Major General A O Mitha

Unlikely beginnings: a soldier's life

"Bombay sy GHQ tak"

Aboobaker Osman Mitha 

The only striking thing while taking this book that I had never heard this name of Pakistan Army. Second Surprising thing that this person belong to Memon community. I have not seen Memon community people except business or some jobs. Infact he is founder of SSG (Special Service Group) in Pakistan Army. 

A very out spoken and liberal person of his time. Born in 1923 to a  well known memon family he joined Indian Army of that time. His family at that time was so resourceful that British Viceroy Lord Wellington paid visit to his family reception in Bombay. I wrote him out spoken as he clearly admitted that during British rule his family (Father and Grand father) was agent to British Government and did every thing they want from him even if British rulers wanted  riots in Bombay his grand father had gangs on his payroll to ignite riots. He served in Indian army until partition of India(1947). Upon partition he gave his written consent to be part of Indian Army. But when witnessed the partition riot he opted for Pakistan. Witnessed the partition riots and explained that as trains came to lahore station from India to Pakistan filled with dead  bodies of Muslims similarly trains arrived in Delhi filled with dead bodies of  Hindus and Sikhs. He also explained that in British rule army officers were out spoken and can speak to his officer if they had any difference. In his opinion It was General Zia ul Haq who started "chaploosi" culture in Pakistan Army that now junior office cant speak in front of their officer if they have any difference. In his career he took stand on different issues against British officer without fear.

He mentioned about the Pakistan initial days when they started their offices in go downs. Beign so rich in Bombay he never claimed a single property in Pakistan as a migrant. He started his life in government provided quarter in Pakistan.He married to a christian lady Indu. Mrs Indu Mitha was niece of an Indian Army officer Major General A A 'Jick' Rudra. She was a daughter of a Christian professor who was from lahore but who moved to India after partition. His marriage was strongly opposed by her parents but since it was like a love marriage so Indu flown to Karachi from India and they did civil court marriage. Later this marriage was accepted by her parents.

Since General Mitha had experience in "Stay behind" force in Indian Army so he was selected by chief of army Ayub Khan to build a "SSG" (Special Service Group). His selection was objected by General Yahya Khan as whole of his (General Mitha) family was in India at that time and her wife was an Indian and her whole family was not only in India but also in the Indian Army. So he was posed to be a threat to Pakistan security and several time it was the talk of the town that he would be moving to India or he shared secret files with India. Any way despite all this Ayub Khan selected him to found SSG. He not only founded SSG but also command the group. He praised Ayub Khan for selecting him on merit because he was the only one in Pakistan Army at that time who did para trooping and other necessary exercises required for SSG in British Army. He then also command Pakistan Military Academy (PMA). At both places he invent new ways of training and led by himself. During his days young cadets of recruits did not know when and where he would show up during training exercises. He practically participated in sports with his juniors. For establishing SSG he got training in USA by CIA and in UK

He was also posted in East Pakistan. During all his days in East Pakistan he wrote during all his visit he was accompanied by his armed junior Bangali officer whereas he did not carry arm by himself. According to him his attitude with his juniors was always on merit so he did not find any difficulty in East Pakistan. He did mentioned that attitude of some army officers toward Bengali's  were not right or they treated them as slaves which led to the creation of Bangladesh. But one thing he mentioned that when Bengali got chance to take revenge they also crossed every limit. He wrote about a documentary movie made by PTV at that time about the situation and which contains evidences about the atrocities  done by  "Mukti Bahni" towards West Pakistani civilians. That documentary was never shown on PTV and may be in the archive. According to him if that documentary would have shown then we would be able to come out of this one sided propaganda that Pakistan Army and West Pakistanis  did atrocities to Bangalis. He also criticized Major General (R) Sahibzada Yaqoob Khan for his resignation at that time. According to him it was his time to act rather resign. He also mentioned about some "topi drama" did by General Niazi at that time that. He took journalists and all media person with him to show them fake encounter with Mukti Bahini. Infact there were no Mukti Bahini there in those area and he did fake drama in front of press with no arrest, no casualties. Any way he did his duties in East Pakistan and returened. He was made Qarter Master General logistic. So when there was a war in 1971 he was logistics in charge. After the Dhaka fall when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto took charge as chief Martial law administrator he was retired along with some other general. He was shocked for that as he was not directly involved in the operations of the war. He described this as the enmity against him by General Gul Hassan. He wrote that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was misinformed about him that he is against him (Bhutto). He was portrayed as a closer to General Yahya and against Bhutto. Where as according to Gen. Mitha he never involved in politics except when he as to act as a Martial Law Administrator. And in that he limited himself to the administrator issues and never created relations with any politician. Any way he was retired. But before explaining what happened to him after his retirement it is important to describe one event which is very important in our history but which is not known to many people.

In September 1970 one day Pakistani Military Attache in Jordan reported in GHQ that a incident is happened there in which Brigadier Zia ul Haq is involved and he should be court martial. Zia ul Haq was a counter insurgent specialist and was sent on deputation to Jordan in late 1968 to train their forces how to deal with insurgency of Palestinians. Due to Israeli occupation there were thousands of Palestinian refugee in Jordan. They were continuing their activities from Jordan. Tariq Ali, an internationally fame Pakistani writer describe this event in his book (The Duel: Pakistan on the flight path of American Power) in these words. " The monarchy had become extremely unpopular after the Israeli triumph, and its overthrow would have provide the Palestinians with a state. It was not to be. In September 1970, Zia let the Jordanian troops to crush the Palestinian uprising. Between five and seven thousand Palestinians were killed. General Moshe Dayan noted that King Hussein "Killed more Palestinians in eleven days than Israel could kill in twenty years". The month became known as Black September. Zia was awarded the highest Jordanian honor and returned home in triumph. Soon afterward he was promoted and posted as corp commander in Kharian, a military city in the Punjab. According to friends, the Black September operation was one aspect of his past that he would never discuss, but  clearly it was treated as a routine operation even by Bhutto, who publicly defended the Palestine Liberation Organization"

Zia act was clearly against the army discipline as he was giving training to the Jordanian troops and he should not be involved in any thing practically there. He had to be court martial. An act of indiscipline was ignored and nation suffered for 10 years of his martial law.

Any way General Mitha was retired. He described his retirement a very strange event.  He along with some other general of Pakistan Army were retired by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on the advise of General Gul Hassan (Then Pakistan Army chief). This retirement was for incident of 1971. General Mitha claimed he was not direct operational incharge of any action in the 1971 war. He mentioned that Gul Hassan has projected him as  an opponent of Bhutto in Pakistan Army. He faced various difficulties from authorities afterwards. Its important to note that he wrote most of his book about his army life. In almost 630 pages he explained his army life. Infact he lived until 1999 after being retired in 1972 or 73. So for the rest of his almost 28 years he used only 20-30 pages. His wife added some pages in the last and mentioned that his every venture after his retirement was spoiled by government agencies. Bhutto in his era created FSF (federal security force). Many of the retired SSG personal who were trained by Gen. Mitha  joined that force and created difficulties for him on government order. He was perhaps very few general of Pakistan who faced financial difficulties after his retirement as his all medals and perks were taken away from him and he faced financial problems until his death.

He had three daughters.  He died in Dec 1999. Since we dont have culture that muslims and christian burried in a same graveyard  together so in remembrance of his wife he asked to be buried in his farm so his wife can be buried with him later. As he was the founder of SSG group so SSG guard came to pay him tribute