IV Corps (Pakistan)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Pakistani IV Corps
country=PAK
type=Corps
dates=1965 to present
specialization=combined arms formation
command_structure= Central Command
size=60,000 men (though this may vary as units are rotated)
current_commander= Lt. General Ijaz Ahmed Bakhshi [ [http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=13736 A Major Reshuffle in Army] ]
garrison=Lahore
ceremonial_chief=
colors=Red, White and silver
wars=1965 War
1971 War
notable_commanders= Lt.General Muhammad Aziz Khan [http://www.dawn.com/2001/10/08/top10.htm ] .

IV Corps is one of the Pakistan Army's 10 active corps. It is based in Lahore.

History

The corps was formed in 1965 and was the second corps level formation created by Pakistan Army. After independence, Pakistan had an organisation whereby all divisions were controlled directly by General Headquarters. Although a Corps would be raised in the late 1950's, it was found that the organisation was unwieldly, and thus orders for a second corps and a Field Army to control the two corps were given, the army was later disbanded [ The Pakistan Army-War 1965-Shaukat Riza-Army Education Press-1984 ] .

1965 War

The Corps and its assigned assets were still under the process of raising when war came. As a result it was in a unique position when it faced the Indian thrust at Lahore; it would be commanded directly from GHQ rather than from its own headquarters. Although it along with other forces assembled managed to repel the Indian attack, the lack of a fully functional corps HQ was felt. [Brian Cloughley- A History of the Pakistan Army, ISBN 0-19-579507-5 ] .

Later the formation was one of two Pakistani corps at Chawinda, where it came under the effective control of the Pakistani commander in the sector; Tikka Khan. IV Corps artillery which was the only organic IV Corps formation to have fully stood up before the war would play a major part in the battle [ [http://www.defencejournal.com/july98/50years.htm 50 years of the Regiment of Artllery] ] , and its performance was deemed to have been the desicive factor in the battle [ [http://www.defencejournal.com/2001/mar/chawinda.htm Battle of Chawinda] ] [History of Indo-Pak War of 1965. Lt Gen Mahmud Ahmed (ret) ISBN 969-8693-01-7, Chapter oo Chawinda Battle] .

1971 War

Immediately after the war, the corps was fully stood up. In 1971 it would go to war again, under command of Lt.Gen Bahadur Sher. With two divisions under command it would see skirmishes on the Wagha border area, and later it would capture the Husseinwala district in India, including Qaisar-e-Hind Fort.

Order of Battle

The corps order of battle is [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/iv-corps.htm Global Security Page on IV Corps] ] .

* Headquarters IV Corps: Lahore
** 10th Infantry Division: Lahore
** 11th Infantry Division: Lahore
** 3rd Independent Armoured Brigade: Unidentified Location
** 212 Infantry Brigade: Unidentified Location

References