s Horse. He was adjutant of the Regiment from 6 September 1953 to 19 February 1954. In 1947, when Indian army was divided, cavalry regiments were also divided among successor states. Indian share was twelve cavalry regiments while Pakistan got six (5th Probyn’s Horse, 6th DCO Lancers, 10th Guides Cavalry, 11 PAVO Cavalry, 13th DCO Lancers & 19th KGO Lancers). Famous 4th Hodson Horse was allotted to India and that number was vacant. In 1956, Pakistan raised 4th Cavalry and Probyn’s Horse provided personnel under the command of Iqbal for the new regiment. After helping in raising of 4th Cavalry, he served as an instructor in the Tactical Wing of School of Armor. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel rank he rejoined Probyn’s Horse as commandant on 29 December 1966 taking command from Lieutenant Colonel Sabiruddin. He remained in command till 12 April 1969 when he handed over to Lieutenant Colonel (later Lieutenant General) S.R. Kallue. In 1971 war, he was Colonel Staff of 6th Armored Division. He was retired from the army in early 1972.
Colonel Iqbal was a regimental officer par excellence. Probyn’s Horse was his first love. He carried forward the traditions of British predecessors where regiment formed the backbone of the institution. Lieutenant Colonel Maqsood Ali Khan remembers an incident when one day Colonel Iqbal’s wife Joy asked him “What is wrong with Javed? He gets up in the middle of the night, scribbles something on the pad and goes back to sleep”. “Those”, Maqsood replied “are the points which keep everyone hopping in the regiment from morning to night and beyond”. Lieutenant General S. M. Amjad who served as his Adjutant narrates an incident that shows that while taking risks he cared about his subordinates. He was returning after inspecting the regiment at firing ranges and decided to take a short cut by taking his jeep sliding down a steep sand dune. However, he ordered his Adjutant, driver and wireless operator out and took the jeep down alone.
He was a hard task master and demanded excellence from his subordinates but also fiercely protected their interests. He was not afraid to confront his seniors in defense of his under command officers and men. His famous maxim was, “I lick the juniors and kick the seniors”. He was able to wrest back 81 acres of the original large estate of regiment’s stud farm appropriated by General Head Quarters (GHQ). In 2000, he helped Daniel P. Marston in his excellent work on the role of Indian army in Burma campaign of Second World War. This work was published in 2003 titled Phoenix from the Ashes. Colonel Iqbal provided information about the role of Probyn’s Horse in Burma campaign and arranged for Marston’s visit to the regiment in Pakistan and interviews with regiment’s veterans.
A typical example of Colonel Iqbal’s character is shown in another incident narrated by Lieutenant Colonel Maqsood Ali Khan. Once, the formation Head Quarter (HQ) asked the regiment to send its most decorated soldier to attend a get together of some visiting foreign soldiers. Colonel Iqbal ordered that regiment’s head sweeper Neela to be fitted with a new uniform at regimental expense, and attend with all his medals. Neela was a World War II veteran, with Burma Cross on his chest. When formation HQ objected, Colonel Iqbal remarked that Neela was a non combatant ENROLLED (a soldier), and the most decorated soldier of his regiment. His point of view prevailed and the HQ relented. This shows that only a thoroughly professional officer could take such a stance with faith in every member under his command and not compromising his stand to simply please superiors.
One of his regimental officers Brigadier Javed Khan remembers him as “always the gentleman, he was an officer, whom many wanted to imitate but few could live up to his conduct and his zest for life”. He regularly visited England attending events arranged by former Indian Cavalry Officers’ Association. He was Chairman of Common Wealth Ex-Servicemen Association of Pakistan that is affiliated with Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL). RCEL holds a conference every few years and Colonel Iqbal attended every conference, including those held in Cape town, Barbados, London, Ottawa, Ghana and, last year in Malta. Major John Chiles who had known Colonel Iqbal for over two decades has this to say about Colonel Iqbal; “It was a very great privilege to have known Colonel Javed Iqbal. To have worked with him gave one an insight into a remarkable man who cared so much, and achieved so much, for others.”
