Ehsan ul Haq | |
|---|---|
احسان الحق | |
 Ehsan ul Haq,c. 2007 | |
| 12thChairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
| In office 6 October 2004 – 7 October 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Gen.Aziz Khan |
| Succeeded by | Gen.Tariq Majid |
| Director General of the ISI | |
| In office 20 October 2001 – 5 October 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Lt-Gen.Mahmud Ahmed |
| Succeeded by | Lt-Gen.Ashfaq Pervez Kayani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1949-09-22)22 September 1949 (age 76) Mardan,Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan |
| Alma mater | Pakistan Military Academy National Defence University Air Force Aviation University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Pakistan |
| Branch/service | Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1967–2007 |
| Rank |   General |
| Unit | Air Defence Corps |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
| Service number | PA-5146 |
GeneralEhsan ul HaqNI(M),HI(M) (Urdu:احسان الحق; born 22 September 1949), is a retiredfour-star rankarmy general in thePakistan Army and apublic official, served as the 12thChairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff Committee, appointed in October 2005 until his retirement in 2007.[1]
After retiring from his 40 years ofmilitary service, Ehsan ul Haq engaged in thecorporate sector where hemanaged the businesses in thehealthcare industry, and often offers hispublic speaking skills on the issues offoreign policy of Pakistan concerning theArab League.[1]
Ehsan ul Haq was born inMardan,Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, into aPashtun family on 22 September 1949.[2] He was educated at thePAF Public School inSargodha, a school under the administration of theAir Force Education Command, andmatriculated in 1967.[3][4][5]
After thewar with India in 1971, he went to attend theNational Defence University inIslamabad where he attainedMSc inWar Studies in 1977.[6] In addition, Ehsan also went to attend theCommand and Staff College inQuetta in 1977 where he was qualified aspsc in 1980.: 208 [7][6]
Ehsan was noted as a specialist inanti-aircraft warfare, having educated and graduated master's degree from thePLA Air Force Aviation University inZhengzhou in China.[6]
He joined thePakistan Army in 1967, and was directed to attend thePakistan Military Academy (PMA) inKakul where hepassed out in the class of 41st PMA Long Course from the academy in 1969.[8]2nd-Lt. Ehsan wascommissioned in theArmy Air Defence Command, and serving in theWestern front of the third war with India in 1971.[9]
In 1977,Major Ehsan was posted with thePakistan Armed Forces-Middle East Command where he first served as an instructor to theIranian Air Force as anexchange officer until 1980.[6] However,Maj. Ehsan left his instructing assignmentIranian IAF before the start of theIran–Iraq War, and was posted with a command deputation to theRoyal Saudi Air Defense which he served until 1983–84.[6] In 1986, Ehsan went to the United States where he attended theUnited States Army'sLogistics Management College inFort Lee inVirginia and graduated from there in 1989.[2]
In 1990,Brig. Ehsan commanded the 117th Infantry Brigade, later 46 AD Brigade and Deputy Military Secretary in GHQ until 1994 when he was promoted totwo-star rank and commanded the3rd Air Defence Division until 1996.[10]Major-General Ehsan later took over the command of the16th Infantry Division stationed inPano Aqil inSindh as itsGOC which he commanded until 1996–97.[11]
After themilitary takeover of thecivilian government in 1999,Maj-Gen Ehsan was appointed as theDirector-General of theMilitary Intelligence (DGMI) and took the command of the MI from thenMaj-GenJamshed Gulzar Kiani, remaining in this position until April 2001.: contents [12]
In April 2001,Lieutenant-General Ehsan was posted as the field commander of theXI Corps stationed inPeshawar but remained in this command capacity until October 2001.[13]
On 7 October 2001,Lt-Gen. Ehsan was surprisingly appointed as theDirector-General of theInter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) as part of a major reshuffle that took place whenPresidentPervez Musharraf went todismissed his keyarmy generals involved in themilitary takeover in1999.[13] His appointment was in response to the removal of theISI director,Mahmud Ahmed, after theterrorist attacks took place in the United States in September 2001 which was followed by theAmericaninvasion ofAfghanistan in October 2001.[13]
About his reception and image, theAmericanDefense Intelligence Agency (DIA) ran his profile in June 2002 that described him as holding "moderate Islamic views" and calls him a"protege" of PresidentPresident Musharraf, saying the two men had a "strong relationship".[10]
Furthermore, he was described as "keenly aware of big picture issues with viewing of strong support for the democracy, advocating that Pakistan needs a legitimate civilian democratic government" and "open with American officials".[10] According to the DIA, Ehsan believes that Pakistan's policy of engagement with theTaliban was to eventually moderate the Taliban's behavior.[14] He played a crucial role in apprehending of theOmar Sheikh, aBritish terrorist and formerMI-6 agent, from Karachi in 2002, and knew well aware of his status as theMI-6 agent as early as 1999.: 183 [15]
