Syed Mohammad Ahsan facts for kids
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Syed Mohammad Ahsan
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Vice Admiral S.M. Ahsan (1920–1989)
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| Military Governor of East Pakistan | |
| In office 1 September 1969 – 1 March 1971 |
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| President | Yahya Khan |
| Prime Minister | Nurul Amin (1970–71) |
| 8th Minister of Finance | |
| In office 5 April 1969 – 3 August 1969 |
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| Preceded by | N M Uqaili |
| Succeeded by | M.A. Qizilbash |
| Navy Commander in Chief | |
| In office 20 October 1966 – 31 August 1969 |
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| President | Ayub Khan |
| Preceded by | V.Adm A.R. Khan |
| Succeeded by | V.Adm Muzaffar Hassan |
| Chairman of the National Shipping Corporation | |
| In office 1975–1976 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Syed Mohammad Ahsan
December 1920 Hyderabad Deccan, British Indian Empire (Present-day India) |
| Died | 1990 (aged 69–70) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Resting place | Military Graveyard |
| Citizenship |  British India (1921–1947) Pakistan (1947–1989) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Osmania University (BA in Stats) |
| Civilian awards |  Hilal-i-Quaid-e-Azam Sitara-e-Pakistan |
| Nicknames | 007 Admiral Ahsan |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Royal Indian Navy (1940–1947) Pakistan Navy (1947–71) |
| Years of service | 1938–1971 |
| Rank |   Vice-Admiral (S/No. PN.007) |
| Unit | Navy Executive Branch |
| Commands | Commander Logistics (COMLOG) Commander Pakistan Fleet DG Naval Intelligence (DGNI) CO PNS Tariq Aide-de-camp to Louis Mountbatten Military Advisor East-Pakistan military |
| Battles/wars | World War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
| Military awards |  Distinguished Service Cross Legion of Merit Medalha de Mérito Militar |
Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan (born 1920 – died 1990), also known as S. M. Ahsan, was an important admiral in the Pakistan Navy. He served as the Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Navy from 1966 to 1969 under President Ayub Khan.
After his time as naval chief, he became the Finance Minister for a short period. Then, he was appointed Governor of East Pakistan in September 1969. He resigned from this role in March 1971 and returned to Pakistan.
Ahsan began his naval career in the Royal Indian Navy and fought in World War II for the British. After India was divided in 1947, he chose to become a citizen of Pakistan. He helped create the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is Pakistan's main intelligence agency. He also played a key role in the 1965 war with India.
As naval chief, he started new programs. These included setting up special forces for the navy, making Naval Intelligence stronger, and updating the navy's ships and equipment. He was a trusted advisor to President Ayub Khan. He often gave advice on national security during cabinet meetings.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Syed Mohammad Ahsan was born in December 1920 in Hyderabad Deccan, which was part of the British Indian Empire (now India). His family spoke Urdu and belonged to the Syed community.
He went to school in Hyderabad and then studied at Osmania University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1938, he decided to join the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) as a Sub-Lieutenant. His cousin, M.J. Syed, also joined the Royal Indian Merchant Navy around the same time.
In 1938, Ahsan was accepted into the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom. After training, he became a Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy. He specialized in Signals and taught at the Combined Cadet Force in Liverpool, England.
Serving in World War II
During World War II, Ahsan was a naval officer for Great Britain. He fought in the Battle of the Atlantic against the German navy. He also took part in the Arakan Campaign 1942–43 in 1942–43. Later, he served in the Mediterranean region from 1944–45.
For his bravery, he received the Distinguished Service Cross from the United Kingdom in 1945. In 1946, he became an aide-de-camp to Lord Mountbatten, who was the Viceroy of India. He helped Mountbatten in meetings to solve political problems in British India.
After India's Independence
In 1947, when the United Kingdom decided to divide India, Ahsan chose to join Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten introduced him to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Mountbatten reportedly told Jinnah, "I give you Pakistan, I give you my Aide'd camp, Lieutenant Ahsan."
When he joined the Pakistan Navy, Lieutenant Ahsan was the 4th highest-ranking officer in his branch. He was given the service number PN-007. He became a military advisor and aide-de-camp to Pakistan's first Governor-General, M.A. Jinnah. He was the first person to greet Lord Mountbatten when he arrived in Karachi to meet Jinnah in 1947. He did not fight in the first war with India over Kashmir.
In 1949, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander. He became the First Executive Officer of the PNS Tippu Sultan. In 1950, he became the Commander of the PNS Tariq. He participated in a goodwill visit to Malta, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. In 1951, he commanded the PNS Tughril.