Colonel Iqbal was a key player in a little known act in the immediate aftermath of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war that resulted in emergence of independent Bangladesh. A small group of officers showed their displeasure at the pathetic performance of senior brass and were instrumental in forcing military leadership to hand power to civilian leaders.
Army Reserve North (ARN) was assembled at the onset of war as a reserve formation based near Gujranwala. It was commanded by Major General Muhammad Bashir Khan and his Chief of Staff (COS) was Colonel Aleem Afridi. Aleem was a first rate gunner officer and serving as Chief Instructor at War Wing of National Defence College (NDC). When war started, college was closed and he was appointed COS of ARN. ARN consisted of 6th Armored Division commanded by Major General Iskandar ul Karim (he was a Bengali officer and nick named Bacchu Karim) and 17th Infantry Division commanded by Major General R.D. Shamim. Colonel Iqbal was serving as Colonel Staff of 6th Armored Division.
When news of surrender in East Pakistan was announced, soon followed by the announcement of a cease fire in West Pakistan, there was general anger and discontent in army. Brigadier F.B. Ali of 6th Armored Division thought that army leadership may try to hang on to power and use army against civilian unrest. He made the decision to convey these feelings to senior brass. Colonel Iqbal readily agreed to the proposal. They failed to convince their GOC Major General Karim. They drafted a letter and Colonel Iqbal and Colonel Aleem flew to Rawalpindi and met CGS Lieutenant General Gul Hassan conveying their demand that senior brass must hand over power to elected representatives. This internal pressure from the organization was instrumental in handing over power to civilians. Lieutenant General Gul Hassan was appointed new Commander-in-Chief. Officers involved in forcing the hand of military brass including Colonel Iqbal were removed from their posts and later retired from army.
Three years ago, Colonel Iqbal contacted me regarding some of my own work on Pakistan army. I had twice planned to meet him but my own trips to Pakistan were so hectic that I was unable to meet him; however we remained ‘e-mail pals’. He was always kind and gracious, correcting my mistakes as well as providing valuable information about many aspects of Pakistan army history. If he was not sure of something, he would consult his colleagues (which he called vintage era pals) and promptly get back to me with relevant information and clarification and all this was done despite his ill health. My last interaction with him was few months ago when he provided valuable information about my two pieces; one about Lieutenant General Shah Rafi Alam and another about role of Pakistan army in filming of Bhowani Junction starring Ava Gardner.
Colonel Iqbal left army in early 1972, but he remained fully involved with the welfare of soldiers especially his regiment for the next forty years. He is remembered by those who knew him as an officer and gentleman. Knowing his love for Probyn’s Horse, I’m sure first in line to greet him at the doors of heaven would be General Deighton Probyn, Lieutenant Generals Shah Rafi Alam, Gul Hassan and S.R. Kallue.
Lest the young soldiers be strange in heaven,
God bids the old soldier they all adored
Come to Him and wait for them, clean, new-shriven,
A happy door keeper in the House
of the Lord.
Lest it abash them, the strange
new splendor,
Lest it affright them, the new
robes clean;
Here’s an old face, now, long-tried, and tender,
A word and a hand-clasp as
they troop in.
“My boys,” he greets them: and
heaven is homely,
He their great captain in days
gone o’er;
Dear is the friend’s face, honest
and comely,
Waiting to welcome them by
The strange door.
The Old Soldier by Katharine Tynan
Acknowledgement: Author thanks Brigadier Asad Ali Khan for providing memories from regimental officers of Probyn’s Horse including Lieutenant General S.M. Amjad, Brigadier Javed Khan, Brigadier Maqsood Ahmad Khan, Lieutenant Colonel Maqsood Ali Khan and Major John Chiles. Special thanks to Brigadier F. B. Ali for providing details of events of December 1971.