In 2002, Ehsanpolitically engineered acentrist party underShuja'at Hussain that opposing both the conservativePML(N) and the leftistPPP, and provided his agency's support to promote the Musharraf's mainstream agenda through the newpolitical party in the political platform of the country.: 185 [15]: 335 [16]
He played a crucial role in dividing the two mainstream parties, thePML(N) being split towards thePML(Q) while thePPP forming theparliamentarians underAmin Fahim to fight off the pressure exerted by Lt-Gen. Ehsan.: 186 [15] After thegeneral elections held in 2002, the ISI under Ehsan remained politically active toprovide political support to legitimizepresidential elections in 2004.: 187 [15]
In 2018, it was revealed by Urdu columnist, Mahmood Shaam, that Lt-Gen. Ehsan fiercely opposed the candidacy ofFazal-ur-Rehman and notably pressured theARD alliance led byBenazir Bhutto and ultraconservativeMMA to withdraw the latter's name in favor ofZafarullah Khan Jamali.[17]
In 2004, theGovernment of Pakistan confirmed the timely retirement of Gen.Aziz Khan as theChairman joint chiefs, and eventually the race was thought be between Adm.Shahid Karim and the senior army generals in the Pakistan Army. In the army department alone, there were eight army generals who were in the race for the promotion of four-star rank appointment along withAdm. Shahid Karim, including with seniority:[19]
Despite his short-coming of his seniority and qualifications, President Musharraf announced to promote Lt-Gen. Ehsan to the four-star appointment and subsequently superseding the senior most Adm.Shahid Karim and eight senior army generals in the Pakistan Army on 7 October 2004.[19] In the public circles and media, the appointment was commented as "backdrop of a controversy over President Musharraf's uniform and his continuing as army chief after 31 December 2004."[20][19] Regardless, the appointment to four-star appointment was deemed as controversial by the political circles of the country.[19]
On 18 December 2004, Gen. Ehsan was appointed as the first everColonel-in-Chief of theArmy Air Defence Command.[21] In 2005, Gen. Ehsan went to visit China to maintain defence ties in a view of strengthening the arms industry.[22]
As Chairman joint chiefs, he oversaw thetroops deployment intribal areas to end theviolence and supported hisplan and strategy to gain public support despite the reluctance from the United States in 2006.[18] However, in 2007, Gen. Ehsan openly admitted when he testified his failure to end the violence and expulsion ofCentral Asian andAfghan Arabs in the country noting that, "theal-Qaeda and theTaliban militants used the2006 peace agreement to regroup and carry out terrorist attacks in bothPakistan and Afghanistan."[18]
In 2007, Gen. Ehsan sought his retirement after his testimony in theWashington D.C. in United States and went to join thecorporate world eventually becoming theCEO of the Pakistan–Libya Holding Company, an investment firm.[1] He oversaw the company operations both inLibya and Pakistan but departed from the investment firm when therevolution took place in 2011, and subsequently went to join thehealthcare industry in 2011.[1]
He is currently serving as the Chairman of theBoard of Governors of the Al-Shifa Trust, which runs a chain ofeye care hospitals throughout Pakistan, while also managing the DNA Health Corporation, an American-based health company based inNew York.[1]
Ehsan continued to take an active interest in military and geopolitical matters after retiring from service, having delivered keynote addresses at forums such as the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and theNational Defence University (NDU). His speeches have addressednuclear deterrence,counterterrorism, and regional strategic dynamics.[23] He has also contributed to military doctrine discussions and policy briefings post-retirement, including closed-door consultations andwhite papers related tonational security.[24]
In 2017, Ehsan vehemently criticized theNawaz administration over itsstrict neutrality, calling for supporting themilitary intervention bySaudi Arabia andUnited Arab Emirates in theYemeni Civil War.[25]
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| Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence) | Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) | Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War (War Star 1971) | |
| Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War (War Medal 1971) | 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 | 40 Years Service Medal |
| Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e- (100th Birth Anniversary of | 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 and Staff College Quetta Centenary Student's Medal 2007 | Order of King Abdul Aziz (Class I) | Legion of HonourOfficer Class (France) 2006 |
| Foreign Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
 Saudi Arabia | Order of King Abdul Aziz (Class I) | |
 France | Légion d'honneur[26] | |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Director General of theInter-Services Intelligence 2001–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee 2004–2007 | Succeeded by |
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| Major operations | |
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| by Country | |
| Directors General |
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| Bibliography |
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| International | |
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