Ahmad Zamir

Vice Admiral Ahmad Zamir (Urdu: احمد ضمير; 30 April 1930 – 9 September 1985), HI(M), SJ was a three-star rank admiral in the Pakistan Navy. Prior to his death in 1985, he was serving as the managing director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering from 1983 until 1985.

Vice Admiral Ahmad Zamir HI(M) SJ
Managing Director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering
In office 1983–1985
Secretary of Defence Productions
In office 19 April 1981 – 8 August 1982
Preceded by	Tariq Mustafa
Succeeded by	Abdul Majid Mufti
Personal details
Born	Zamir Ahmad (1930-04-30)30 April 1930 Delhi, India
Died	9 September 1985(1985-09-09) (aged 55)[1] Karachi, Pakistan
Cause of death	Cardiac arrest
Resting place	Military cemetery in Karachi
Citizenship	Pakistan
Relations	Khurshid Ahmad (Younger brother)
Military service
Allegiance	Pakistan
Branch/service	Pakistan Navy
Years of service	1950-1985
Rank	Vice Admiral (PN No. 325)[2]
Unit	Executive Branch
Commands	DCNS(Ops) DCNS (Projects) Commander Pakistan Fleet Naval Intelligence (Nav Intel) CO Pakistan Marines East
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Bangladesh Liberation War
Awards	Hilal-i-Imtiaz Sitara-i-Jurat

Biography

Ahmad Zamir's original name was Zamir Ahmad but changed to Ahmad Zamir to ease pronunciation.^[3]: 40 His family was an ultraconservative who followed the strict teachings of the Islam, and was initially homeschooled by their father.^{[3]: 38–41} His younger brother, Dr. Khurshid Ahmad is a well known economist and a political figure in the country.^[3]: 41 Despite his family's strict religious adherence, Zamir, in the Navy, was nonetheless described as moderate person.^{[4]: 185–187}

After his matriculation in 1947, he was admitted and enrolled at a technical college in Delhi to study electrical engineering but made a transfer to Forman Christian College in Lahore where he did his pre-engineering courses after his family emigrated to Pakistan after the partition of India on 14 August 1947.^[5]: 77 The family later moved to Karachi where Ahmad was admitted to attend the NED University of Engineering and Technology to become an electrical engineer.^[5]: 77 However, Ahmad left his studies in his final years to complete his B.E. program after seeing the navy advertisement and joined the Pakistan Navy in 1950.^[5]: 77

He was sent to the United Kingdom, where he attended the Britannia Naval College and graduated in electronics in 1954, upon returning, he was promoted as Sub-Lieutenant in the Navy.^[5]: 77 His career in the Navy progressed well, and participated in the second war with India in 1965 as Lieutenant-Commander, and was later trained at the Pakistan Military Academy in 1966–68.^[4]: 187 In 1969, Cdr Zamir was posted in East-Pakistan where he was instrumental in setting up the Pakistan Marines's battalions with the elements of the Baloch Regiment.^[4]: 187 In 1970, Captain Zamir was made commanding officer of the Pakistan Marines.^{[6][failed verification]}

In 1974, Captain Zamir was repatriated to Pakistan from Zero Point Zero Point under the agreement signed with India. He continued his military service with the Navy, and was appointed as Director-General of Naval Intelligence with the rank of Commodore in 1975–77.^[7]: 249 In 1977, Cdre Zamir was appointed as DCNS of Operations (DCNS(Ops)), and later elevated as Chief of Staff under naval chief, Admiral Karamat Rahman Niazi, in 1979.^{[7]: 250–251}

In 1979–81, Rear-Admiral Zamir was appointed as a Commander Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK).^[8]: 378 In 1981, he was promoted to three-star rank and was posted in Ministry of Defence Production.^[9] Vice-Admiral Ahmad served as the Secretary of Defence Production from 1981 until 1982 when^{[citation needed]} he was appointed managing director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.^[10]

Vice-Admiral Ahmad was initially in the race of being appointed to the four-star appointment and was promoted to four-star rank Admiral in Navy. Before the news was announced, Vice-Admiral Ahmad died of a heart attack, and Vice-Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey was elevated as chief of naval staff.^[5]

See also

• Pakistani prisoners of war in India
• Pakistan Navy in East Pakistan
  • Pakistan Marines East
• Bangladesh Liberation War

References

1. Junejo, Muhammad Khan. Messages and Interviews. Vol. II. Directorate of Films & Publications, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. p. 68. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
2. Shabbir, Usman. "List of Gallantry Awardees – PN Officers/CPOs/Sailors « PakDef Military Consortium". pakdef.org. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
3. Esposito, John L.; Voll, John O. (2001). Makers of Contemporary Islam. Oxford University Press. p. 41. ISBN 9780198032397. Retrieved 10 August 2017. ahmad zamir rear admiral.
4. Akhtar, Haq Nawaz (2007). If truth be told: an alternative history of Pakistan. Karachi, Sindh, Pk: Sang-i Meel Publications.
5. Hasan, Mahbabul (March 2011). "Meeting with History: A Conversation with Prof. Khurshid Ahmad" (PDF). www.asafas.kyoto-u.ac.jp. University of Kyoto, Japan. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
6. Zaheer, Hasan (1995). The separation of East Pakistan : the rise and realization of Bengali Muslim Nationalism (2. impr. ed.). Karachi [u.a.]: Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN 0-19-577492-2. "4 December [1971] East Pakistan: Dhaka ... and the Naval Captain Zamir were also present and having coffee.
7. Sirohey, Iftikhar Ahmed (1995). Truth Never Retires: An Autobiography of Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey (1st ed.). Karachi, Pk: Jang Publishers.
8. Jane, Frederick Thomas. Jane's Fighting Ships. S. Low, Marston & Company. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
9. "List of ex-Secretaries Defence Production". Ministry of Defence Production. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
10. Zamir, Ahmad (13–19 October 1984). "Karachi Shipyard leads in manufacturing of sugar mills and machinery". Pakistan & Gulf Economist. p. 27. Retrieved 10 August 2017.