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{{Short description|Pakistani general (1930–2020)}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[General (Pakistan)|General]]
| name = Khalid Mahmud Arif
| honorific_suffix = {{small|[[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI(M)]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Hilal-e-Imtiaz|HI(M)]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Sitara-e-Imtiaz|SI(M)]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Legion of Merit|LoM]]}}
| native_name = {{nq|خالد محمود عارف}}
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| other_name = K.M. Arif
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1930|12|29}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpArAAAAYAAJ&q=Khalid+Mahmud+Arif+1930|title = The Army Quarterly and Defence Journal|year = 1986}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Jalandhar, East Punjab]], [[British Indian Empire|British India]] (present-day in India)
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2020|3|6|1930|12|29}}<ref name="death"/>
| death_place =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| allegiance = {{PAK}}
| branch = {{army|PAK}}
| serviceyears = 1947–87
| serviceyears_label =
| rank = [[File:OF-9 Pakistan Army.svg|20px]] [[General (Pakistan)|General]]
| rank_label =
| servicenumber = '''[[Pakistan Army|PA]]–3107'''
| unit = [[11th Cavalry (Frontier Force)]], [[Pakistan Army Armoured Corps|Armoured Corps]]
| commands = [[Vice Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Vice Chief of Army Staff]] [[Inspector-General|Ins-Gen.]] [[List of serving Generals of the Pakistan Army|Training and Evaluation]] [[Director-General|DG]] [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|Military Intelligence (DGMI)]] [[Officer Commanding|OC]], [[111th Infantry Brigade (Pakistan)|111th Infantry Brigade]]
| battles_label =
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]]
* [[Operation Searchlight]]
* [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Operation Fair Play]]
* [[Project-706|Operation Sentinel]]
* [[Operation Brasstacks]]
* [[Kirana-I]]
| awards = [[File:Nishan-e-Imtiaz.png|60px]] {{small|[[Nishan-i-Imtiaz|Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)]]}} [[File:Hilal-e-Imtiaz.png|60px]] {{small|[[Hilal-i-Imtiaz|Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)]]}} [[File:Sitara-e-Imtiaz.png|60px]] {{small|[[Sitara-i-Imtiaz|Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)]]}} [[File:Sitara-e-Basalat.png|60px]] {{small|[[Sitara-i-Basalat|Sitara-e-Basalat]]}} [[File:US Legion of Merit Commander ribbon.png|60px]] {{small|[[Legion of Merit]]}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/go8527.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=armypubs.army.mil |access-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905084357/http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/go8527.pdf |archive-date=5 September 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| memorials =
| spouse = 
| relations =
| children =
| laterwork = Military historian
| signature =
| signature_size =
| signature_alt =
| website = 
| module =
}}

[[General (Pakistan)|General]] '''Khalid Mahmud Arif''' {{small|{{small|[[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI(M)]] [[Hilal-e-Imtiaz|HI(M)]] [[Sitara-e-Imtiaz|SI(M)]] [[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]] [[Legion of Merit|LoM]]}}}} ({{lang-ur|{{nq|خالد محمود عارف}}}} 29 December 1930 – 6 March 2020)<ref name="death">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/625213-gen-km-arif-passes-away|title=Gen KM Arif passes away|website=The News International (Pakistan)|access-date= 7 March 2022}}</ref> popularly known as '''K.M. Arif''', was a senior officer of the [[Pakistan Army]], serving as the [[Vice Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|vice-chief of army staff]] under President [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], who retained the command of the army since 1976.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gen Khalid Mehmood Arif|url=http://www.pakarmymuseum.com/exhibits/gen-khalid-mehmood-arif/|website=www.pakarmymuseum.com|access-date=21 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Khalid Mahmud Arif|url=http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1019029.Khalid_Mahmud_Arif|website=Goodreads|access-date=21 July 2022}}</ref>

His career in the army was mostly spent in the [[military intelligence]], and served in the [[East Pakistan Rifles]], briefly fighting in the [[Bangladesh Liberation War|civil war]] [[India and state-sponsored terrorism|aided by]] neighboring India.<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press"/>{{rp|140}} Upon [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Prisoners of War Investigation|repatriation]] to Pakistan in 1973, he continued with his [[military service]] in the [[Pak army|army]] and eventually ascended as [[Director-General|director-general]] of [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|military intelligence]] before assuming the [[Military staff|staff appointment]] at the [[GHQ (Pakistan Army)|Army GHQ]].<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press"/>{{rp|175}} Appointed as vice-chief of army staff in 1984, he played crucial role in stabilizing the [[Zia regime|administration]] of President [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], and was succeeded by General Mirza Aslam Beg as army chief in March 1987.<ref name="Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses"/>{{rp|701}}

Upon his retirement in 1987, he authored several books on the [[Political history of Pakistan|political]] and [[military history of Pakistan]], of which ''Working With Zia: Pakistan's Power Politics'' is the best known.

