Mohammad Zafar Masud
Encyclopedia
Air-Commodore
Mohammad Zafar Masud, best known as Mitty Masud, (Born
:1923-October 7, 2003), was a PAF
's fighter pilot
and a former top military strategist in East Pakistan
. Air Commodore Mitty Masud, a one-star general and a strict air force officer in the Pakistan Air Force, first served as the AOC
of the Eastern Air Force Command
(EAFC) of Eastern Military High Command
which he assumed the command in 1970. After the surprise resignation of Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan
, Martial Law Administrator
and Unified Commander of Eastern Military High Command, Masud was appointed, in emergency, to served as the Unified Commander which he commanded from March 7, 1971 until March 26, 1971.
However, Masud too resigned from the Unified Command as a result of Searchlight
, in protest. Masud came into national limelight when he rose his voice against the military operations to suppress the political movement, Awami League, in East-Pakistan
which resulted in starting of bloody Bangladesh Liberation War
in Eastern front, and the 1971 Winter War
in the Western front. Masud gained international fame, in 1965, his participation in 1965 September War
.
, British Punjab State
in 1923. Having joined the Royal Air Force
in 1943, Masud was sent to Royal Air Force College Cranwell
, Great Britain
where he did his B.Sc.
in Strategic studies
and also received a diploma in fighter pilot training. He did a staff college course in United Kingdom
from which Masud returned with the best foreign student award. Upon his return to British Indian Empire, Mitty Masud opted the Pakistani citizenship as the Jinnah
led the creation of Pakistan. Mitty was by 1947 already an air force pilot and became the youngest pioneer of the newly born Pakistan Air Force.
(Captain) Mitty was deployed in Dhamial Army Air Base
where he was put in charge air campaigns during the 1947 Kashmir War
. As the war intensified, Mitty was sent to Skardu National Airport
where took active participation in air missions under the command of Air-Commodore
(Brigadier-General) Ahmad Mukhtar Dogar. In 1948, After the war, Mitty joined the Pakistan Air Force Academy
as a research associate and gained M.Sc.
in Counter-insurgency
in 1952. In 1952, he was promoted to Squadron Leader
(Major) rank, and played an instrumental figurative role in the development and establishment in PAF’s prestigious combat flying institution Combat Commanders School (CCS), PAF's Top Gun
. In 1958, Commander-in-Chief
Air-Marshal
Asghar Khan
chose (then) Wing-Commander
(Lieutenant-Colonel) Mitty Masud to organize, train, and lead an aerobatics team of 16 F-86 Sabre jets that set a world record, validating the PAF's place among the well- regarded air arms of the world. Masud organized and sat up the first aerobatics unit as he served its first Commanding officer
. In 1972, the Pakistan Air Force officially gave commissioned to Pakistan Air Force Sherdils
in an honor of Mitty Masud, who first presented the squadrons its flying colors.
In 1964, Mitty was promoted to Group-Captain
(Colonel) in the Air Force, and was made Commanding officer
of the Sargodha Air Force Base
. Mitty served under the Command of Air-Vice Marshal (Major-General) Eric Gordan Hall
during the 1965 India-Pakistan war
. As commanding officer of the Sargodha Air Force Base
, Mitty's leadership and devotion to duty led to a successful aerial missions against the Indian Air Force
(IAF). On the day and night of 7th September, 1965, the IAF made five successive attacks on Pakistan Air Force facilities, and PAF's installations with Canberra bombers
, Hunter
and Mystere fighter bombers. Under the command of Mitty Masud, the PAF was retaliated, though the IAF heavily damaged the Air Force Base, PAF responded back with series of counter missions. After the war, Group Captain Mohammad Zafar Masud was honored and awarded Hilal-i-Jurat
in a colorful public ceremony by President
Ayub Khan, for his active participation during the conflict.
