Agha Ibrahim Akram

Lieutenant General Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram (Urdu: ; 22 September 1923 — 4 March 1989) better known as A. I. Akram was a three-star rank general, military strategist, author, historian, diplomat, and one of Pakistan's most influential soldier-scholars. In the 1980s, Akram was a well-known defence expert and defence analyst. Akram's most popular work was his biography of Khalid ibn al-Walid, The Sword of Allah which Akram published while serving in the Pakistan Army. For several years. it was compulsory reading in the Pakistan Army for admission into the Command and Staff College Quetta and has been on the leadership syllabus in the Malaysian Army. Akram was once seen as a close confidant of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and his conceptual adviser.

Akram served in several key positions including as Permanent Military Representative of Pakistan to CENTO in Ankara, Colonel Commandant Frontier Force Regiment, Deputy Martial Law Administrator - Zone F (NWFP) under President Yahya Khan and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, GOC 7 Division, Military Secretary GHQ, and Colonel Staff HQ 15 Division.

Akram dedicated his books, The Muslim Conquest of Egypt and North Africa to his son Hassan, The Muslim Conquest of Spain to his son Masood, The Falcon of The Quraish: Abdur Rahman The Immigrant of Spain to his brother Mahmud, and The Rise of Cordoba to his late wife Loge. Akram was fluent in Urdu, English, Farsi, Arabic, and Spanish, learning the latter two for research.

In the 1980s, Akram stated he opposed nuclear weapons and suggested that Pakistan and other developing countries should use nuclear energy. Akram expected that by the end of the 20th century, only about 10 countries would have nuclear weapons.

Early life
Akram was born in Ludhiana on 22 September 1923, his father was an Indian Police Officer. Akram graduated from Government College, Lahore in 1942 and joined the British Indian Army.

Personal life
Akram was married to his wife Loge, who died before him. They have three children, daughter Yasmin, and sons Hassan and Masood.

Inamul Haque Khan states that Akram was a well-read person and used to discuss philosophy and Allama Iqbal's poetry.

British Indian Army career
Akram was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 13th Frontier Force Rifles of the British Indian Army on 26 November 1942, receiving a promotion on 26 August 1943 as a War substantive Lieutenant.

During World War II, Akram saw action in Burma and was promoted to Acting Captain on 31 December 1944. Later, Akram received a promotion on 1 January 1945 as Temporary Captain and was appointed as the Quartermaster of the 14th Battalion of the 55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force).

Pakistan army career
After the Partition of British India in 1947, Akram opted to join the Pakistan Army and commanded a company of the Tochi Scouts of the Frontier Corps during the First Kashmir War. Akram was later transferred to the Piffers.

In September 1949, Pakistan among several countries received an invitation to attend the Harbnen Medal presentation by the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene of the United Kingdom. Pakistan accepted the invitation and Major A. I. Akram represented the country.

Akram was the Assistant Army Liaison officer of Pakistan at the High Commission of Pakistan, London in 1951. Colonel Akram taught military history as Chief Instructor at Command and Staff College Quetta from 17 September 1960 to 11 September 1965, during which he felt that there was a lack of detailed, clear and objective literature on Muslim military history. It was at this time when he decided to fill the void himself and began working on the biography of Khalid bin Walid, The Sword of Allah.

Colonel Akram was appointed as Colonel Staff HQ 15 Division on 20 September during the 1965 war.

Brigadier Akram was the Parade commander of the Pakistan Day Parade of 1967 and held the position of Administrator for Sub-Sector No. 1, overseeing the civil districts of Bannu and D.I. Khan, as well as the tribal territories governed by these districts in 1969.

His first book, The Sword of Allah is about the life and campaigns of Khalid ibn al-Walid which was published during his army service in 1970 after a five year effort, including visiting battle-fields in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for research. It has two English editions and has been translated into Urdu, Arabic, German, French and Bahasa.

On 6 July 1971, President Yahya Khan appointed Akram as the Deputy Administrator of Martial Law - Zone F and kept in the role until 6 July 1972 during President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government.

During a parade in Multan, on 2 May 1974, both the 7 FF and 10 FF received their regimental colors together. Major General A.I. Akram, the Colonel Commandant of the FF Regiment, made the presentation.

While Akram was Pakistan's Permanent Military Deputy to CENTO, he published his second book The Muslim Conquest of Persia in 1975 after a four year research effort including visiting battlefields in Iran and discussing with Iranian scholars.

The Muslim Conquest of Egypt and North Africa was his third book, published in 1977, which also took four years of preparations and visits to Egypt and Tunisia.

Hamoodur Rehman Commission report
Major General Akram was not involved in the Bangladesh genocide as he was posted at the Western Front to defend Pakistan's borders against the Indian Army, later appearing as Witness Number 139 in the Hamoodur Rahman Commission report.

Consideration for the role of Chief of Army Staff
In March 1976, several generals were in consideration for the role of Chief of Army Staff to succeed Tikka Khan.

In order of seniority, these officers were Muhammad Shariff, Muhammed Akbar Khan, Aftab Ahmad Khan, Azmat Baksh Awan, Agha Ibrahim Akram, Majeed Malik, and Ghulam Jilani Khan. Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had a personal rapport with all these generals but superseded them for the most junior Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, who would later be responsible for hanging Bhutto.

Akram retired from the Pakistan Army on 8 April 1978.

Diplomatic career
On 9 April 1978, Akram assumed charge as Officer on Special Duty Grade 20 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On 12 May 1978, President Zia-ul-Haq appointed Akram as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Madrid.

Here, Akram learned Spanish and wrote his book The Muslim Conquest of Spain, which was the last book Akram published while he was alive in 1980. To research for writing all these books he learned Arabic, Persian and Spanish and collected an impressive library of historical works.

Akram's tenure ended on 30 September 1980.

Later life
On 24 March 1981, Akram was elected as Chairman Rawalpindi Club.

He founded the Institute of Regional Studies in March 1982 and remained its president till his death.

On 27 February 1984, Akram disclosed that President Zia-ul-Haq had offered India to send its military team to Pakistan to evaluate the latter's defence requirements and suggest how much of armed strength Pakistan should possess.

Death
Akram died on 4 March 1989 in Islamabad, Pakistan at the age of 65.

Posthumous book releases
Akram's final books The Falcon of The Quraish: Abdur Rahman The Immigrant of Spain and The Rise of Cordoba were published after his death.