Mahmud Ahmed

2022-11-29T07:44:17Z

101.53.234.244:

{{short description|Pakistani general}}
{{For|the Ethiopian singer|Mahmoud Ahmed}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[Lieutenant general (Pakistan)|Lieutenant General]]
| name = Mahmud Ahmed
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| honorific_suffix = [[Hilal-e-Imtiaz|HI(M)]]
| image =
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| order = [[Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence]]
| office =
| term_start = 20 October 1999
| term_end = 7 October 2001
| alongside = 
| predecessor = Gen. [[Ziauddin Butt]]
| successor = Lt-Gen. [[Ehsan ul Haq]]
| prior_term =
| order2 = [[President (corporate title)|President]] of the [[National Defence University, Pakistan|National Defence University]]
| office2 = 
| term_start2 = 1998
| term_end2 = 1999
| predecessor2 = Lt. Gen. Maqbool Ahmad
| successor2 = Lt. Gen. Salah ul Din Tirmazi
| pronunciation =
| birth_name = Mahmud Ahmed
| birth_date = {{circa}} {{Birth year and age|1944}}
| birth_place = [[Ludhiana]], [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]], [[British Indian Empire|British India]] {{small|(Present-day in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] in [[India]])}}
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| allegiance = {{PAK}}
| branch = {{army|PAK}}
| serviceyears = 1964–2001
| rank = [[File:OF-8 PakistanArmy.svg|10px]][[File:US-O9 insignia.svg|30px]][[Lieutenant-General]]
| unit = [[Pakistan Army Artillery Corps]] {{small|[[Service number|(PA-7710)]]}}
| commands = [[Pakistan Army Corps of Artillery|Corps of Artillery]] [[X Corps (Pakistan)|X Corps]] in [[Rawalpindi]] [[Director-General|DG]] [[Military Intelligence of Pakistan|Military Intelligence]] [[Structure of the Pakistan Army|23rd Infantry Division]] in [[Jhelum]]
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1965]] [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1999]] [[2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff|India-Pakistan standoff 2001]] [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan in 2001]]
| mawards = [[File:Hilal-e-Imtiaz.png|40px]] {{small|[[Hilal-i-Imtiaz|Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)]]}}
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[[Lieutenant general (Pakistan)|Lieutenant General]] '''Mahmud Ahmed''' {{small|[[Hilal-e-Imtiaz|HI(M)]]}} ({{lang-ur|{{nq|محمود احمد}}}}; b. 1944) is a retired [[three-star general|three-star]] rank [[Pak Fauj|army general]] in the [[Pakistan Army]] who served as the [[Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence|Director-General]] of the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] from 1999 to 2001.

He played a crucial role in [[Pakistan and state-sponsored terrorism|sponsorship]] of [[Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir|armed insurgency]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Indian-administered Kashmir]] and commanded the [[X Corps (Pakistan)|X Corps]] against the [[Indian Army]] during the [[Kargil War]] in 1999, and was identified as one of the [[Gang of Four (Pakistan)|four army generals]] who helped initiate the [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état]] against the civilian government of [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Nawaz Sharif]], also in 1999.<ref name="The Economic Times, PTI 2013" /> As the [[Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence|DG ISI]], Mahmud actively supported the sponsorship of the [[Islamic fundamentalism]] by endorsing the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Talibans in Afghanistan]] under its emir [[Mullah Omar]] in 2000.<ref>Tariq Ali, The Duel, 2008 Simon & Schuster</ref>

Despite being responsible of stabilizing Gen. [[Pervez Musharraf]]'s control over the civilian government and later his presidency, Lt-Gen. Ahmad was notably forced to retire from his commission when his involvement surfaced in alleged [[Terrorism financing|financing]] of the [[Hamburg cell]] led by [[Mohamed Atta]], an [[al-Qaeda]] operative in 2000-01.<ref name="The Guardian, Pakistan Bureau, Hardin in 2001">{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Luke |date=9 October 2001 |title=Musharraf dismisses two Islamist generals |language=en-uk |work=the Guardian |publisher=The Guardian, Pakistan Bureau |agency=the Guardian |location=Islamabad |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/oct/09/pakistan.afghanistan3 |accessdate=21 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="Dr. H. Abbas, Kennedy School of International Affairs, 2006">{{cite web |last1=Abbas |first1=Hasan |date=26 September 2006 |title=Inside Story of Musharraf-Mahmood Tussle {{!}} Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs |url=https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/inside-story-musharraf-mahmood-tussle |accessdate=21 February 2018 |website=www.belfercenter.org |publisher=Dr. H. Abbas, Kennedy School of International Affairs |location=Harvard University |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite book |last1=Jan |first1=Abid Ullah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6lE0oOm6xzkC&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed+911&pg=PT75 |title=From BCCI to ISI: The Saga of Entrapment Continues |date=2006 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=9780973368765 |language=en |chapter={{small|ISI and Operation 911}} |accessdate=27 February 2022}}</ref>{{rp|74–75}}

