Pakistan Army Order of Battle December 1971

The Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight on March 25th, 1971, to pacify which led to a prolonged conflict with the Bengali Mukti Bahini. Although conventional in nature during March–May 1971, it soon turned into an insurgency from June of that year. Indian army had not directly supported the Bengali resistance but had launched Operation Jackpot to support the insurgency from May 1971. The initial deployments of the Pakistan armed forces were to combat and contain the activities of the Mukti Bahini. This was changed over time and by December 1971, 3 Infantry and 2 ad hoc divisions were deployed to face the Mitro Bahini.

Background: Initial deployments against Mukti Bahini


Pakistan army started to work on a plan of defense against a possible Bangladesh attack from July 1971. At that time, 3 infantry divisions held responsibility for the province: the 9th (CO: Maj. Gen. Shaukat Riza, HQ Jessore) looking after the area south of the Padma River, the 16th (Maj. Gen. Nazar Hussain Shah, HQ Bogra) responsible for the area north of Padma and west of Jamuna rivers and the 14th (CO: Maj. Gen. Rahim Khan, HQ: Dhaka) looking after the rest of the province. The original plan was based on a series of exercises, known as Titumeer, which were held during 1970–1971. It was revised several times and approved in October 1971. General Niazi had created 4 ad hoc infantry brigade and 2 ad hoc infantry divisions before the final order of battle was devised. The final order of battle prior to December 3, 1971 was:

Eastern Command Headquarters Dhaka

GOC: Lt. General A. A. K. Niazi

COS: Brigadier Baqir Siddiqi

Commander Artillery: Brig. S. S. A. Kashim

Commander Armor: Col. Bakhtier

Commander Engineers: Brig. Iqbal Sharif

Commander Signals: Brig. Areef Reza

Commander Medical Service: Brig. Fahim Ahmed Khan

Advisor: Maj. Gen. Rao Farman Ali

Units under HQ Control:
 * 6th Engineer Regiment
 * 10th Engineer Regiment – detached to various locations
 * 11th Engineer Regiment - Lt. Col Sarwar
 * 43rd Light Ack Ack – Lt. Col. Mohammad Afzal
 * 19th Signal Regiment
 * 3rd Commando Battalion (less elements)
 * Army Aviation Squadron #4 – Lt. Col. Liakat Bokhari

Dhaka Defense Scheme (adhoc)
Brig. Kashim (North): Dhaka Cantonment & Tongi atea

Brig. Mansoor (East): Munshiganj & Narayanganj

Brig. Bashir: Dhaka city proper
 * EPCAF HQ and Sector units:
 * Police and Razakars

Pakistan Air Force CO: Air Commodore Enamul Huq
 * No. 14 Squadron ‘’Tail-choppers’’: 20 F-86 Sabers
 * Training unit: 3 T-33

Pakistan Navy CO: Rear Admiral Mohammad Sharif
 * 4 Gunboats: PNS Rajshahi, Comilla, Sylhet and Jessore
 * 1 Patrol Boat: PNS Balaghat
 * 17 armed boats
 * Naval Marines – Captain Zamir

36 Ad hoc Infantry Division
GOC: Maj. Gen. M. Jamshed Khan HQ Dhaka

Area of Operation: Dhaka, Tangail and Mymensingh districts
 * 93 Infantry Brigade: Brig Abdul Qadir Khan HQ Mymensingh
 * 83 Independent. Mortar battery
 * 31 Baluch – Jamalpur
 * 33 Punjab – Mymensingh
 * 71 Wing WPR – Kishorganj
 * 70 Wing WPR – Bijaipur

14 Infantry Division
GOC: Major General Abdul Majid Qazi, HQ Brahmanbaria

Area of Operation: Sylhet and Northern Comilla districts
 * 31st Field Artillery – Ashuganj – Brahmanbaria - Shamshernagar
 * 88 Independent Mortar Battery – Sylhet
 * 171 Independent Mortar Battery – Comilla

Sylhet
Also: Wings of Tochi, Thal and Khyber scouts
 * 202 Adhoc Brigade: Brig. Salimullah
 * 31 Punjab – Sylhet
 * 91 Mujahid Battalion – Sunamganj
 * 12 Azad Kashmir – Sylhet

