Maj.Gen.
A.0. Mitha
Maj.-Gen.
A.0. Mitha was born in 1923 to a wealthy and politically influential
Memon family of Bombay. He was commissioned from the Indian Military
Academy in 1942 and served on the Burma Front, and as a volunteer
in the Indian Parachute Regiment. He opted for Pakistan in 1947.
He served
as General Staff Officer (GSO) 3 and 2 in the Army Headquarters,
Delhi and after qualifying from the Staff College, Quetta as GSO
1 in GHQ Pakistan. He was Brigade Major in 1952 and Colonel Staff
to GOC-in-C in 1962.
He came to
prominence when appointed to raise the Special Services Group
(SSG)-probably the only Pakistan Army officer with the experience
to do so. This made him a legend not only in the Army, but also
with the Navy and Air Force. He left his mark on hundreds of young
cadets when he commanded the Pakistan Military Academy from 1966-8.
In 1965 he commanded an Infantry Brigade in East Pakistan and
was also active there in early 1971 as Deputy Corps Commander.
He also commanded the elite 1 Armoured Division from 1968-70.
He was Quartermaster General at GHQ when prematurely retired by
the civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
in December 1971.
In the course
of his military career, he was awarded the Hilai-i-Jur'at, Sitarai-Pakistan,
and Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam. Maj.Gen. A.0. Mitha died in December
1999.
|
