Indians who served in subordinate posts in the army, Survey of India, Indian Medical Service and civil service were exposed to the wider world. The Raj introduced modern education in India and encouraged its servants to educate their children. When officer corps of Indian army was opened for natives, this generation became the pioneers. Independent India and Pakistan inherited these officers and the tradition of several family members serving in armed forces continued.
Mehboob Alam Khan joined the Survey of India in 1927. In 1941 he was given a King’s Commission and inducted into the Corps of Indian Engineers (CIE) as a second lieutenant and posted to Iraq on the Turkish border. He was ordered to conduct mapping of the area, but he refused as he thought it was a prelude to an invasion of Turkey. He was sent on an adverse report to serve in Burma as punishment. In Burma he did well and was mentioned in dispatches. In 1946, he was serving as a major in Lord Mountbatten’s headquarters. He reverted to the Survey of India and opted for Pakistan and retired in 1966 as Deputy Surveyor General. He died in 1971 before the war. He sent all his sons to serve Pakistan.
In the 1971 war, eight Alam brothers were serving in all three services on eastern and western fronts. This is a world record where eight brothers served in combat zone and one cannot even imagine what was going through the mind of their mother. She must be proud of giving her most precious possessions in service of the nation but at the same time melting of a mother’s heart at the thought of dangers faced by her sons.
Three brothers: Lieutenant Colonel Firoz Alam Khan (33 Frontier Force), Major Shamim Alam Khan SJ (28 Cavalry) and Lieutenant Javed Alam Khan (63 Field Regiment Artillery) were serving in Chamb in the western theatre. Shamim commanded a Special Services Group (SSG) Company and operated behind enemy lines in the Sialkot Sector in 1965 and was awarded Sitara-e-Jurat (SJ). Later he rose to become General and served as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee. Javed later joined 24 Cavalry and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. Captain Ejaz Alam Khan (13 Lancers) was killed in action at Barapind in Zafarwal Sector on 16 December 1971. Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) Zahir Alam (13 Lancer, 23 Cavalry, 22 Cavalry & 38 Cavalry) was commanding 3 Commando Battalion in East Pakistan and led the operation to capture Sheikh Mujib-ur Rehman. Later, he fought the war in the Western Desert Sector after raising 38 Cavalry. Zahir wrote a book about his military career called “The Way it Was”.
Two Alam brothers were serving with Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 1971 as Flight Lieutenant Mushtaq Alam Khan had died in an air collision while practicing air combat in 1967 with his best friend Flight Lieutenant Saleem Sundal. Squadron Leader Shuaib Alam was flying a B-57 and Squadron Leader Aftab Alam a Mirage fighter jet in combat missions. Shuaib was awarded gallantry award Sitara-e-Jurat ( SJ) in the 1965 war and later was grounded due to health reasons. In 1971 he volunteered to fly and undertook eleven missions on B 57s and was again recommended for SJ. After the war he was grounded again. He resigned saying that if he could fly in a war, he should be allowed to fly in peace time. He later joined Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
In the 1965 War Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam was awarded SJ for shooting down the first aircraft on 6 September 1965, which he returned saying he was just doing his duty. Later, he was awarded Tamgha-e-Basalat (TBt). In 1971 Aftab was selected to attend the Royal Air Force (RAF) Staff Course in Bracknell but with was looming, he asked to be excused. In 1974 he was arrested along with six other pilots and charged with the conspiracy to overthrow the government. All officers were forcibly retired from PAF and they went to court against this decision. Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto realized that they were likely to win the case, so he reinstated all of them and retired the Air Chief, Air Marshal Zafar Choudhry. Aftab was promoted Wing Commander and sent to Syria as Chief Instructor of the Syrian Air Force. He later left PAF and joined PIA.
Shamoon Alam was commissioned from the Dartmouth Naval Academy, United Kingdom (UK). As a young Lieutenant he participated in the UN Mission to West Iran and was the Gunnery Officer on PNS Dacca in 1965. In 1971 he was the Gunnery Officer on PNS Babur, our Flag Ship. He later commanded the Naval SSG and the Pakistan Naval Academy and was Commander Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK). He retired as a Vice Admiral and later served as Ambassador to Tunisia and Ukraine.
Several members of the Malik family served in the 1971 war. Major General (later Lieutenant General) Abdul Ali Malik (13, 14 & 19 Punjab Regiment) was commanding 8 infantry division in Sialkot. His son, Sajjad Ali Malik was a cadet in Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul. Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Majid Malik, the General’s younger brother, was commanding 19 Punjab in Hussainiwala sector. His nephew, Salim Akhtar Malik was serving in the same battalion and brother-in-law Jamil Ahmad was battery commander in the same unit. Late Lieutenant General Akhtar Hussain Malik’s son Major Saeed Akhtar Malik (14 Punjab) was platoon commander at PMA Kakul and when war started, he joined his battalion. His brother Jamil was a cadet at PMA. His cousin Major (later Brigadier) Humayun Malik (17 Punjab & Aviation) also saw action in the war.
In the Second World War, a young Muslim lieutenant met a charming Sikh girl who was Captain in the Women Auxiliary Corps India (WACI). The couple fell in love and married. The young lieutenant was Akhtar Alam, his grandfather who had served in Survey of India had settled in Burma where Akhtar was born. He was a graduate of Aligarh University. In 1944, he was commissioned in Rajputana Rifles. The Sikh girl Onkar Singh Sahi was from a military family of Sialkot. Her father and brother were serving in CIE. She converted to Islam and was named Obaida Alam. In 1947, the couple opted for Pakistan, she hung her uniform and Akhtar joined 12 Baloch Regiment. Later, he commanded 18 Baloch Regiment. In the 1971 war he was Brigadier and commanding 54 Brigade in Sialkot. His three sons were also serving in armed forces. Major (later Brigadier) Kamal Alam was from 37 PMA course and commissioned in 12 Baloch Regiment. He fought war in Chor desert area in Sindh. Captain (later Brigadier) Mujahid Alam was from 8 War Course and commissioned in 18 Baloch Regiment. He fought the war in Sulaimanki sector in the western theatre. Flying Officer (later Flight Lieutenant) Tahir Alam was stationed at Sargodha base, and flying MIG-19 fighter jet. After the war, he volunteered to appear before the Hamoodur Rahman Commission but was prevented by air headquarter. He left the air force and joined private aviation. He was the personal pilot of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and Turkish President Turgut Ozal.
The bravery of a soldier is visible and appreciated, however, the invisible is the military family, the backbone of the service that remains behind the scenes but plays a crucial role in supporting the man on the front. The nation is in debt to the fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, spouses, and children of our men in uniform.
Acknowledgement: The author thanks Lieutenant General Javed Alam, Brigadier Mujahid Alam and Major Saeed Akhtar Malik for providing details about their families.
Correction: In the previous article of this series, there was an error about Azim brothers. Niaz Azim was not a gunner but from 10 Baloch Regiment, also the parent battalion of his brother Riaz Azim. They also hold the distinction where two brothers were serving as Commandant (Riaz) and battalion commander (Niaz) of PMA at the same time.