(brigadier-general) in the Air Force, and served in the Western Military High Command, at first. Having known as highly respectable and uptight officer in the Air Force, Mitty was widely regarded as a possible future Chief of Air Staff
of the Pakistan Air Force. In 1970, Air Commodore Masud was assigned to Dhaka
, East Pakistan
, and was sent as the top PAF planner and senior PAF top commander in the eastern wing
. In April 1970, he arrived and reported to Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan
, Martial Law Administrator
of the province, and the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command (EMHC). In the following twelve months, he was made commander of Eastern Air Force Command
(EAFC) of the Eastern Military High Command
(EMHC) led under the command Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan
who was also a Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command. There, he spent in East Pakistan, Air Commodore Masud studied, with increasing distress, the rapidly mounting military-political threat that none of the power wielders seemed able or interested to resolve. In March 1971, when President
and Commander-in-Chief General Yahya Khan
visited East Pakistan, Masud demanded a meeting to brief the President. In March 1971, Masud given presentation to top military leadership and gave a descriptive report on fact-filled evaluation of the civil- military environment. He forcefully argued that the turmoil in East Pakistan could never be resolved with military force, despite what the senior commanders in Pakistan Armed Forces are demanding.
In the meeting, he famously went on saying that "in the prevailing military imbalance, a semi-autonomous East Pakistan was far preferable to the certainty of a military defeat in the event that India decided to intervene". Coming from a relatively junior general officer, this evaluation was startlingly less-rosy than the armed force's presentation. It was also irrefutably well-reasoned".
During the briefing General Yahya had interjected several times to agree with Masud's arguments, and at the end said: "You must surely know that I too do not want a war and am doing my best to persuade Mujib and Bhutto to find a way out of the crisis."
On March 7, 1971, after a stunning and surprise resignation of Vice-Admiral Ahsan as Unified Commander of Eastern Military High Command, Masud was entrusted and became a Unified Commander, in emergence. He was the first air force officer to assume the command, and tried his best to stop the military action from happening. On March 26, Masud was stunned and surprised when President General Yahya Khan ordered the military crackdown, Operation Searchlight
and Operation Barisal
in East Pakistan. After receiving orders from his superior officers, Masud had tried to contact the President several times but was unable, as Yahya's staff was monitoring the situation. Yahya's inner council had convinced him that the East Pakistanis could be easily subdued and normalcy quickly restore. An angry and frustrated, Masud traveled to West-Pakistan where he tried to get to President but he was unable as Commander-in-Chief Air Marshal (Lieutenant-General) Abdul Rahim Khan
had asked him to obey orders and do what he is told to do. On March 26, 1971, an hour after the operations were implemented, Masud, a Unified Commander of the Eastern Command, resigned from his prestigious assignment, in protest. Disheartened, frustrated, and angered, Mitty took an early retirement from the Air Force, despite his colleagues recommendations. He quietly settled in Karachi, West Pakistan and did not comment a word during the war. As the conflict deepened, he was approached by the Pakistan Media
representation, but he was quickly silent by his higher officials, therefore, he was refused to give any interview. After his retirement, Masud joined Karachi University as a lecturer in Conflict resolution
. In 1972, Mitty Masud was honorarily awarded the Sitara-e-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct) for standing by his principles, by the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator
, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
.
. Mitty received a Guard of honor
from the Pakistan Air Force
, and was honorarily buried in Karachi Military Graveyard, next to his wife.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Mohammad Zafar Masud, best known as Mitty Masud, (Born
Born
Born may refer to:* Childbirth* Born , a limited series comic book featuring the Punisher* Born Feinkost GmbH, a German food company* Born , a lunar crater-Places:* Born, Netherlands, a town in the Netherlands...
:1923-October 7, 2003), was a PAF
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
's fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
and a former top military strategist in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. Air Commodore Mitty Masud, a one-star general and a strict air force officer in the Pakistan Air Force, first served as the AOC
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
of the Eastern Air Force Command
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Military High Command of the Pakistan Armed Forces was a field-level military command headed by an appointed senior 3-star officer, who was designated the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command...
