| Muhammad Masood Aslam | |
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Lt Gen Masood Aslam, as Colonel Commandant of the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army. |
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| Born | September 1, 1952 Mujahidabad, Jhelum District, Pakistan |
| Allegiance | Pakistan |
| Service/branch | Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1971 – 2010 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Unit | 17th Punjab Regiment |
| Commands held | XI Corps, Peshawar IG Training and Evaluation (IGT&E) DG National Accountability Bureau (Punjab) 23rd Infantry Division, Jhelum |
| Battles/wars | Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 Siachen conflict Indo-Pakistani War of 1999 War in North-West Pakistan |
| Awards | Hilal-e-Imtiaz Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) Sitara-e-Jurat |
Lieutenant General Muhammad Masood Aslam, HI, HI(M), SJ, afwc, psc, (born September 1, 1952 at Jhelum) is a retired three-star general who served as the principal commander of Pakistan Army fighting the pro-Taliban forces in the North-West Pakistan from 2007 to 2010.[1] During his tenure all the major battles were fought against the militants, which included First Battle of Swat, First Battle of Waziristan, Battle of Bajaur, Second Battle of Swat, Second Battle of Waziristan. He lost his only son, Hashim Masood, in the terrorist attack on Parade Lane Mosque in Rawalpindi in December 2009.[2]
Masood Aslam was awarded the civilian medal of Hilal-i-Imtiaz after retirement for his achievements in bringing peace to the northwestern Pakistan. He also functioned as the Colonel Commandant of Punjab Regiment from 2008 to 2010. He is currently serving as Pakistan Ambassador to Mexico since June 2011.[3]
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Lt Gen Masood Aslam was born in Mujahidabad, Jhelum in the northern Punjab. He got his primary education from Presentation Convent High School, Jhelum and Government High School, Jhelum. By the year 1965, he joined Cadet College Hasan Abdal and did his intermediate in pre engineering in 1970 with honours from the same college. However, instead of pursuing career in electrical engineering, he decided to serve as an Army officer and joined the Pakistan Military Academy in 1970.
He was commissioned in the 17th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment on 14 November 1971 in the 47th PMA Long Course as his course was shortened due to Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Within a few weeks of commissioning, he was seriously wounded fighting in the front lines at Chumb-Jaurian sector. He was awarded Imtiazi Sanad (mentioned in despatches) for his efforts and gallantry.
He was among the pioneer officers who established the computer branch at the GHQ in mid 1970s. He is a graduate of Command and Staff College, Quetta and holds a Masters Degree in Military Warfare from the National Defence College, Islamabad. He has also attended overseas courses including United Nations peacekeeping course from Sweden and executive course from Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, Hawaii.[4]
He served at Siachen for more than a year in the early days of Siachen conflict with India. He established military posts at Siachen and served at glaciated heights of around 20,000 feet. As a Lt. Col, he commanded an Infantry battalion at Okara and then as a Brigadier-General, commanded two infantry brigades, one of which was at Kargil. He was awarded Sitara-i-Jurat for his extraordinary service and bravery by the then President Rafiq Tarar, after the Kargil encounter.
He commanded 23rd Infantry Division Jhelum on the LoC during the period of escalation, when Indian and Pakistani troops were tied up face to face in a very tense warlike state for two full years in 2001-03. He then served as the Director General NAB (Punjab), and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in 2005 and posted as Inspector General Training and Evaluation (IGT&E).[4]
In July 2007, Lt Gen Masood Aslam took charge of the sensitive post of Corps Commander Peshawar, replacing Lt Gen Muhammad Hamid Khan. This was period when Pakistan Army launched military operation against the vigilantes of Lal Masjid in Islamabad that followed with a rising trend of terrorist attacks throughout Pakistan, mostly emanating from the rugged lands of Waziristan and the surrounding tribal regions. A counter-terrorist operation was then launched under the general which included 2007 Taliban Waziristan offensive, Battle of Mir Ali, and Battle of Swat.[5]
He has to his credit pushing out and defeating the militants in Swat, Buner, Dir Lower and other districts of Malakand Division and inflicting heavy blows against the TTP cadres in Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber tribal agencies and Frontier Region (FR) Bannu. Lt General Masood Aslam was given an extension in his tenure as he was supposed to retire in October 2009.[6]
On 4 December 2009, Hashim Masood Aslam, the student of EME College Rawalpindi and the only son of Lt Gen Masood Aslam was killed during the December 2009 Rawalpindi attack in Parade Lane Mosque during Friday prayers.[7]
Lieutenant General Muhammad Masood Aslam was awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010.[8] He was later posted as Pakistan Ambassador to Mexico in June 2011 for a three-year tenure.