==Biography==
Khalid Mahmud Arif was born on 29 December 1930 in a [[Kakazai]] family in [[East Punjab]], [[British India|India]] and immigrated to Pakistan following the [[Partition of India|partition]].<ref name="Kakazai">{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1365402|title=The history of Lahore's Kakayzais|last=Sheikh|first=Majid|date=2017-10-22|work=DAWN.COM|access-date=2018-02-28|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Burki |first=Shahid Javed |date=October 1988 |title=Pakistan under Zia, 1977-1988 |journal=Asian Survey |volume=28 |issue=10 |pages=1082–1100 |doi=10.2307/2644708|jstor=2644708 }}</ref> He attended [[Edwardes College]] in [[Peshawar]] and graduated in 1947.<ref name="Colonel (retd) Riaz Jafri, Pak Tribune">{{cite news|last1=Jafri, PA|first1=Col. (retd.) Riaz|title=Author/columnist details|url=http://paktribune.com/authors/Col-Riaz-Jafri-Retd-30.html|access-date=19 July 2017|work=Paktribune|agency=Pak Tribune|publisher=Colonel (retd) Riaz Jafri|language=en}}</ref>

After passing the [[Inter Services Selection Board|ISSB]]'s examinations, he joined the [[Pakistan Military Academy]] in [[Kakul]] as a cadet and graduated in 1947, where he was selected to do advance training on [[Infantry tactics]] in [[Kohat]], [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–55)|North-West Frontier Province]].<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000">{{cite book |last=Arif |first=General K. M. |date=2000 |title=Khaki Shadows : the Pakistan Army, 1947-1997 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nf0vAQAAIAAJ&q=OTS+course |publisher=Oxford Univ. Press |isbn=9780195793963 |access-date=30 May 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|2–4}} His family permanently moved in Kohat as he gained [[Commissioned officer|commissioned]] into the [[Pakistan Army Armoured Corps|Armoured Corps]].<ref>{{cite book|title=IDSA News Review on South Asia/Indian Ocean|publisher=Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jFk8AAAAMAAJ&q=km+arif+east+punjab+nwfp|access-date=30 May 2017|language=en|year=1985}}</ref>{{rp|111}} In 1952, he was selected for further military training in the United States and was sent to attend the [[United States Army Armor School]] at [[Fort Knox]], where he graduated in specializing in the [[Armoured warfare|armoured tactics]].<ref>{{Cite book
| last =Mian
| first =Dr. Zia
| author-link =Zia Mian
| title =South Asian cultures of the bomb: atomic publics and the state in India and Pakistan
| publisher =[[Indiana University Press]]
| year =2009
| location =[[Bloomington, Indiana]], United States
| pages =27
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=1h03WJXaxwkC&q=general+k+m+arif&pg=PA27
| isbn =978-0-253-22032-5 }}</ref>{{rp|27}} He was further educated in [[Military College of Signals]] in [[Rawalpindi]] where he excelled in intelligence management, and graduated in the [[Military staff|staff course]] degree from the [[Pakistan Command and Staff College|Command and Staff College]] in [[Quetta]], [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]], Pakistan.<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000" />{{rp|160–161}}

===War appointments and in East Pakistan===
In 1965, Arif, as a [[captain (army)|captain]], served in the [[Pakistan Army Armoured Corps|armoured corps]] along with then-Major [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] and participated in the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1965|second war]] with India over the disputed [[Kashmir problem|Kashmir]].<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press">{{cite book|last=Haqqani|first=Hussain|title=Pakistan: between mosque and military|year=2005|publisher=Broocking Institute of Press|location=Washington D.C. United States|isbn=978-0-87003-223-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nYppZ_dEjdIC&q=general+khalid+mahmood+arif&pg=PA132}}</ref>{{rp|132}} Arif commanded an American [[M48 Patton|M48]] [[Main battle tank|tank]] against the Indian Army.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sehgal|first1=Ikram ul-Majeed|title=Defence Journal|date=2005|publisher=Ikram ul-Majeed Sehgal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HK3fAAAAMAAJ&q=KM+Arif+|access-date=21 July 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|42}}