(EAFC) of Eastern Military High Command
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Military High Command of the Pakistan Armed Forces was a field-level military command headed by an appointed senior 3-star officer, who was designated the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command...
which he assumed the command in 1970. After the surprise resignation of Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan HQA, SPk, DSO, was a senior three-star admiral who was the 4th Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy from October 20, 1966 to August 31, 1969...
, Martial Law Administrator
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
and Unified Commander of Eastern Military High Command, Masud was appointed, in emergency, to served as the Unified Commander which he commanded from March 7, 1971 until March 26, 1971.
However, Masud too resigned from the Unified Command as a result of Searchlight
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan in March 1971. Ordered by the central government in West Pakistan, this was seen as the sequel to "Operation Blitz" which had been...
, in protest. Masud came into national limelight when he rose his voice against the military operations to suppress the political movement, Awami League, in East-Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
which resulted in starting of bloody Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in Eastern front, and the 1971 Winter War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
in the Western front. Masud gained international fame, in 1965, his participation in 1965 September War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
.
Early life
Masud was born in GujranwalaGujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
, British Punjab State
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
in 1923. Having joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1943, Masud was sent to Royal Air Force College Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
where he did his B.Sc.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Strategic studies
Strategic studies
Strategic studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning the relationship between politics, geography and natural resources, economics, and military power, such as the role of intelligence, diplomacy and threats in the preparation and use of force...
and also received a diploma in fighter pilot training. He did a staff college course in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from which Masud returned with the best foreign student award. Upon his return to British Indian Empire, Mitty Masud opted the Pakistani citizenship as the Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
led the creation of Pakistan. Mitty was by 1947 already an air force pilot and became the youngest pioneer of the newly born Pakistan Air Force.
Mitty: Between the wars
In 1947, Flight-LieutenantFlight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
(Captain) Mitty was deployed in Dhamial Army Air Base
Dhamial Army Airbase
Dhamial Army Airbase is an Pakistan Army airbase and is located just south of Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi District, Pakistan.Dhaimal is main Base of Pakistan Army aviation....
where he was put in charge air campaigns during the 1947 Kashmir War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
The India-Pakistan War of 1947-48, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War, was fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of four wars fought between the two newly independent nations...
. As the war intensified, Mitty was sent to Skardu National Airport
Skardu Airport
Skardu Airport is a small domestic airport, located at Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Skardu is one of the two major hubs of all trekking expeditions in the Northern Areas, a region that includes four of the fourteen Eight-thousander peaks of the world...
where took active participation in air missions under the command of Air-Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
(Brigadier-General) Ahmad Mukhtar Dogar. In 1948, After the war, Mitty joined the Pakistan Air Force Academy
Pakistan Air Force Academy
"RAF Risalpur", "Risalpur Airbase/Airfield" & "Pakistan Air Force/PAF Base Risalpur" redirects here.The Pakistan Air Force Academy also known as PAFA, is an accredited co-educational four-year college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the Pakistan Air Force...
as a research associate and gained M.Sc.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
in 1952. In 1952, he was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
(Major) rank, and played an instrumental figurative role in the development and establishment in PAF’s prestigious combat flying institution Combat Commanders School (CCS), PAF's Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
. In 1958, Commander-in-Chief
Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, abbreviated as CAS, is typically the highest ranking 4-star rank officer in the Pakistan Air Force, unless a four-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CAS is a senior and permanent member of the...
Air-Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Asghar Khan
Asghar Khan
Air Marshal Asghar Khan is a Pakistani 3-star rank general and politician who was the first native Air Force Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Air Force. A politician and world war II veteran fighter pilot, at the age of 36, he served as the youngest and first Pakistani head of the Pakistan Air Force...
chose (then) Wing-Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
(Lieutenant-Colonel) Mitty Masud to organize, train, and lead an aerobatics team of 16 F-86 Sabre jets that set a world record, validating the PAF's place among the well- regarded air arms of the world. Masud organized and sat up the first aerobatics unit as he served its first Commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
. In 1972, the Pakistan Air Force officially gave commissioned to Pakistan Air Force Sherdils
Sherdils
Sherdils is the aerobatics display team of the Pakistan Air Force Academy based at the PAF Academy, Risalpur, Pakistan. The team flies nine K-8 Karakorum trainer aircraft and used to fly the T-37 "Tweety Bird"...
in an honor of Mitty Masud, who first presented the squadrons its flying colors.
