X Corps (Pakistan)

X Corps
Active	1974 - Present
Country	Pakistan
Allegiance	Pakistan Army
Branch	Active Duty
Type	Army Corps
Role	Combined arms formation Tactical headquarters element
Size	87,500+ approximately (though this may vary as units are rotated)
Part of	Central Military Command of Pakistan Army
HQ/Command Control Headquarter	Rawalpindi, Punjab Province
Nickname(s)	X Corps The Pindi Corps
Colors Identification	Red, White and yellow
Engagements	Siachen conflict Indo-Pakistani War of 1999 1999 Pakistani coup d'état
Decorations	Military Decorations of Pakistan Military
Commanders
Corps Commander	Lt Gen Malik Zafar Iqbal
Notable commanders	LTG Jahan Dad Khan GEN Ashfaq Parvez Kayani GEN Tariq Majid LTG Zahid Ali Akbar LTG Jamshed Gulzar Kiani LTG Mahmud Ahmed LTG Ali Kuli Khan Khattak LTG Ghulam Muhammad Malik LTG Aftab Ahmad Khan

The X Corps is an active military administrative corps of Pakistan Army, currently assigned in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province of Pakistan. Its one of two brigades are currently active in Kashmir. One of its brigades, the 111th Infantry Brigade in Rawalpindi, has been frequently involved in military coup d'etats since Pakistani independence.

History

The X Corps was raised in 1974 by Lt. General Aftab Ahmad Khan. Headquartered in Rawalpindi, it is responsible for operations in some areas of Kashmir. Before that all formations in Kashmir were controlled directly from GHQ. As an ode to Lt. General Aftab Ahmad Khan, the insignia of the X Corps features a Rising Sun or Aftab (in Urdu) with 10 rays extruding from it.

Serving on the LOC

In 1974, as today, the Indian and Pakistani forces face each other across the LOC, and there are often exchanges of fire, and sometime full-scale battles. Since 1974, the formation's primary occupation has been to protect Pakistani interests on the LOC.

Siachen conflict

Main articles: Operation Meghdoot and Siachen Conflict

In 1984, the Pakistan Army was involved in a major skirmish with the Indian Army in the northernmost part of the disputed region of Kashmir. Under the command of Lt Gen Zahid Ali Akbar Khan, the X Corps was put into action on the highest battlefield in the world.

Kargil War

Main article: Kargil War

In 1999, under the command of Lt Gen Mahmud Ahmed, the conflict over Kargil saw the corps enter action, in Kargil itself, and all along the LOC. Over several weeks in June 1999, the entire corps was engaged for the first time in its history. During the fighting, Havildar Lalak Jan a trooper of the corps would earn the Nishan-e-Haider.

List of commanders

1. Lt Gen Aftab Ahmad Khan, 1974 – March 1976
2. Lt Gen Faiz Ali Chishti, March 1976 – March 1980
3. Lt Gen Jahan Dad Khan, March 1980 – March 1984
4. Lt Gen Zahid Ali Akbar Khan, March 1984 – May 1987
5. Lt Gen Imran Ullah Khan, May 1987 – May 1991
6. Lt Gen Ghulam Muhammad Malik, 1992 – October 1995
7. Lt Gen Ali Kuli Khan Khattak, October 1995 – May 1997
8. Lt Gen Saleem Haider, May 1997 – October 1998
9. Lt Gen Mahmud Ahmed, October 1998 – November 1999
10. Lt Gen Jamshed Gulzar Kiani, November 1999 – October 2001
11. Lt Gen Syed Arif Hassan, October 2001 – September 2003
12. Lt Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, September 2003 – October 2004
13. Lt Gen Salahuddin Satti, October 2004 – October 2006
14. Lt Gen Tariq Majid, October 2006 – October 2007
15. Lt Gen Mohsin Kamal, October 2007 – October 2008
16. Lt Gen Tahir Mahmood, October 2008 – April 2010
17. Lt Gen Khalid Nawaz Khan, April 2010 – August 2013
18. Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, August 2013 – September 2015
19. Lt Gen Malik Zafar Iqbal, September 2015 – Present

Order of Battle

The Corps HQ is stationed in Rawalpindi, however its subordinate formations and units are mostly deployed in Kashmir.

• HQ X Corps (Rawalpindi)
  • 12th Infantry Division - Murree
  • 23rd Infantry Division - Jhelum. One of the two divisions that conducted the First Battle of Swat ('Operation Rah-e-Haq') in upper Swat and Shangla districts from November 2007 to December 2008, but reverted to original location in December 2008 after 2008 Mumbai attacks.
  • 19th Infantry Division - Mangla
  • Force Command Northern Areas - Gilgit
  • 111 Independent Infantry Brigade - Rawalpindi. The 111th Infantry Brigade has been used by the Army to launch coups and take over government institutions. The last time it was used was in 1999 when Pervez Musharraf deposed Nawaz Sharif.

References

• Brain Cloughley, A History of Pakistan Army

External links

• GlobalSecurity.org, Global Security Page on X Corps
• This shows the Formations Insignia
• A BBC documentary on Siachen and the LOC conflict in general. The troops are all from this corps