After the war, he was sent back to the [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|military intelligence]] and stationed in [[East Pakistan]] (in the [[East Pakistan Rifles]]).<ref name="Oxford University Press, 1995">{{cite book|last1=Arif|first1=Khalid Mahmud|title=Working with Zia : Pakistan's power politics, 1977-1988|date=1995|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi|isbn=9780195775709|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|19–22}}

In 1967, he greatly aided towards [[Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan|troop redeployment]] of the [[Pakistan Eastern Command|Eastern Command]] in formulating a battle plan, codename: "Operation X-Sunderbans-1."<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press"/>{{rp|140}} The deployment, however, was non combative and it was only designed to form the basis for the operational combat plan.<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press"/>{{rp|140}} In 1969, he was posted in Dhaka as a martial law officer under the [[Government of East Pakistan]] led by [[Governor of East Pakistan|Governor]] [[Vice-Admiral]] [[Syed Mohammad Ahsan]] in 1969.<ref name="Oxford University Press, 1995"/>{{rp|23–25}} During this stint, Arif reportedly relied a [[Cable 1971|secretive message]] in his complied report in regards to the situation in East that ultimately warned off the consequences of the civil war.<ref name="Oxford University Press, Arif">{{cite book|last1=Arif|first1=Khalid Mahmud|title=Working with Zia : Pakistan's power politics, 1977-1988|date=1995|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Karachi|isbn=978-0195775709}}</ref>{{rp|57–120}} In March 1971, he witnessed the meeting with President [[Yahya Khan]] who decided the launch of the [[Operation Searchlight|military operations]] against the rebels in the East should take place. Arif took over the situation himself to control the law and order.<ref name="Kalpaz Publications, Gupta">{{cite book|last1=Gupta|first1=Rakesh|title=State in India, Pakistan, Russia and Central Asia|date=2004|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=9788178352633|pages=250|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Ex--9jlAZEC&q=km+arif+east+pakistan&pg=PA145|access-date=2 June 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|144–146}}

About this meeting, Arif described the meeting as: President Yahya took matters in his hands, thus good bye to civil bureaucracy.<ref name="Kalpaz Publications, Gupta"/>{{rp|144–146}} In East, he fought and led [[Company (military unit)|companies]] to fight the approaching [[Indian Army]], and was captured by the Indian Army units who held him as [[Prisoner of war|war prisoner]] after the [[Instrument of Surrender (1971)|instrument of surrender]] was signed between Lieutenant-General [[AAK Niazi|A.A.K. Niazi]] and Lieutenant General [[Jagjit Singh Aurora]], [[General Officer Commanding-in-Chief|GOC-in-C]] of [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]] of [[Indian military]] in 1971.<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000" />{{rp|87–90}}

===Command and staff appointments===
His efforts and actions in the [[Bangladesh Liberation War|liberation war]] in East that accounted his bravery had earned admiration in Pakistan which led to Prime Minister [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] accepting recommendations to decorate Major Arif with service award, ''[[Sitara-e-Basalat]]''.<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000" />{{rp|90–91}} In 1975, he was [[Transfer of Population Under the Terms of Delhi Agreement|repatriated]] to Pakistan from the [[Wagha Boarder|Wagha]] and was allowed to resume his military service, being promoted as [[Lieutenant-Colonel]].<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000" />{{rp|95–96}} He testified in the [[Hamoodur Rahman Commission|War Enquiry Commission]] led by [[Chief Justice of Pakistan|Chief Justice]] [[Hamoodur Rahman]], giving accounts of military intelligence failures took place in East.<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000" />{{rp|96}}

In 1976, he was promoted as [[Colonel]] and [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] in 1977, of which, he assumed the command of the [[111th Brigade (Pakistan)|111th Brigade]] stationed in [[Islamabad]]; this command appointment lasted only eight months.<ref name="Oxford Univ. Press 2000" />{{rp|154–156}}

The [[1977 Pakistani general election|general elections]] held in 1977 saw the victory of [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] led by [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]], caused the public agitation led by the [[Pakistan National Alliance|conservative alliance]] whose politicians refused to accept the results amid alleged [[vote rigging]]. [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brig.]] K. M. Arif ultimately leaked and informed Prime Minister Bhutto of covert [[1977 Pakistani coup d'état|coup d'état]] took place under his appointed-[[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|army chief]] General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], but the latter refused to believe him. Acting upon warnings by [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brig.]] Arif, Bhutto did accept all demands by the conservative alliance but the [[1977 Pakistani coup d'état|coup d'état]] had already took place.<ref name="Author House, Hasanie">{{cite book|last1=Hasanie|first1=Ali Abbas|title=Democracy in Pakistan: Crises, Conflicts and Hope for a Change|date=2013|publisher=Author House|isbn=9781481791137|pages=110|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DitBIy05_94C&q=km+arif+Bhutto&pg=PA3|access-date=2 June 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|3–4}}{{self-published inline|certain=y|date=September 2022}}