In 1964, Mitty was promoted to Group-Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
(Colonel) in the Air Force, and was made Commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Sargodha Air Force Base
Sargodha Airbase
PAF Base Mushaf is a Pakistan Air Force airbase located at Sargodha in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the headquarters of the PAF Central Air Command....
. Mitty served under the Command of Air-Vice Marshal (Major-General) Eric Gordan Hall
Eric G. Hall
Air Vice-Marshal Eric Gordan Hall , was a Pakistan Air Force bomber and fighter pilot, and former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority...
during the 1965 India-Pakistan war
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
. As commanding officer of the Sargodha Air Force Base
Sargodha Airbase
PAF Base Mushaf is a Pakistan Air Force airbase located at Sargodha in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the headquarters of the PAF Central Air Command....
, Mitty's leadership and devotion to duty led to a successful aerial missions against the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
(IAF). On the day and night of 7th September, 1965, the IAF made five successive attacks on Pakistan Air Force facilities, and PAF's installations with Canberra bombers
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
, Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
and Mystere fighter bombers. Under the command of Mitty Masud, the PAF was retaliated, though the IAF heavily damaged the Air Force Base, PAF responded back with series of counter missions. After the war, Group Captain Mohammad Zafar Masud was honored and awarded Hilal-i-Jurat
Hilal-i-Jurat
The Hilal-i-Jur'at Various official sources that are highly reputable spell the name of the medal differently, so the Pakistan Army website spelling is being taken as the official spelling...
in a colorful public ceremony by President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
Ayub Khan, for his active participation during the conflict.
Eastern Military High Command
In 1969, Mitty Masud was promoted to one-star air-commodoreAir Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
(brigadier-general) in the Air Force, and served in the Western Military High Command, at first. Having known as highly respectable and uptight officer in the Air Force, Mitty was widely regarded as a possible future Chief of Air Staff
Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, abbreviated as CAS, is typically the highest ranking 4-star rank officer in the Pakistan Air Force, unless a four-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CAS is a senior and permanent member of the...
of the Pakistan Air Force. In 1970, Air Commodore Masud was assigned to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
, and was sent as the top PAF planner and senior PAF top commander in the eastern wing
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. In April 1970, he arrived and reported to Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan HQA, SPk, DSO, was a senior three-star admiral who was the 4th Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy from October 20, 1966 to August 31, 1969...
, Martial Law Administrator
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
of the province, and the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command (EMHC). In the following twelve months, he was made commander of Eastern Air Force Command
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Military High Command of the Pakistan Armed Forces was a field-level military command headed by an appointed senior 3-star officer, who was designated the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command...
(EAFC) of the Eastern Military High Command
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Military High Command of the Pakistan Armed Forces was a field-level military command headed by an appointed senior 3-star officer, who was designated the Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command...
(EMHC) led under the command Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Syed Mohammad Ahsan
Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan HQA, SPk, DSO, was a senior three-star admiral who was the 4th Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy from October 20, 1966 to August 31, 1969...
who was also a Unified Commander of the Eastern Military High Command. There, he spent in East Pakistan, Air Commodore Masud studied, with increasing distress, the rapidly mounting military-political threat that none of the power wielders seemed able or interested to resolve. In March 1971, when President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
and Commander-in-Chief General Yahya Khan
Yahya Khan
General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan Qizilbash, H.Pk, HJ, S.Pk, psc was the third President of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971, following the resignation of Ayub Khan...
visited East Pakistan, Masud demanded a meeting to brief the President. In March 1971, Masud given presentation to top military leadership and gave a descriptive report on fact-filled evaluation of the civil- military environment. He forcefully argued that the turmoil in East Pakistan could never be resolved with military force, despite what the senior commanders in Pakistan Armed Forces are demanding.