Maulavibazar

 * 313 infantry Brigade: Brig. Iftikar Rana
 * 22 Baluch – Kalaura
 * 30 Frontier Force – Shahshernagar
 * 91 Mujahid (minus elements) & Tochi Scouts – Sherpur

Brahmanbaria

 * 27th Infantry Brigade: Brig. Saadullah
 * 33rd Baluch – Kasba
 * 12th Frontier Force – Akhaura
 * 2 Troops of M-24 Chaffee – Akhaura

39 Ad hoc Division
GOC: Maj. Gen. Rahim Khan – Chandpur

Area of Operation: Comilla, Feni and Northern Chittagong
 * 53rd Field Artillery – Comilla

Comilla

 * 117th Infantry Brigade: Brig. Sheikh M.H. Atif
 * 30 Punjab – Saldanadi
 * 25th Frontier Force – Mainamati
 * 12th Azad Kashmir – Comilla

Feni

 * 53rde Infantry Brigade: Brig. Aslam Niazi
 * 15th Baluch – Belonia
 * 39th Baluch – Laksham
 * 23rd Punjab – Mean Bazar
 * 21 Azad Kashmir - Laksham

Ramgarh

 * 91st Ad hoc Brigade: Brig. Mian Taskeenuddin HQ Chittagong
 * 24th Frontier Force – Ramgarh
 * Chakma and Mizo troops
 * EPCAF 11th and 14th Wings

Chittagong

 * 97th Independent Brigade: Brig. Ata Mohd. Khan Malik
 * 48th Baluch – Chittagong
 * 2 SSg Commando - Rangamati
 * 60th Wing Rangers – Ramgarh
 * 61st Wing Rangers – Cox’s Bazar
 * Naval Contingent
 * 46th Light Ack Ack Battery

16th Infantry Division
GOC: Maj. Gen. Nazar Hussain Shah HQ: Bogra, then Natore

Area of Operation: Rajshahi, Bogra, Dinajpur, Rangpur and Pabna Districts
 * 29th Cavalry less elements –Rangpur
 * 48th Field Regiment – Thakurgaon
 * 80th Field Regiment – Hili
 * 117th Mortar Battery – Kurigram

Saidpur

 * 23rd Infantry Brigade: Brig. Iqbal Shaffi
 * 25th Punjab – Lalmanirhut
 * 26th Frontier Force – Dinajpur
 * 48th Punjab – Thakurgaon
 * 8 Punjab – Rangpur
 * 34th Punjab – Nilphamari
 * 86th Mujahid – Gaibandha

Bogra

 * 205th Infantry Brigade: Brig. Tajammul Hussain Malik HQ: Khetlal
 * 32nd Baluch – Ghoraghat
 * 4th Frontier Force – Hili
 * 3rd Baluch - Jaipurhut

Nator

 * 34th Infantry Brigade: Brig. Mir Abdul Nayeem
 * 32nd Punjab – Nawabganj
 * 13th Frontier Force – Sapahar

Rajshahi

 * Rajshahi Ad hoc Brigade

9th Infantry Division
GOC: Maj. Gen HM. H. Ansari HQ Jessore

Area of Operation: Khulna, Jessore, Kushtia, Faridpur, Barisal and Patuakhali districts
 * 3rd Ind. Armored Squadron – Jessore
 * 55th Field Artillery – Satkhira and Chaugacha
 * 49th Field Artillery – Chuadanga
 * 211th Independent Mortar Battery – Chaugacha

Jhenida

 * 57th Infantry Brigade: Brig. Manzoor Ahmed
 * 18th Punjab – Darshana
 * 50th Punjab – Jhenida
 * 29th Baluch – Kushtia
 * Squadron 29th Cavalry – Kushtia

Jessore

 * 107th Infantry Brigade: Brig. Malik Hayat Khan
 * 22nd Frontier Force – Benapole
 * 38th Frontier Force – Afra
 * 6th Punjab – Jessore
 * 21st Punjab – Satkhira
 * 15th Frontier Force – Jessore
 * 12th Punjab – Jessore

Khulna

 * 314th Ad Hoc Brigade: Col. Fazle Hamid