After receiving orders from [[Lieutenant-General]] [[Faiz Ali Chishti|F.A. Chishti]], GoC-in-C of [[X Corps (Pakistan)|X Corps]], Brigadier Arif rotated the [[111th Brigade (Pakistan)|111th Brigade]] to take control of the [[Government of Pakistan|civilian government]] in support of [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] and [[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman joint chiefs]] [[Mohammad Shariff]].<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press" /> After the [[1977 Pakistani coup d'état|coup d'état]] was completed, General Zia's promoted Brigadier Arif as [[Major-General]] and appointed him as [[Director-General]] of [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|Military Intelligence]] (DGMI).<ref name="Broocking Institute of Press" />

In a views of Lieutenant-General [[Faiz Ali Chishti|Chishti]] who noted: "General Zia was lucky to have Major-General Arif as his life long confidante. He had experience as a Martial Law Officer during General's Yahya's regime and handled matters efficiently."<ref>Shahid Javed Burki. [https://books.google.com/books?id=T0qwWSbboAAC&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=chishti+chief+of+staff+zia&source=web&ots=McwodsoimA&sig=XmPx2hzCHTdSV5GikhQ0VZgS41A&hl=en "Pakistan: Fifty Years of Nationhood (Westview Publishers, 1999)"]</ref>

In 1979, he helped and aided in preparing a [[national security]] strategy against the [[Soviet–Afghan War|Russian invasion]] of [[Afghanistan]], after a meeting with President [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] upon the latter's request.<ref name="Ashgat Publishing Company">{{cite book|last=Hilali|first=A.Z.|title=U.S.-Pakistan Relations: Russian War in Afghanistan|year=2005|publisher=Ashgat Publishing Company|location=Burlington, United States|isbn=978-0-7546-4220-6|pages=296|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhqRa0glD9oC&q=general+khalid+mahmood+arif&pg=PA113}}</ref>

===Vice Chief of Army Staff (1984–87)===

A quintessential staff officer, Major-General Arif's career accelerated and gained reputation as an effective commander in the military intelligence.<ref name="Yale University Press">{{cite book|last=Abbas|first=Hassan|title=Pakistan's drift to extremism: Allah, the army, and America's war on terror|year=2005|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New Heaven, United States|isbn=978-0-7656-1496-4|pages=270|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GiKm-ahTpS8C&q=general+khalid+mahmood+arif&pg=PA98}}</ref> Major-General Arif served in the military intelligence until 1983 when he promoted as [[Lieutenant-General]] and posted in a staff assignment in the [[GHQ (Pakistan Army)|Army GHQ]].<ref name="Yale University Press"/> At the Army GHQ, he brought most qualified officers who had worked with him in the past assignments, and built up his reputation in army as an effective leader.<ref name="Yale University Press"/> On 11 March 1983, Lieutenant-General Arif, along with [[Chairman of Senate|Chairman Senate]] [[Ghulam Ishaq Khan]], was invited by [[Munir Ahmad Khan]], then-Chairman of [[Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission|PAEC]], to witnessed the [[Kirana-I|subcritical testing]] of an atomic device that took place in a hidden weapons-testing sites.<ref name="Lancer Publishers Verma">{{cite book|last1=Verma|first1=Anand K.|title=Reassessing Pakistan: Role of Two-nation Theory|date=2001|publisher=Lancer Publishers|isbn=9788170622871|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zJEp2I5BIIAC&q=km+arif+1983+nuclear&pg=PA252|access-date=21 July 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|251–252}}

Despite never effectively commanding the field assignments, he was named and appointed as [[Vice Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Vice Chief of Army Staff]] under President Zia in 1984.<ref name="Yale University Press"/> Upon being promoted to [[Four-star rank|four-star]] rank army general, he assumed the command of [[Pakistan Army]] as its [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)#List of Chiefs of Army Staffs|Vice-Chief of Army Staff]] under President Zia.<ref name="Yale University Press"/>