In the meeting, he famously went on saying that "in the prevailing military imbalance, a semi-autonomous East Pakistan was far preferable to the certainty of a military defeat in the event that India decided to intervene". Coming from a relatively junior general officer, this evaluation was startlingly less-rosy than the armed force's presentation. It was also irrefutably well-reasoned".
During the briefing General Yahya had interjected several times to agree with Masud's arguments, and at the end said: "You must surely know that I too do not want a war and am doing my best to persuade Mujib and Bhutto to find a way out of the crisis."
On March 7, 1971, after a stunning and surprise resignation of Vice-Admiral Ahsan as Unified Commander of Eastern Military High Command, Masud was entrusted and became a Unified Commander, in emergence. He was the first air force officer to assume the command, and tried his best to stop the military action from happening. On March 26, Masud was stunned and surprised when President General Yahya Khan ordered the military crackdown, Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan in March 1971. Ordered by the central government in West Pakistan, this was seen as the sequel to "Operation Blitz" which had been...
and Operation Barisal
Operation Barisal
The Operation Barisal was a Pakistan naval operation in 1971 intended to free Barisal, East Pakistan from Mukti Bahinis and the dissidents/armed personnel of the Pakistan Defence Forces. It was the part of Operation Searchlight.-External links:*...
in East Pakistan. After receiving orders from his superior officers, Masud had tried to contact the President several times but was unable, as Yahya's staff was monitoring the situation. Yahya's inner council had convinced him that the East Pakistanis could be easily subdued and normalcy quickly restore. An angry and frustrated, Masud traveled to West-Pakistan where he tried to get to President but he was unable as Commander-in-Chief Air Marshal (Lieutenant-General) Abdul Rahim Khan
Abdul Rahim Khan
Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan, HJ, HQA, SPk, SBt was a 3-star rank general and air officer who served as the last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force between 1969 and 1972...
had asked him to obey orders and do what he is told to do. On March 26, 1971, an hour after the operations were implemented, Masud, a Unified Commander of the Eastern Command, resigned from his prestigious assignment, in protest. Disheartened, frustrated, and angered, Mitty took an early retirement from the Air Force, despite his colleagues recommendations. He quietly settled in Karachi, West Pakistan and did not comment a word during the war. As the conflict deepened, he was approached by the Pakistan Media
Media of Pakistan
Media in Pakistan provides information on television, radio, cinema, newspapers, and magazines in Pakistan.-Regulation:The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority was formed in 2002 to "facilitate and promote a free, fair and independent electronic media", including opening the broadcasting...
representation, but he was quickly silent by his higher officials, therefore, he was refused to give any interview. After his retirement, Masud joined Karachi University as a lecturer in Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
. In 1972, Mitty Masud was honorarily awarded the Sitara-e-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct) for standing by his principles, by the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator
Chief Martial Law Administrator
The office of the Chief Martial Law Administrator was a senior government post created in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia that gave considerable executive authority and powers to the holder of the post to enforce martial law in the country. This office has been used mostly by...
, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
.
Personal life
Air Commodore Masud was very happily married to his devoted wife, Elizabeth, for 45 years and their son Salaar works as a software analyst in Europe. Elizabeth Masud, a German lady, speaks Urdu fluently and has, despite her own frail health, lovingly remained by her husband's side, including his long and difficult battle with Parkinson's disease.Death
Masud died in Karachi on October 7, 2003, due to a Cardiac arrestCardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
. Mitty received a Guard of honor
Guard of Honor
Guard of Honor is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by James Gould Cozzens published in 1948. The novel is set during World War II, with most of the action occurring on or near a fictional Army Air Forces base in central Florida. The action occurs over a period of approximately 48 hours...
from the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
, and was honorarily buried in Karachi Military Graveyard, next to his wife.