Ahmad Zamir (; 30 April 1930 – 9 September 1985), 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.
Biography
Ahmad Zamir's original name was Zamir Ahmad but changed to Ahmad Zamir to ease pronunciation.
His family was an ultraconservative who followed the strict teachings of the Islam, and was initially
homeschooled by their father.
His younger brother,
Khurshid Ahmad is a well known economist and a political figure in the country.
Despite his family's strict religious adherence, Zamir, in the Navy, was nonetheless described as moderate person.
He attended a technical college in Delhi.
His family
emigrated to
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
after the
partition of India
The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...
on 14 August 1947.
He
transferred to
Forman Christian College in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
, then attended
NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi. However, he left his studies without completing the
B.E.
A Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a college graduate majoring in an engineering discipline at a higher education institution.
In the United Kingdom, a Bac ...
program. He was selected for the
Pakistan Navy.
He was sent to the United Kingdom as a cadet in 1950. Four year later he returned and became a Lieutenant in the Navy.
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.
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.
In 1970,
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Zamir was made
commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or commander, or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually give ...
of the Pakistan Marines.
After the Pakistan Eastern Command surrendered at the end of the
Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, he spent three years as a
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
.
In 1974, Captain Zamir was
repatriated to Pakistan from
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.
In 1977, Cdre Zamir was appointed as
DCNS of Operations (DCNS(Ops)), and later elevated as
Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
under
naval chief, Admiral
Karamat Rahman Niazi, in 1979.
As of 1979,
Rear-Admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
Zamir was
Commander Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK).
Vice-Admiral Ahmad served as the Secretary of Defence Production from April 1981 until August 1982.
By October 1984, he was the managing director of
Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
According to his brother, Khurshid Ahmad, Zamir was in the running for Chief of the Pakistan Navy when he died in 1985.
See also
*
Pakistani prisoners of war in India
*
Pakistan Navy in East Pakistan
**
Pakistan Marines East
References
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Bangladesh Liberation War prisoners of war