To many observers, this promotion, in fact, made General Arif the chief of army staff of the [[Pakistan Army]] with the entire commanding staff reporting to him.<ref name="Yale University Press"/>

As an [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)#List of Chiefs of Army Staffs|army chief]], General Arif played a crucial role towards the successful implementation of the secretive [[Pakistan and its Nuclear Deterrent Program|atomic bomb programme]] after removing the civilian administrator, [[Mubashir Hassan]].<ref name="History Commons">{{cite web|last=History Commons|title=Profile: Khalid Mahmud Arif|url=http://www.historycommons.org/entity.jsp?entity=khalid_mahmud_arif_1|publisher=History Commons|access-date=29 December 2022}}</ref> Towards diplomacy with the United States, General Arif made frequent trips with United States, successfully convincing the [[Reagan Administration|Reagan administration]] to allow the secretive atomic bomb development by making it very clear to the United States that "[Pakistan] won't compromise on its nuclear weapons programme, but won't conduct a test to harm to [[United States-Pakistan relations|relationship between two nations]]."<ref name="Lulu.com, Huntley">{{cite book|last1=Huntley|first1=Wade L.|last2=Kurosawa|first2=Mitsuru|last3=Mizumoto|first3=Kazumi|title=Nuclear Disarmament in the Twenty-first Century|date=2005|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=9781411622289|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eqOWbxAyrGwC&q=km+arif+nuclear&pg=PA169|access-date=21 July 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|169–170}} In 1983, the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) placed a mole near the [[Khan Research Laboratories|Kahuta Research Laboratories]] but was thwarted by the ISI, which according to General Arif, the ISI took the mole to its secret museum to train its own spies in espionage operations.<ref name="History Commons"/> He was described as a very uptight and strict army officer by civilian scientists, specifically dr. [[Abdul Qadeer Khan]] in his memoirs, did not compromise on his morals and disciplines throughout his career.<ref name="History Commons"/>

In 1984, General Arif's tenure also saw the commissioning of the [[Bell AH-1 Cobra]] [[Attack helicopter]]s in the [[Pakistan Army Aviation Corps|aviation corps]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Daily Report: South Asia|date=1985|publisher=Foreign Broadcast Information Service|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J2aZkl8j68cC&q=km+arif+Cobra|access-date=21 July 2017|language=en}}</ref>

In 1986–87, he deployed and rotated the [[V Corps (Pakistan)|V Corps]], with support from the [[PAF Base Minhas|Southern Air Command]] to deter the [[Indian Army]]'s [[Operation Brasstacks|major military exercise]] that took place near Pakistan's border under supervision of General [[Krishnaswamy Sundarji|Sundarji]], then-[[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|army chief]] of Indian Army.<ref name="MIT Press, Brown">{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Michael Edward|title=The International Dimensions of Internal Conflict|date=1996|publisher=MIT Press|location=Massachusetts, U.S.|isbn=9780262522090|pages=650|edition=1|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xDCpQqOd31wC&q=KM+Arif+Brass+tacks&pg=PA157|access-date=19 July 2017|language=en|chapter-format=googlebooks|chapter=Conflict in South and Southeast Asia}}</ref>{{rp|157}} During this time, he refuted the claims made by dr. [[Abdul Qadeer Khan|A.Q. Khan]] and immediately issued directives towards the [[policy of deliberate ambiguity]] over the clandestine atomic bomb programme.<ref name="Royal Book Co. Amin">{{cite book|last1=Amin|first1=Shahid M.|title=Realism in politics|date=2005|publisher=Royal Book Co.|location=Karachi|isbn=9789694073163}}</ref>{{rp|151}}

==Post retirement==

In 1987, General Arif sought retirement from his military service and did not seek extension and handed over the army command to [[Lieutenant-General]] [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] who was promoted to the four-star rank and as an army chief.<ref name="Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses">{{cite book|title=IDSA News Review on South Asia/Indian Ocean|date=1987|publisher=Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7lo8AAAAMAAJ&q=km+arif|access-date=21 July 2017|language=en}}</ref>{{rp|701}}

Upon retiring, he focused towards [[Urdu poetry|poetry]] and became a military historian when he authored the notable eyewitnessed and famed text on the military interference led General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], ''Working with Zia'', published in 1995.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Arif|first1=Khalid Mahmud|title=Working with Zia: Pakistan Power Politics, 1977-1988|publisher=Oxford University Press|language=en|date=14 September 1995|isbn=978-0195775709}}</ref> In 2001, he published ''Khaki Shadows: Pakistan 1947–1997'', about the politics, government, and armed forces of Pakistan during and shortly after the [[Cold War]].{{Citation needed|date= July 2022}}

