Muhammed Akbar Khan

For other people named Akbar Khan, see Akbar Khan (disambiguation).

Muhammad Akbar Khan
Born	Chakwal, British India
Allegiance	Pakistan  United Kingdom
Service/branch	Pakistan Army (PA-1) British Indian Army
Years of service	1915–1949
Rank	General
Unit	British Indian Army Pakistan Army
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Awards	Order of the British Empire

General Muhammed Akbar Khan (Arabic: محمد اکبر خان‎), OBE served as a British Indian recruit in the First World War and an officer in Second World War. Muhammed Akbar Khan was the first Muslim from the South Asia to become a General in British Army.^{[citation needed]} At the time of independence of Pakistan, he was the most senior Muslim General. He also served as the first ADC of the Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammed Ali Jinnah.

Muhammed Akbar Khan belonged to the Minhas Rajput clan of Chakwal. He was born in May 1897. He was the eldest child of Sirdar (Sardar) Bahadur Raja Fazal Dad Khan. He had joined the British Army as a recruit during the First World War in 5th (Probyn's) Horse.^{[citation needed]} Due to his exceptional service record, he was recommended for commission from TSIC, Indore.^{[citation needed]} He was commissioned in 1/14 Punjab, but moved to ASC transport division. Before independence, he was one of the five Indian officers recommended for promotion by number one selection board (consisting of commander in chief and two senior commanders). Other officers Cariappa, Rajendra Singhji, Nathu Singh and Srinagesh went to the Indian Army. He was only one going for the Pakistan Army.

Pakistan's First General

After Independence, Muhammed Akbar Khan was allotted the number one by the Pakistan Army and hence he is regarded as the senior-most officer of the Pakistan Army. Muhammed Akbar Khan wrote many books on military strategy and Art of War by pen name of Rangroot. Muhammed Akbar Khan also has the honour of being the first ADC to Muhammed Ali Jinnah.

As the senior-most General of the Pakistan Army, Muhammed Akbar Khan was destined to become the first Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Army. However, he declined the post.

Hassan Abbas in his book, Pakistan's Drift into Extremism writes, "In the entire history of Pakistan army, perhaps there has been only one incident in which a general repeated what George Washington had so willingly done for his nation some 215 years back. Toward the end of 1949, as General Gracey’s term of office neared its end, he tapped Major General Akbar Khan, the senior-most Pakistani officer, to take over. General Khan refused the office on the grounds that the job was beyond his competence - an admission never made by any Pakistani army officer again, though many were eminently qualified to make it." His brother General Iftikhar Khan was thus tapped to become the C-in-C of the Pakistan Army, but he died in an aircrash, making way for Field Marshal Ayub Khan to become the C-in-C.

General Akbar Khan was the eldest of amongst his 14 siblings; His brothers were General Iftikhar Khan (PA-2), General Anwar Khan (PA-48), Brig Muhammad Zafar Khan, Brig Afzal, Brig Yousaf.

Disambiguation

P.A.1 General Muhammed Akbar Khan is often confused with Major General Akbar Khan DSO of Rawalpindi conspiracy case and probably that is why Muhammed Akbar Khan used Akbar Khan Rangroot (recruit) to distinguish himself from the other Major General Akbar.

References

• Pakistan's Drift into Extremism, Hassan Abbas, 2005
• Pakistani Generals, A. K Anwar, 1992
• Meri Akhri Maanzil - Akbar Khan, a biography, Khalid Akbar, 2006. Khalid Akbar is his son.
• Nationalisation of the Indian Army (1885–1947),Lt.Col.Gautam Sharma
• Memoirs Of Maj Gen A A Rudra, Maj Gen D K Palit

Persondata
Name	Khan, Akbar
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Date of birth
Place of birth	Chakwal, British India
Date of death
Place of death