One of his first jobs was to help set up the Naval Intelligence department as its Deputy Director. In 1952, he was asked to write a report on the basic ideas for the ISI. He also warned that economic differences between East and West Pakistan needed to be fixed to keep the country united. From 1959–60, he served as chief of staff of the Navy Headquarters.
From 1955–56, he worked as a Naval attaché at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington D.C., USA. During this time, he attended the Naval War College in Rhode Island and completed a staff course.
In 1957, he was promoted to Captain. He was assigned to command the cruiser warship, the PNS Babur, which arrived in Karachi the next year.
In 1960, he became a Commodore (a one-star rank) and led Naval Intelligence. From 1961–62, he was the deputy chief military planning officer for the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) in Bangkok, later becoming its chief military officer.
Reaching Flag Rank
In 1962, he was promoted to Rear Admiral. He created the Logistics Command to solve supply problems in both East and West Pakistan. In 1964, he went to Dacca (now Dhaka) and became the chairman of the East-Pakistan Inland Water Transport Authority. Here, he began training East Pakistani military personnel in riverine tactics.
During this time, he became the main military secretary to President Ayub Khan. Rear-Admiral Ahsan became very influential with President Ayub Khan. He advised the President on important military matters concerning the nation's defense. While in East Pakistan, he helped deploy armed forces and prevented the army from getting involved in politics. He also opposed military action against East Pakistani activists after the 1964 riots.
In 1965, he returned to Pakistan and became the Director-General of Naval Intelligence. He took part in the 1965 war with India. Rear-Admiral Ahsan and his team at the Navy Headquarters helped plan the naval attack on Dwarka. He partly led the fleet as its Commander. The operation had mixed results, but it stopped the Indian Air Force from attacking Karachi and Pakistan's coastal areas. Admiral Ahsan gathered intelligence on the Indian Navy's positions and planned naval operations against them.
Becoming Commander-in-Chief
After the 1965 war, he was the most senior admiral in the navy. In 1966, the outgoing naval chief, Admiral A.R. Khan, nominated him to be the navy's next chief. President Ayub Khan approved his nomination, and he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Navy.
In 1967, he was promoted to Vice-Admiral (a three-star rank). President Ayub honored him with the Sitara-e-Pakistan award. As naval chief, he oversaw the addition of Daphné submarines from France in 1966.
From 1966–68, Admiral Ahsan was aware that the Indian Navy was buying many new weapon systems from the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom. He repeatedly told President Ayub about the need to modernize the Pakistan Navy. He also warned the Army Headquarters about possible Indian Navy attacks on West and East Pakistan. However, his warnings were often ignored due to financial reasons.
His Navy Headquarters staff had disagreements with the Air Headquarters staff about creating a Pakistan Naval Air Arm with fighter jets in 1968. The Air Headquarters rejected his idea, fearing losses of jets and pilots at sea. He managed to convince President Ayub to buy only missile boats, and permission was given to get Soviet-built Osa-class missile boats in 1968.
He led unsuccessful talks with the Soviet Navy and Russian Marshal Andrei Grechko in 1969. This was because the Soviet Union was developing closer ties with India. From 1966 to 1969, his Navy Headquarters staff often argued with the Finance Ministry about the budget for naval modernization, but without much success.
He established the Special Services Group Navy (SSG[N]) and started the Pakistan Marines in 1966. He also set up naval facilities for special operations training. In 1966, he accepted a recommendation from the United States Navy to train Pakistan's special forces unit, similar to the U.S. Navy SEALs.
In Karachi, he opened the Pakistan Naval Academy to train naval staff and cadets in Pakistan, instead of sending them to the United Kingdom. From 1966 to 1968, he served on the Board of Governors of Cadet College Petaro.
Vice-Admiral Ahsan is also known for founding Port Qasim, Pakistan's second port. He explored the coast around Phitti Creek and convinced then–Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1972 to build the port there. He supervised its construction and the setup of industries. The main channel of this port is named after him. From 1966 to 1969, he helped establish the East-Pakistan Navy and commissioned warships like PNS Sylhet and PNS Tughril. However, he faced challenges as many sailors and officers joined the Mukti Bahini, a military wing of the Awami League.
Political Career and Governorship
Joining the Yahya Administration
After President Ayub Khan resigned due to growing unrest, he invited Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army General Yahya Khan to take over as president. In 1969, Admiral Ahsan handed over the naval command to Admiral Muzaffar Hassan. He was then appointed as deputy CMLA under the Yahya administration.
