General Shamim Alam Khan

Shamim Alam Khan, NI(M), SJ, SBt, (born 1937) is a retired four-star rank General in the Pakistan Army who served as the Supreme Commandant of the Pakistan Defense Forces as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1991 to 1994. A former member of the Special Service Group, Khan also commanded the II Corps at Multan and XXXI Corps at Bahawalpur and was the Chief of General Staff (CGS) at the Army GHQ.

Shamim Alam Khan was born in present-day India. He joined the army after passing his Senior Cambridge from Lawrence College Ghora Gali and FSc from the Government College, Lahore. He was commissioned in 20th Lancers of the Armoured Corps in 1956 in the 14th PMA Long Course. Later in his career, he commanded a SSG company in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, for which he awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat. He then attended the Staff College, Camberley after the 1965 war. During theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971, he served with the 28th Cavalry in the Chamb sector and later took over the command of the regiment after the war. He then served as GSO-1 in I Corps at Mangla, attended the War Course and was retained as an instructor in the National Defence College, Rawalpindi. On the brigadier and major general level, Khan commanded an independent armoured brigade, the 1st Armoured Division at Multan, served as Vice Chief of General Staff (VCGS) at GHQ and then commanded an infantry division.

After promotion to lieutenant general, Khan commanded the II Corps at Multan.  After his stint as corps commander, Khan was posted as the Chief of General Staff (CGS) at GHQ and later commanded the XXXI Corps at Bahawalpur. He was promoted to full general in 1991 and appointed the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He retired from Army after completing his three-year tenure in 1994.

• Unit: 20th Lancers, Army Armoured Corps and Special Service Group (SSG)
• Commands Held:
  • 1st Armoured Division, Multan
  • Vice Chief of General Staff (VCGS)
  • Infantry Division
  • II Corps, Multan
  • Chief of General Staff (CGS)
  • XXXI Corps, Bahawalpur
  • Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
• Battles/Wars: Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971