==Biography==
Mahmud Ahmed was born in 1944 in [[Ludhiana]], [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]] in [[British India|India]], and joined the [[Pakistan Army]] in 1964 where he did his combat duty, first participating in [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|second war]] with [[India]] in 1965.<ref name="Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, Joshi, 2008">{{cite book|last1=Joshi|first1=P. C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B3zfAAAAMAAJ&q=gen+mahmud+ahmed+born+1944|title=Main Intelligence Outfits Of Pakistan|date=2008|publisher=Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited|isbn=9788126135509|pages=435|language=en|format=snippet view|access-date=21 February 2022}}</ref> His family [[Immigration to Pakistan|emigrated]] from [[India]] to [[Bhaiwala]], Faisalabad [[Pakistan]] after [[Partition of India|India's partition]] on 14/15 August 1947.{{rp|contents}}<ref name="Oxford University Press, Kiessling, 2016">{{cite book|last1=Kiessling|first1=Hein|title=Faith, Unity, Discipline: The Inter-Service-Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi University|isbn=9781849048637|edition=2nd|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y_cgDgAAQBAJ&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed+mohajir&pg=PT166|access-date=21 February 2018|language=en|format=google books|chapter={{small|(§The ISI under Pervez Musharraf)}}}}</ref> He secured his graduation from the [[Lawrence College, Murree|Lawrence College]] in Murree before attending [[Pakistan Military Academy]] in [[Kakul]] in 1965.<ref name="Bhattacharya, 2016"/>

He [[Passing out (military)|passed out]] from the [[Pakistan Military Academy|PMA Kakul]] in 1966 where he [[Commissioned officer|commissioned]] as [[Second lieutenant|2nd-Lt]] in the 16th Self-Propelled (SP) in the [[Pakistan Army Corps of Artillery|Corps of Artillery]]. [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|Lieutenant]] Ahmed was the regimental colleague of then army [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] [[Pervez Musharraf]].<ref name="Media Monitors Network (MMN), Sehgal in 2001">{{cite web|last1=Shegal|first1=Maj. Ikram|title=Choosing Merit over Friendship - Media Monitors Network (MMN)|url=https://www.mediamonitors.net/perspectives/choosing-merit-over-friendship/|website=Media Monitors Network (MMN)|publisher=Media Monitors Network (MMN)|access-date=16 February 2018|date=9 October 2001}}</ref> He participated in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|third war]] with India on the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971#Indian attacks on Pakistan|western front]], and he was very critical of defence spending by the [[Ayub Khan (general)|Ayub administration]] after 1965. .<ref name="Oxford University Press, Fair 2014">{{cite book|last1=Fair|first1=C. Christine|title=Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army's Way of War|date=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford UK|isbn=9780199892716|pages=310|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=szaTAwAAQBAJ&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed+1971+war&pg=PA15|access-date=21 February 2018|language=en-us|format=google books|chapter={{small|§Can Strategic Culture explain's Pakistan Army's Persistent Revisionism?}}}}</ref>{{rp|15}}

In the 1980s and 1990s, Ahmed served in the [[ISI (Pakistan)|ISI]] where he worked under [[Lieutenant-General|Lt-Gen.]] [[Hamid Gul]].{{rp|contents}}<ref name="Grosvenor House Publishing, Sheri 2012">{{cite book|last1=Sehri|first1=Inam|title=Judges and Generals of Pakistan Volume - I|date=2012|publisher=Grosvenor House Publishing|isbn=9781781480434|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzllAgAAQBAJ&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed+musharrag&pg=PT377|access-date=21 February 2018|language=en}}</ref>

