Zafar Muhammad Khan

Zafar Muhammad Khan
Birth name	Zafar Muhammad Khan
Nickname(s)	Commander Zafar
Allegiance	Pakistan
Service/branch	Pakistan Navy
Years of service	1956-1971
Rank	Commander
Service number	PN No. 643
Unit	Submarine Service Branch
Commands held	PNS Ghazi Submarine
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Operation Dwarka Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Awards	Sitara-e-Jurat (1965) Hilal-i-Jur'at (1971)

Commander Zafar Muhammad Khan (Born: 19?? - 04 December, 1971), was a naval officer in the Pakistan Navy who was the Captain and Commanding Officer of PNS Ghazi during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The PNS Ghazi was sunk under mysterious circumstances while on a reconnaissance mine laying mission in the approaches to the Indian port of Vishakapatnum (Bay of Bengal) and sank about 00:10 hours. A total of 93 men, including 11 commissioned officers, and 82 non-commissioned officers lost their lives. In 1971, he was one the officer naval officers who were posthumously awarded Hilal-i-Jur'at for their actions.

Naval Career

Khan graduated from Karachi University with a B.Sc. in Electrical engineering in 1956. Khan gained commissioned in Pakistan Navy in 1956, and was sent to Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth to do the General Naval Course (GNC). He began his active duty in 1960 as he graduated from there. He briefly served in PNS Ghazi as a Electrical Engineer Officer (EEO), and actively participated in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He then participated and also served as an Torpedo officer (TO) in Operation Dwarka on on 7 September 1965. After the war, he taught Electrical engineering courses as an Associate professor at the Pakistan Navy Engineering College which was last established in 1966. He was promoted as Lieutenant Commander in 1967, and was finally promoted as Commander in 1971.

A week before being assigned to the mission, he was promoted as Commander in the Navy and, four days later, he became a commanding officer of the PNS Ghazi. In the late of 1971, the political crisis and tensions between East and West-Pakistan were heightened. And, Naval Intelligence (Pakistan Navy) realized that the Indian intervention in Pakistan's matter is inevitable. Sensing a deteriorating military scenario with the transfer of Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant close to East Pakistan, the Pakistan Navy launched a covert and reconnaissance mission codename, "Operation Falcon". It was followed by deploying PNS Ghazi around the Indian peninsula from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, PNS Hangor was deployed near the coast of West Pakistan under the command of Captain Ahmed Tasnim.

In the night of November 14, 1971, PNS Ghazi sailed out of harbour on a reconnaissance mission under the command of Commander Zafar Muhammad Khan with 92 men on board. It was expected to be report back to its home on November 26, 1971. According to the Naval Intelligence, 2 different missions were assigned to PNS Ghazi. The copies of missions were handed over to the Commander Khan, entitled as "Top Secret". The Operation's Commander had instructed Commander Zafar Khan not to open the files until PNS Ghazi approached to Visakhapatnam port.

One of the PNS Ghazi's mission was to lay mines on Vishakapatnam Port, Bay of Bengal. And, another assignment was to launch an assault on the only aircraft carrier of Indian Navy, the INS Vikrant. The PNS Ghazi was 400 miles off Bombay on 16 November, off Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on 19 November, and entered the Bay of Bengal on 20 November 1971. The PNS Ghazi had achieved the first objectives by laying the mines. On November 23, as part of second assignment, PNS Ghazi under the began to look for INS Vikrant. At 16:00 hours, on 1 December, 1971, INS Rajput was deployed to launch an attack on PNS Ghazi. At 23:40 on 3 December, taking on board a pilot, Rajput moved through the channel to the exit from Visakhapatnam. In the midnight of 4 December, INS Rajput set off two depth charges, and the loud explosions were heard at the distant area. On 4 December, 1971, at 00:10 hours, PNS Ghazi was sunk with all 93 men abroad. 11 commissioned officer and 82 non-commissioned officers lost their lives that night.

The Sinking of PNS Ghazi's details and records are not completely publically known. Both Pakistan and India's has proposed different theories and reports. After the war, both countries have concluded their investigations, are not completely known to public. Pakistan had classified all the information regarding to the PNS Ghazi, while the country has paid the tribute to the men. While, there is a confusion remain as different military officer (involved in the conflict that time) proposed their theories with their point of views.

Media

Pakistan Navy has heavily tribute Commander Zafar and the crew of PNS Ghazi by establishing the monuments of falling officers. In 1998, a dramatization of PNS Ghazi, as PNS Ghazi (Shaheed), was filmed, and it was financed and produced by ISPR of Pakistan Defense Forces. It was here Pakistan Navy had first time outlined the Naval career of Commander Zafar Muhammad Khan and other officers. A well-known Pakistani actor Shabbir Jan had portrayed and sketch the life and career of Commander Zafar Muhammad Khan.

Honors

• PNS Zafar: Named after Commander Zafar Muhammad Khan (shaheed). The establishment was commissioned on 15 Mar 1974, and serves as the depot for all Pakistan Navy per sonnel stationed at Islamabad.
• ZAFAR Chowk: Named after Commander Zafar Muhammad Khan (shaheed). In order to perpetuate his memory, the naval and Islamabad municipal authorities have named the road crossing which gives access to Naval Residential Area in Islamabad as "Zafar Chowk".

References

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