Tariq Khan (general)
Lieutenant General Tariq Khan HI(M) LoM is a retired Pakistan Army general officer who was the Commander of I Strike Corps at Mangla.[1] A war hero, he has been the Inspector General of the Frontier Corps from September 2008 till October 2010.[2]
Tariq Khan | |
---|---|
طارق خان | |
Commander I Corps, Mangla | |
In office 2010–2014 | |
Inspector General, Frontier Corps | |
In office 2008–2010 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
Awards | Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) Kuwait Liberation Medal Legion of Merit Sword of Honour |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Pakistan |
Branch/service | Pakistan Army |
Years of service | 1977 – 2014 |
Rank | Lieutenant-General |
Unit | Armoured Corps |
Commands | 1st Armoured Division, Multan 14th Infantry Division, D.I. Khan Frontier Corps (KP) I Corps, Mangla |
Battles/wars | Gulf War 1991 (Ar'ar Saudi Arabia) War in North-West Pakistan Operation Zalzala Operation Sherdil Operation Rah-e-Nijat |
He has also commanded the 1st Armoured Division in Multan from 2006 to 2007 and then the 14th Infantry Division in South Waziristan till 2008. Khan gained fame when he led the Frontier Corps to victory against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in the Battle of Bajaur in 2009.[3][4]
Pakistan Army career
Tariq Khan belongs to the Tank area of Pakistan. He was commissioned in the Armoured Corps in the 55th PMA Long Course on 16 April 1977 and was awarded the Sword of Honour from the Pakistan Military Academy. He has participated in the First Gulf War of 1991, and contributed towards the international effort in the War on Terrorism as Pakistan's Senior National Representative at CENTCOM, Tampa, Florida from 2004 to 2005.
Khan was then promoted to major general in 2006 and commanded an armoured division in Multan and later an infantry division in South Waziristan leading Operation Zalzala against the militants.[5] After commanding an infantry division, Maj Gen Tariq was posted as IG FC KPK, where he changed FC from a ragtag group of fighters into a force on par with Pakistan Army. As IG FC, he commanded the spearhead of Pakistan's war against terror. On 1 October 2010 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed Corps Commander Mangla and Commander Central Command.[1]
Honors
The officer has been successful in turning the Frontier Corps around from a force in great difficulty into a highly professional one which has seen great successes in its recent operations against the militants in Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. On 9 December 2007, Tariq Khan received United States Legion of Merit for meritorious services as a liaison officer at CENTCOM during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Awards and decorations
Hilal-e-Imtiaz
(Crescent of Excellence) 2013 |
Tamgha-e-Baqa
1998 |
Tamgha-e-Istaqlal Pakistan
2002 |
10 Years Service Medal |
20 Years Service Medal | 30 Years Service Medal | 35 Years Service Medal | Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-
(100th Birth Anniversary of 1976 |
Hijri Tamgha
(Hijri Medal) 1979 |
Jamhuriat Tamgha
(Democracy Medal) 1988 |
Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha
(Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1990 |
Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan
(Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1997 |
Command & Staff College Quetta
Instructor's Medal |
Kuwait Liberation Medal | Nuth al-Markat
(Combat Medal) |
The Legion of Merit
(United States) 2007 |
Foreign Decorations
Foreign Awards | ||
---|---|---|
Saudi Arabia | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) (Gulf War 1991) | |
Saudi Arabia | Nuth al-Markat (Combat Medal) (Gulf War 1991) | |
USA | The Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) |
References
- "Lt-Gen Waheed Arshad new CGS" Dawn, 1 October 2010
- Ismail Khan "Battle to be won or lost in Bajaur" Dawn, 21 September 2008
- Bill Roggio. "Taliban has 'lost' in Bajaur, Mohmand: Pakistan military" The Long War Journal, 1 March 2009
- "Tide turns against the Taliban"BBC News, 21 May 2009
- "29 brigadiers promoted as major general" Dawn, 5 January 2006