In 1994–95, [[Major-General]] Ahmed commanded the [[Structure of the Pakistan Army|23rd Infantry Division]] as its [[General officer commanding|GOC]], stationed in [[Jhelum, punjab|Jhelum]] in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[Pakistan]].{{rp|227}}<ref name="Bhattacharya, 2016">{{cite book|last1=Bhattacharya|first1=Brigadier Samir|title=NOTHING BUT!|date=2014|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=9781482817874|pages=580|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xO3HAgAAQBAJ&q=Maj+gen+mahmud+ahmed+1995&pg=PA227|access-date=21 February 2018|language=en}}</ref>

His career in the military is mostly spent in the [[military intelligence]] and became the [[Director-General]] of the [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|Military Intelligence]] (DG MI), when he took it over from then-[[Major-General|Maj-Gen.]] [[Ali Kuli Khan Khattak|Ali Kuli Khan]] in October 1995.{{rp|82}}<ref name="Manohar, Verma, 2002">{{cite book|last1=Verma|first1=Ashok Kalyan|title=Kargil, Blood on the Snow: Tactical Victory, Strategic Failure : a Critical Analysis of the War|date=2002|publisher=Manohar|isbn=9788173044113|pages=227|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OQ5yAAAAMAAJ&q=gen+mahmud+ahmed|access-date=25 February 2018|language=en}}</ref> In June 1998, [[Major-General|Maj-Gen.]] Ahmed was promoted to [[three-star rank]], [[Lieutenant-General]] and was moved the [[President (corporate title)|President]] of the [[National Defence University, Islamabad|National Defence University]] (NDU) in Islamabad by then-[[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman joint chiefs]] [[General|Gen.]] [[Jehangir Karamat]].{{rp|179}}<ref name="Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, Joshi, 2008" />

===X Corps and Kargil war with India===
{{Main|Pakistan and state-sponsored terrorism|l1=Pakistan Army and state-sponsored terrorism|Kargil war|Civil war in Afghanistan (1996-2001)|Gang of Four (Pakistan)|1999 Pakistani coup d'état}}
In October 1998, -[[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman joint chiefs]] [[General|Gen.]] [[Pervez Musharraf]] appointed [[Lieutenant-General|Lt-Gen.]] Ahmed as the field commander of the [[X Corps (Pakistan)|X Corps]], and as soon as he was appointed to command the [[X Corps (Pakistan)|X Corps]] the planning of the [[Kargil War|covert infiltration]] in [[Indian Kashmir]] begin to implemented under Lt-Gen. [[Aziz Khan (general)|Aziz Khan]], the [[Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)|CGS]] under [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Musharraf]] in [[Rawalpindi]].{{rp|309–310}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Brig. Khan, 2012">{{cite book|last1=Khan|first1=Feroz|title=Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb|date=2012|publisher=Stanford University Press|location=Palo Alto, CA, U.S.|isbn=9780804784801|pages=410|edition=1st|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yGgrNAsKZjEC&q=gen+mahmud+ahmed+commandant&pg=PA309|access-date=25 February 2018|language=en-us|format=google books|chapter={{small|§A Shaky beginning: Kargil and its Aftermath}}}}</ref> In the military, Lt-Gen. Ahmed was described as [[Islamic conservatism|ultraconservative]], professional and kind to his subordinates though some found him to be [[Control freak|control minded]] with a very [[Anger management|short-temper]].{{rp|179}}<ref name="Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, Joshi, 2008" />

Lt-Gen. Ahmed greatly aided in providing the tactical support of mass troop infiltration, starting first by closely and micromanaging the troop deployment near the [[Line of Control|LoC]].{{rp|310}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Brig. Khan, 2012"/> In July 1999, he provided the briefing to [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Nawaz Sharif]] over the troop deployments, eventually giving a go-ahead for the military operation.{{rp|Contents}}<ref name="Partridge Publishing, Rathore">{{cite book|last1=Rathore|first1=Azad Singh|title=Kargil: The Heights of Bravery|date=2016|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=9781482887563|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9TjDDQAAQBAJ&q=gen+mahmud+ahmed+kargil&pg=PT141|access-date=25 February 2018|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|412}}<ref name="Penguin, Ahmed">{{cite book|last1=Rashid|first1=Ahmed|title=Descent Into Chaos: The US and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia|date=2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9780670019700|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vLzcHaEqumUC&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed&pg=PA412|access-date=26 February 2018|language=en}}</ref>