In 2010, he authored another book, ''Estranged Neighbours: India, Pakistan (1947-2010)'' on the [[India–Pakistan relations|foreign relations]] of [[Foreign relations of India|India]] and [[Foreign relations of Pakistan|Pakistan]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Arif|first1=K.M.|title=Estranged Neighbours: India, Pakistan, 1947-2010|date=2010|publisher=Dost Publications|location=Islamabad|isbn=978-969-496-382-2|pages=344|edition=1|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/827330|access-date=21 July 2022}}</ref> Gen (Retd) K M Arif died on 6 March 2020 in ICU CMH Lahore due to Kidney disease.{{Citation needed|date= July 2022}}

== Awards and decorations ==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Nishan-e-Imtiaz.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Hilal-e-Imtiaz.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Imtiaz.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Basalat.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War Ribbon.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=War Medal 1965(Tamgha-e-Jang, A.H.1385).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=Pakistan Independence Medal 1947.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=Republic Medal 1956 (Pakistan).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Hijri Tamgha.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=US Legion of Merit Commander ribbon.png|width=130}}
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
| colspan="2" |'''[[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]'''
'''[[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|(Military)]]'''

''(Order of Excellence)''
|
|-
|[[Hilal-i-Imtiaz|'''Hilal-e-Imtiaz''']]
'''[[Hilal-i-Imtiaz|(Military)]]'''

''(Crescent of Excellence)''
|'''[[Sitara-i-Imtiaz|Sitara-e-Imtiaz]]'''
'''[[Sitara-i-Imtiaz|(Military)]]'''

''(Star of Excellence)''
|'''[[Sitara-e-Basalat]]'''
''(Star of Good Conduct)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War]]'''
''(War Star 1965)''
|-
|'''[[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)''
|'''[[Pakistan Medal|Pakistan Tamgha]]'''
[[Pakistan Medal|''(Pakistan Medal)'']]

'''1947'''
|-
|'''[[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|Tamgha-e-Jamhuria]]'''
''(Republic Commemoration Medal)''

'''1956'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Hijri Tamgha]]'''
''(Hijri Medal)''

'''1979'''
|'''[[Legion of Merit|The Legion of Merit]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/go8527.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905084357/http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/go8527.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-05 |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref>'''
'''[[Legion of Merit|(Degree of Commander)]]'''

'''([[United States|USA]])'''
|}

=== Foreign decorations ===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" style="background:#006400; color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center" |'''Foreign Awards'''
|-
!'''{{flag|USA}}'''
|'''[[Legion of Merit|The Legion of Merit]]''' '''[[Legion of Merit|(Degree of Commander)]]<ref name=":0" />'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=US Legion of Merit Commander ribbon.png|width=130}}
|}

==Works==
* {{cite book |last=Arif |first=Khalid Mahmud |year=1995 |title=Working with Zia: Pakistan Power Politics, 1977-1988 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-577570-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Arif |first=Khalid Mahmud |author-mask=2 |year=2001 |title=Khaki Shadows: Pakistan 1947–1997 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-579396-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Arif |first=Khalid Mahmud |author-mask=2 |year=2010 |title=Estranged Neighbours: India, Pakistan, 1947-2010 |location=Islamabad |publisher=Dost Publications |isbn=978-969-496-382-2}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/827330|title = Non-Fiction: General knowledge|date = 19 September 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sawar Khan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Vice Chief of Army Staff]]|years=1984 – 1987}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mirza Aslam Beg]]}}
{{end}}

{{Pakistan Army Staff Chief}}
{{Zia-ul-Haq's Government}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arif, Khalid Mahmud}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:People from Jalandhar district]]
[[Category:Edwardes College alumni]]
[[Category:People from Kohat District]]
[[Category:Pakistan Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Pakistan Armoured Corps officers]]
[[Category:Military intelligence]]
[[Category:People of East Pakistan]]
[[Category:People of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:Pakistani military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:Pakistani military writers]]
[[Category:Pakistani prisoners of war]]
[[Category:Pakistani generals]]
[[Category:Military government of Pakistan (1977–1988)]]
[[Category:Project-706 people]]
[[Category:Pakistani memoirists]]
[[Category:Pakistani military historians]]
[[Category:Pakistani poets]]
[[Category:Recipients of Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]

Khalid Mahmud Arif - Revision history

Bot at 22:17, 30 November 2022