In August 1969, he joined the Yahya administration as a cabinet minister for finance, statistics, commerce, industry, and planning. This was a short role, as Admiral Ahsan was appointed Governor of East Pakistan on September 1, 1969.
This assignment was considered very difficult by the Pakistani military. Many senior officials in West Pakistan did not want to take appointments in East Pakistan. The law and order situation in East Pakistan was getting worse under martial law.
In a cabinet meeting, President Yahya was told that the situation in East Pakistan was critical. His government needed a respected administrator there. To help control the situation, Admiral Ahsan's service was extended, and he was appointed governor. He arrived in Dacca and took an oath from Justice Salahuddin at Dhaka University in 1969. Admiral Ahsan told the media that he was "pretty sure" that by 1971, a new government of elected representatives would take over.
He became governor of East Pakistan in 1969. Soon after, he reportedly disagreed with the Governor of West Pakistan, Air Marshal Nur Khan, about legal and political reforms. President Yahya also had disagreements with his army chief, Lieutenant-General Abdul Hamid Khan.
Admiral Ahsan took many steps to solve the political problems in East Pakistan. He maintained good relations with President Yahya. He noted that the six-point demands were not new. In 1969, he visited the United States to meet with Elliot Richardson. He sought foreign support for East Pakistan and stability in the region. He also arranged for U.S. Navy officials to visit him at the Governor's House, Dhaka to strengthen military ties with the United States.
In 1970, his government helped rebuild infrastructure after the deadly cyclone. He used the military to coordinate relief efforts after meeting with President Yahya.
1970 Elections and Resignation
In 1970, Admiral Ahsan oversaw the parliamentary elections across the country. Under his leadership, law and order improved. It was expected that the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, would win a large majority in the provincial assembly. This would allow them to form the national government in Islamabad. The Awami League won about 39.2% of the seats in the Parliament. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, won 18.6% of the seats, all from West Pakistan.
Zulfikar Bhutto refused to negotiate the six points. President Yahya met with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which made the situation more tense. Bhutto told his party members not to visit Dhaka. Kamal Hossain reportedly warned Admiral Ahsan about the "danger" of delaying the transfer of power.
Admiral Ahsan and his chief staff officer, Lieutenant-General Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, repeatedly argued against military actions in East Pakistan to President Yahya. Their views were known to U.S. politicians.
On February 22, 1971, Ahsan attended a high-level meeting with President Yahya Khan. Ahsan described the meeting as "tense" and "anti-Bengali," with no Bengali representatives present. He opposed a military solution to the crisis in East Pakistan.
Admiral Ahsan offered a plan, known as the Ahsan Formula. Pakistan would become a confederation of two parts, giving East Pakistan more independence. Yahya would lead the confederation. East Pakistanis in West Pakistan would move to East Pakistan, and vice versa. National assets would be divided based on population. However, the military rejected this plan.
In February 1971, he oversaw military deployments in East Pakistan. These forces were preparing for a military operation to stop the movement.
Feeling discouraged and isolated, Admiral Ahsan tried to reach President Yahya by phone but failed. On March 7, 1971, Admiral Ahsan resigned in protest from his position as Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan.
He participated in the 1971 war with India. However, he did not have a command assignment at the Navy Headquarters. He sought an honorable discharge from the navy after the war ended in late 1971.
War Enquiry Commission
He welcomed the creation of the War Enquiry Commission in 1972, led by Chief Justice Hamoodur Rahman. He testified before the commission. He described the hostile mood of the military leaders when they decided to postpone the assembly session and launch a military operation in East Pakistan.
Life After Retirement
Ahsan retired from the Navy in late 1971. He was appointed chairman of the Port Qasim Authority in 1972. Later, he became chairman of the National Shipping Corporation from 1975 to 1976. After leaving public service in 1976, he lived a quiet life away from the public eye. In his later years, Admiral Ahsan learned French and enjoyed playing bridge.
Death and Lasting Impact
Ahsan passed away peacefully in 1989 at his home in Karachi. The Government of Pakistan gave him an honorary guard of honor. He was buried in the military graveyard in Karachi, as he wished. His death was mourned by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, President Ghulam Ishaq, Chairman Joint Chiefs Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey, and the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
In 1990, the Pakistan Navy established a naval base in Balochistan. It was commissioned in 1991 as PNS Ahsan to honor his service.
The main channel of Port Qasim is named the Ahsan Channel. Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto officially opened it on August 4, 1989. She recognized Admiral Ahsan as the founder of Port Qasim in her speech.
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