After the Kargil war, the Pakistani [[Investigative journalism|Investigative journalist]] news reports identified that there were four army generals who were in much [[Control (sociology)|control]] of the area contingency plans in Kargil including Lt-Gen. [[Aziz Khan (general)|Aziz Khan]], the [[Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)|CGS]] under [[Pervez Musharraf|Gen. Musharraf]], Lt-Gen. [[Shahid Aziz]] of ISI's Analysis Wing, and Lt-Gen. [[Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai|Jan Orakzai]], commanding the [[XI Corps (Pakistan)|XI Corps]], besides Lt-Gen. Mahmud.{{rp|101}}<ref name="Yale University Press, Jones, 2003">{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Owen Bennett|title=Pakistan: Eye of the Storm|date=2003|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New York, US|isbn=0300101473|pages=310|edition=1st|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t8iYEgPYG_EC&pg=PA101|access-date=17 February 2018|chapter={{small|§Kashmir}}}}</ref><ref name="The Economic Times, PTI 2013">{{cite news |title=Nawaz Sharif shakes hands with army general linked to the 1999 coup|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/nawaz-sharif-shakes-hands-with-army-general-linked-to-the-1999-coup/articleshow/25258519.cms|access-date=18 February 2018|work=The Economic Times|agency=The Economic Times|publisher=The Economic Times, PTI|date=5 November 2022}}</ref> There were no official [[Judge Advocate General Branch (Pakistan)|military inquiries]] into this incident nor there were any subsequent evidence that led to the punishments of those responsible for such incidents.<ref name="The Hindu, Raman, 2000">{{cite news|last1=Raman|first1=B.|title=Pakistan: Mullahs' blue-eyed general|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2000/09/18/stories/041855ra.htm|access-date=17 February 2018|work=www.thehindubusinessline.com|agency=The Hindu|publisher=Work written by B. Raman, Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India.)|date=18 September 2000|location=Islamabad}}</ref>

On 12 October 1999, Lt-Gen. Ahmed refused to accept to follow the orders of new [[Chain of Command|chain of command]] set up by then-[[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|army chief]] Gen. [[Ziauddin Butt]] and ordered his [[X Corps (Pakistan)|X Corps]] to seize the control of the [[Prime Minister's Secretariat (Pakistan)|Prime Minister's Secretariat]] while Lt-Gen. [[Aziz Khan (general)|Aziz Khan]], the [[Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)|CGS]] under Gen. Musharraf, took control of the [[Jinnah Terminal]] in Karachi.<ref name="Grosvenor House Publishing">{{cite book|last1=Sehri|first1=Inam|title=Judges and Generals of Pakistan Volume - I|date=2012|publisher=Grosvenor House Publishing|isbn=9781781480434|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzllAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT377|access-date=17 February 2022}}</ref>{{rp|contents}}

== Director ISI (1999–2001) ==

=== U.S. visit, 9/11 attacks, and removal ===
{{Main|September 11 attacks}}
After the [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|martial law]] in 1999, Lt-Gen. Ahmed was subsequently appointed as the [[Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence|Director-General]] of the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] (ISI), and his tenureship was marked with alleged [[Terrorism financing|terror financing]] of [[al-Qaeda]] and [[Pakistan and state-sponsored terrorism|sponsoring]] the [[Afghanistan Taliban|Talibans in Afghanistan]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jan |first1=Abid Ullah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6lE0oOm6xzkC&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed&pg=PT75 |title=From BCCI to ISI: The Saga of Entrapment Continues |date=2006 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=9780973368765 |language=en}}</ref>{{rp|contents}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gupta |first1=Amit |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iBmoDQAAQBAJ&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed+taliban&pg=PT153 |title=Strategic Stability in Asia |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781351897556 |language=en |accessdate=26 February 2022}}</ref>{{rp|contents}} On 17 March 2001, Lt-Gen. Ahmad was appointed as the [[Colonel commandant]] of the [[Pakistan Army Corps of Artillery|Corps of Artillery]] at the Artillery Regimental Center on 17 March 2001.<ref>[http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/PRPressReleaseDetail.aspx?nPRPressReleaseId=432&nYear=2008&nMonth=5 "Ceremony for Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Artillery"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819185439/http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/PRPressReleaseDetail.aspx?nPRPressReleaseId=432&nYear=2008&nMonth=5|date=2008-08-19}} ''President of Pakistan Press Release'', 17 March 2001</ref> Mahmud was later replaced by Lt General Khalid Kidwai as the colonel commandant on 13 October 2004.<ref>[http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/PRPressReleaseDetail.aspx?nPRPressReleaseId=348&nYear=2008&nMonth=2 "President Address on the occasion of installation ceremony of Lieutenant General Khalid Ahmed Kidwai as the Colonel Commandant"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20080819185436/http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/PRPressReleaseDetail.aspx?nPRPressReleaseId=348&nYear=2008&nMonth=2|date=2008-08-19}} ''President of Pakistan Press Release'', 13 October 2004</ref>

