Bot at 14:26, 19 April 2022

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{{Short description|British Indian Army officer}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| honorific_suffix = [[Sitara-e-Jurat]]
| name = Malik Munawar Khan Awan <br /> {{Nastaliq|ملک منور خان اعوان}}
| image =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Chakwal, Punjab]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alt =
| caption =
| allegiance = Pakistan
| serviceyears =
| branch = [[British Indian Army]]<br />[[Pakistan Army]]
| rank = Major
| commands =
| unit = [[Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Regiment|21 Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Regiment]]
| battles = [[World War II]], [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
| awards = Sitara e Jurat
}}
'''Malik Munawar Khan Awan''' ({{Nastaliq| ملک منور خان اعوان }}) was a Major rank officer in the Pakistan Army, whose career had begun in the [[British Indian Army]] and included spells in the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] and the revolutionary [[Indian National Army]] that fought against the Allies in World War II where he commanded 2nd INA Guerrilla Battalion during famous Battle of Imphal.<ref name="Southeast Asia:World War II">{{cite news |work= Southeast Asia:World War II |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5E_tBgAAQBAJ&q=malik+munawar+khan+awan&pg=PA131 |title=INA Operations |first=James|last=Smith |date=12 January 2015}}</ref> He received a gallantry award for his work during [[Operation Gibraltar]] in 1965.

==Early life==
Munawar was born in Chakwal District, Punjab, [[British India]]. As a young boy, he was spotted winning an athletics race that he had entered on the spur of the moment and was nurtured by the British for a role in the [[British Indian Army|army]].<ref name="dawn">{{cite news |work=Dawn |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1024793/the-20-watt-fountain-of-energy |title=The 20-watt fountain of energy |first=Anjum |last=Niaz |date=21 April 2013}}</ref>

== Career==
Awan was among those captured and made [[prisoner of war]] by Japanese forces while trying to defend [[Singapore]] in [[World War II]]. He learned the Japanese language while incarcerated and his fluency brought him to the attention of his captors. They moved him out of the prison camp and enlisted him in the [[Imperial Japanese Army]], where he received special training.<ref name="dawn" />

When the [[Indian National Army]], led by [[Subhas Chandra Bose]], was formed in 1942, Awan joined its fight for [[Indian independence movement|Indian independence]] from British rule. He was captured by the Allied forces and returned to India to stand trial for treason at the end of World War II.<ref name="dawn" />

Awan was freed, along with other INA prisoners, when the [[Partition of India]] occurred. He moved to Pakistan and was invited to join the [[Pakistan Army]] by prime minister [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]. He then joined the [[Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Regular Forces]] (AKRF), which later became the [[Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Regiment]].<ref name="dawn" />

Operation Gibraltar was launched in July 1965 with the aim of Pakistani infiltration of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu & Kashmir]]. Awan, who now held the rank of major, was involved in this, leading troops in heavy fighting at a pass near to [[Rajouri]]. He controlled an area of around 500 square miles for a period of three months and, according to Lt General Mahmud Ahmed in his book War 1965, Munawar enjoyed full support from the local population of the valley. By the time the [[Second Kashmir War]] ended, Munawar was in effective control of Rajouri valley and welcomed UN military observers who landed in Rajouri valley to monitor the ceasefire. However, after the [[Tashkent Agreement]] between India and Pakistan, he was ordered to withdraw his forces and return to [[Rawalpindi]].<ref name="dawn" />

Awan was awarded the [[Sitara-i-Jurat]] for his actions in the Rajouri valley, and was also referred to as the "King of Rajouri" by Field Marshal [[Ayub Khan (President of Pakistan)|Ayub Khan]]. He died a few years later.<ref name="dawn" />

==Memorials==
Munawar Pass, a pass in [[Pir Panjal Range|Pir Panjal mountain range]] north of Pir ki Gali overlooking the town of Rajouri in the union territory of Kashmir was named after Major Munawar by the locals.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Awan, Malik Munawar Khan}}
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Punjab Regiment officers]]
[[Category:Indian National Army personnel]]
[[Category:Indian National Army personnel who were court-martialed]]
[[Category:Recipients of Sitara-e-Jurat]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners of war]]

Malik Munawar Khan Awan - Revision history

Bot at 14:26, 19 April 2022