| Tajammul Hussain Malik | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 13, 1924 Chakwal District in the Punjab province |
| Allegiance | Pakistan |
| Service/branch | Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1946-1980 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Pakistan Army Armoured Corps |
| Commands held | Pakistan Army 205 Brigade Infantry 23rd Division, Pakistan Army |
| Battles/wars | Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Battle of Hilli |
Major General Tajammul Hussain Malik (born: June 13, 1924) is a senior and former 2-star rank general officer in the Pakistan army and the former General Officer Commanding of the 23rd Division of Pakistan Army, retiring with the rank of Major-General. He was the commanding officer of Pakistani forces at the Battle of Hilli during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, and headed a failed coup attempt against the regime of Zia-ul-Haq in 1980 which resulted in a court-martial held by Judge Advocate General Branch of Pakistan Defence Forces headed by General Zia-ul-Haq.[1][2][3]
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Tajammul Hussain Malik, from the Awan tribe, was born on June 13, 1924 in the Chakwal District in the Punjab province and became a career officer in the British Indian Army, later joining the army of the new state of Pakistan in 1947.[4] He had participated in Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and the 1965 War. In 1971, he promoted as Brigadier-General and was appointed commanding officer of the 205 Infantry Brigade of the Pakistan Army in 1971, deployed at Hilli in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).[5] Malik's unit continued fighting even after Pakistani forces formally surrendered to Indian forces in Dhaka.[5] He was the only red tape Pakistani officer who did not surrender and after his subsequent capture, Malik and his unit became prisoners of war for over a year.[5]
After his release and repatriation to Pakistan, Malik was the only brigadier-general out of 32 who had fought the war in East Pakistan to be promoted to major general rank. He held the command of 23 Division in Jehlum as a major general. However, he was retired by a military tribunal of the Judge Advocate General Branch headed by army chief General Zia-ul-Haq over accusations of attempting to overthrow the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.[1] In 1980, Malik organised a coup attempt against the military regime of Zia-ul-Haq, with other army officers, including his son Naved and his nephew.[1][2] The plan was to assassinate Zia during the Pakistan Day parade on March 23, 1980.[1] However, the plot was exposed and Malik, his son and the conspirators were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Tajammul Hussain Malik was released from prison in 1988, following the death of Zia-ul-Haq in a plane crash under mysterious circumstances.[3] He published his autobiography, The Story Of My Struggle, in 1991.[4]