In 2001, Lt-Gen. Ahmad regularly visited the [[United States]] where he consulted with [[The Pentagon]] and CIA officials in the [[Bush administration (2000)|Bush administration]] in the weeks before and after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|terrorist attacks]] took place in [[New York City|New York]] on [[September 11 attacks|11 September 2001]].<ref name="H. Abbas, John F. Kennedy School of Government2">{{cite web |last1=Abbas |first1=Hassan |title=Inside Story of Musharraf-Mahmood Tussle {{!}} Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs |url=https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/inside-story-musharraf-mahmood-tussle |access-date=26 February 2018 |website=www.belfercenter.org |publisher=H. Abbas, John F. Kennedy School of Government |language=en}}</ref> In fact, he was with [[Republican Party (United States)|U.S. Republican]] Congressman [[Porter Goss]] and [[Democratic Party (United States)|U.S. Democratic]] Senator [[Bob Graham]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], discussing [[Osama bin Laden]] over breakfast, when the [[September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack/Aftermath|attacks of September 11, 2001]] took place in [[New York City|New York]], United States.<ref>Richard Leiby. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180916034807/https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A36091-2002May17/?language=printer ''A Cloak But No Dagger''] ''The Washington Post'', 18 May 2002</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=TIMELINE ENTRIES ABOUT ISI DIRECTOR LT. GEN. MAHMOOD AHMED |url=https://911timeline.s3.amazonaws.com/main/mahmoodahmed.html |access-date=26 February 2018 |website=911timeline.s3.amazonaws.com}}</ref>

On the morning of Sept. 12, the deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage, told Mahmood that Pakistan had to make a choice "you are either 100 percent with us or 100 percent against us—there is no gray area."<ref>[https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/inside-story-musharraf-mahmood-tussle Inside Story of Musharraf-Mahmood Tussle, Hassan Abbas, Sep. 26, 2006]</ref> Mahmood expressed willingness to cooperate, however in the afternoon, he told [[George Tenet]], the CIA director, that [[Mullah Omar]], the Taliban chief, was a religious man not a man of violence. On September 16, Musharraf sent a delegation to the Taliban with the mission to convince them to hand over Osama bin Laden which included Lieutenant General Mahmood, and other religious figures. It was learned later that mission actually encouraged Mullah Omar to start a jihad against the US if it attacked Afghanistan.

On 9 October 2001, the Pakistani and the U.S. news media reported that "U.S. authorities sought his removal after confirming the fact that $100,000 were wired to [[9/11 hijacker|WTC hijacker]] [[Mohamed Atta]] from Pakistan by [[Ahmad Umar Sheikh]] at the insistence of Lt-Gen. Mahmud."<ref name="Meachar">{{cite news |author=Michael Meacher |date=21 July 2004 |title=The Pakistan connection |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jul/22/usa.september11}}</ref><ref name=":0" />{{rp|74–75}}<ref>{{Cite news |title=India helped FBI trace ISI-terrorist links - Times of India |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-helped-FBI-trace-ISI-terrorist-links/articleshow/1454238160.cms?referral=PM |access-date=2017-12-10}}</ref> Mahmud Ahmed was eventually forced to leave the ISI and was also linked to another 9/11 hijacker [[Mustafa al-Hawsawi]]. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Meacher |first=Michael |date=2004-07-21 |title=Michael Meacher: The Pakistan connection |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jul/22/usa.september11 |access-date=2017-12-10 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Despite his loyalty to and backing of [[President of Pakistan|Pres.]] [[Pervez Musharraf]], Lt-Gen. Ahmed was immediately removed from the directorship of the ISI, when President Musharraf terminated his [[Commissioned officer|commission]] under US pressure, and was replaced by Lt-Gen. [[Ehsan ul Haq]].<ref>{{cite web |title=General Mahmoud Ahmad dismissed - 911myths |url=http://www.911myths.com/index.php?title=General_Mahmoud_Ahmad_dismissed |accessdate=26 February 2018 |website=www.911myths.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/25/pakistan.india "Dangerous game of state-sponsored terror that threatens nuclear conflict"], 25 May 2002</ref>

