I Corps (Pakistan)
| I N | |
|---|---|
.gif) | |
| Active | 1 July 1957 - Present |
| Country |
 Pakistan |
| Allegiance |
 Pakistan Army |
| Branch | Active Duty |
| Type | Army Corps |
| Role | Combined arms formation |
| Size | +60,000 approximately |
| Part of | Northern Military Command of Pakistan Army |
| HQ/Command Control Headquarter | Mangla, Mirpur District, Azad Kashmir] |
| Nickname(s) | I Strike Corps |
| Colors Identification |
Red, White and Yellow |
| Anniversaries | 1 July 1957 |
| Engagements |
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Indo-Pakistani War of 1999 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff |
| Decorations | Military Decorations of Pakistan Military |
| Commanders | |
| Corps Commander | LTG Azhar Saleh Abbasi |
| Notable commanders |
General Pervez Musharraf LTG Bakhtiar Rana LTG Irshad Ahmed Khan LTG Ghulam Mustafa LTG Nadeem Ahmad LTG Mohammad Aslam Shah LTGShamsur Rahman Kallu |
The I Corps, also known as I Strike Corps, of the Pakistan Army headquartered in Mangla, Azad Kashimir Territory of Pakistan. Known as I Strike Corps, it is one of two strike corps within its ten manoeuvre Army corps. The I Strike Corps is one of the oldest and major formations of Pakistan Army, and a major component of Northern Military Command of Pakistan Defence Forces.
Active in Indo-Pakistan wars, the I Strike Corps subordinated administrative units played an integral role in Kargil war, and also served in current War in North-West Pakistan. Its current Corps-Commander is Lieutenant-General Azhar Saleh Abbasi.
History
The corps headquarters was raised in Abbottabad in 1957. Lt Gen Azam Khan was its first commander. It was the first Pakistani corps ever to take to the field.
1965 War
During the 1965 war, the corps was one of two corps in action. It commanded all Pakistani troops north of Lahore and in Kashmir. During this time however, because of the sheer number of formations under its command, (8 divisions), it was found easier to split the formations into corps level task-forces, as a result in the 1965 war it acted essentially as a Field Army.
1971 war
I Corps began the 1971 war with a force of two divisions forward supported by an armoured brigade, holding the Shakargarh salient.[1] 15th Infantry Division was on the left side of the corps' frontage around Sialkot, 8th Infantry Division on the right east of the Degh Nadi, and 8th Armoured Brigade in support. Further back, but titularly part of the corps, was Pakistan's Army Reserve North of 6th Armoured Division and 17th Infantry Division. India planned a major attack in the sector, managed by I Corps, but when the war broke out, the lead Indian formation, 54th Infantry Division only managed to advance a few miles - a total of eight miles in two weeks of operations.
Meanwhile, while the Indian attacks went on, the reserve formations did little. 6th Armoured Division remained near Pasrur waiting for orders, while 17th Infantry Division had significant detachments sent off to 23rd Infantry Division on the left and IV Corps on the right.[2]
Yet the fighting in Shakargarh, while ultimately successful as the Indian aims were thwarted, resulted in 8th Armoured Brigade's heavy loss of armour and some territory was also lost.[3] As a result, its commander, Lt Gen Irshad Khan, was recommended for court martial and dismissal; this was ultimately not carried out.
List of commanders
- Lt Gen Azam Khan, July 1957 – 1958
- Lt Gen Bakhtiar Rana, 1958 – 1966
- Lt Gen Abdul Hamid Khan, 1966 – March 1969
- Lt Gen Tikka Khan, March 1969 – August 1969
- Lt Gen Attiqur Rahman, August 1969 – February 1970
- Lt Gen Irshad Ahmed Khan, February 1970 – 1972
- Lt Gen Abdul Ali Malik, 1972 – 1974
- Lt Gen Azmat Bakhsh Awan, 1974 – March 1976
- Lt Gen Ghulam Hassan Khan, March 1976 – March 1980
- Lt Gen Ejaz Azim, April 1980 – April 1981
- Lt Gen Shah Rafi Alam (Acting)
- Lt Gen Shamsur Rahman Kallu, April 1982 – April 1986
- Lt Gen Muhammad Aslam Shah, April 1986 – April 1988
- Lt Gen Zulfiqar Akhtar Naz, May 1988 – May 1992
- Lt Gen Khalid Latif Mughal, May 1992 – October 1995
- Lt Gen Pervez Musharraf, October 1995 – October 1998
- Lt Gen Saleem Haider, October 1998 – September 1999
- Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, September 1999 – April 2001
- Lt Gen Ghulam Mustafa, April 2001 – April 2002
- Lt Gen Javed Alam Khan, April 2002 – April 2006
- Lt Gen Sajjad Akram, April 2006 – April 2008
- Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmad, April 2008 – April 2010
- Lt Gen Muhammad Mustafa Khan, April 2010 – October 2010
- Lt Gen Tariq Khan, October 2010 – October 2014
- Lt Gen Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain, October 2014 – September 2015
- Lt Gen Umar Farooq Durrani, September 2015 – April 2017
- Lt Gen Azhar Saleh Abbasi, April 2017 - Present
Present day and order of battle
The corps has not been in action since 1971, though its subordinate units have served on the Line of Control and the war on terror, on secondment to other formations. Its ORBAT is:
- HQ I Corps, Mangla
- 6th Armoured Division, Gujranwala
- 17th Infantry Division, Kharian
- 37th Infantry Division, Kharian
References
- ↑ Gill, An Atlas of the 1971 India-Pakistan War, NESA (NDU), p.48
- ↑ Gill, p.49
- ↑ Brian Cloughly, A History of Pakistan Army
External links
- GlobalSecurity.org, Global Security Website about the I Corps
- This shows the Formations Insignia