==Post-retirement and Islamic missionary activity==
After this termination, Ahmed critiqued President [[Pervez Musharraf]]'s [[Pakistan's role in the War on Terror|policy on siding with the]] [[United States]], without effectively addressing the issue of containing the [[:Category:Rebel groups in Pakistan|terrorists organizations]].{{rp|184}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Joshi|first1=P. C.|title=Main Intelligence Outfits Of Pakistan|date=2008|publisher=Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited|isbn=9788126135509|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B3zfAAAAMAAJ&q=+anti+american|access-date=26 February 2018|language=en}}</ref>

He viewed the [[US Attack on Afghanistan|American attack]] on Afghanistan with great suspicion, and had held sympathetic views towards the [[Afghan Taliban|Talibans in Afghanistan]].{{rp|184}}<ref name="Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, Joshi, 2008" /> He later regretted his role in playing his part in bringing to help stabilize Gen. [[Pervez Musharraf]]'s role against the civilian government when he joined the [[Alliance for Restoration of Democracy]] that viewed to removing Musharraf's administration.{{rp|184}}<ref name="Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, Joshi, 2008" /> Ahmed opposed the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|US invasion of Afghanistan]].{{rp|184}}<ref name="Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, Joshi, 2008" />

After this termination, Ahmed publicly came out against President [[Pervez Musharraf]]'s [[Pakistan's role in the War on Terror|policy of siding with the]] [[United States]], without effectively addressing the issue of containing the [[:Category:Rebel groups in Pakistan|terrorists organizations]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Joshi |first1=P. C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B3zfAAAAMAAJ&q=+anti+american |title=Main Intelligence Outfits Of Pakistan |date=2008 |publisher=Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited |isbn=9788126135509 |language=en |accessdate=26 February 2022}}</ref>{{rp|184}}

He is now a member of [[Tablighi Jamaat]] and preaches the teaching of Islam.<ref name="Yale University Press">{{cite book |last1=Abbas |first1=Hassan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aSJ8AwAAQBAJ&q=lt+gen+mahmood+ahmed+Tableeghi&pg=PT94 |title=The Taliban Revival: Violence and Extremism on the Pakistan-Afghanistan Frontier |date=2014 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=9780300183696 |language=en |accessdate=26 February 2022}}</ref>{{rp|contents}}

== Works ==
He wrote a book initially titled "The Myth of 1965 Victory".<ref>Can the ISI change its spots? By Akhtar Payami, [[Dawn (newspaper)]] 7 October 2006</ref> It was carefully researched and included numerous maps and other details. It questioned the official Pakistani view about winning the war, and acknowledged that the war was initiated "as a clandestine guerrilla struggle".<ref name="ebay.ie2">[https://www.ebay.ie/itm/HISTORY-OF-INDO-PAK-WAR-1965-by-Lieutenant-General-Mahmud-Ahmed-Retired-/312034493573 HISTORY OF INDO-PAK WAR 1965 by Lieutenant General Mahmud Ahmed (Retired), EBAY, 07 Jan, 2018]</ref> Upon Musharraf's directive, almost all the copies of the book were bought by Pakistan Army to prevent circulation because the topic was "too sensitive".<ref>[http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/10/01/10071494.html Army attempts to prevent book sales by Amir Mir] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926234653/http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/10/01/10071494.html|date=26 September 2022}} Gulf News 1 October 2006 [http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1056075 Musharraf buys all copies of sensitive '65 war] Daily News & Analysis</ref><ref>[https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/inside-story-musharraf-mahmood-tussle Inside Story of Musharraf-Mahmood Tussle, Hassan Abbas, Sep. 26, 2006] – (Belfer Center for International Affairs, [[Harvard Kennedy School of Government]])</ref> The book was published with the revised title "History of Indo Pak War 1965". It was published by Services Book Club, a part of the Pakistan military. A few copies of the book have survived in libraries.<ref>[http://111.68.99.107/libmax/opac/SearchBook.aspx?column=Subject&criteria=Indo-Pak%20War-1965&pagenumber=1 Catalogue of the National Defence University Library, Islamabad, Title: History of Indo Pak War-1965 Author: Mahmud Ahmed Lt Gen Retd]</ref> A version was published in India as "Illusion of Victory: A Military History of the Indo-Pak War-1965" by Lexicon Publishers.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books/about/Illusion_of_Victory.html?id=qfjsPgAACAAJ Illusion of Victory: A Military History of the Indo-Pak War-1965, Mahmud Ahmed, Lexicon Publishers, 2002 - India]</ref> A second reprint of the book was published recently in 2017 in Pakistan.<ref name="ebay.ie2" />

== Awards and decorations ==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Hilal-e-Imtiaz.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Baqa (1998).png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=10 years Service Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=20 years Service Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=30 years Service Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Hijri Tamgha.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Jamhuriat Tamgha 1988.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha Pakistan.svg|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal, 2006.svg|width=130}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
| colspan="2" |[[Hilal-i-Imtiaz|'''Hilal-e-Imtiaz''']]
'''[[Hilal-i-Imtiaz|(Military)]]'''

''(Crescent of Excellence)''
|
|-
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War]]'''
''(War Star 1971)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1965)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1971)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Tamgha-e-Baqa]]'''
''([[Chagai-I|Nuclear Test Medal]])''

'''1998'''
|-
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Long service medals|10 Years Service Medal]]'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Long service medals|20 Years Service Medal]]'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Long service medals|30 Years Service Medal]]'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-]]'''
'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam]]'''

''(100th Birth Anniversary of''

''[[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]])''

'''1976'''
|-
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Hijri Tamgha]]'''
''(Hijri Medal)''

'''1979'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Jamhuriat Tamgha]]'''
''(Democracy Medal)''

'''1988'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha]]'''
''(Resolution Day''

''Golden Jubilee Medal)''

'''1990'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan]]'''
''(Independence Day''

''Golden Jubilee Medal)''

'''1997'''
|}

==See also==
{{portal|Biography}}
*[[Gang of Four (Pakistan)|Gang of Four in Pakistan Army]]
*[[Pakistan and state-sponsored terrorism|Pakistan Army and state-sponsored terrorism]]
*[[Anti-American sentiment in Pakistan]]
*[[ISI in Afghanistan]]
*[[State within a state]]
*[[Power & Politics|Power and politics]]
*[[Islamic fundamentalism]]
*[[Blowback (intelligence)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040412123431/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FD08Aa01.html 9/11 and the Smoking Gun - A Real Smoking Gun]. ''[[Asia Times]]''.
*[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jul/22/usa.september11 September 11]. 22 July 2004. ''[[The Guardian]]''.
*[https://911timeline.s3.amazonaws.com/main/mahmoodahmed.html Mahmood Ahmed]. 911 Timeline.
*[https://www.nndb.com/people/425/000044293/ Mahmoud Ahmad]. [[NNDB]].
*[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-helped-fbi-trace-isi-terrorist-links/articleshow/1454238160.cms India helped FBI trace ISI-terrorist links]. ''[[Times of India]]''.

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ziauddin Butt]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director General of the [[Inter-Services Intelligence]]|years=1999 – 2001}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ehsan ul Haq]]}}
{{end}}

{{Inter-Services Intelligence}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Mahmud}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:People from Ludhiana]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Tablighi Jamaat people]]
[[Category:Lawrence College Ghora Gali alumni]]
[[Category:Pakistan Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Pakistani military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:National Defence University, Pakistan alumni]]
[[Category:People of Inter-Services Intelligence]]
[[Category:Pakistani Islamists]]
[[Category:Pakistani generals]]
[[Category:National Defence University, Pakistan faculty]]
[[Category:People of the Kargil War]]
[[Category:1999 in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Directors General of Inter-Services Intelligence]]
[[Category:Pakistani Salafis]]
[[Category:People associated with the September 11 attacks]]
[[Category:9/11 conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslim activists]]
[[Category:Pakistani anti–Iraq War activists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pakistani conspiracy theorists]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Mahmud Ahmed