Ahmad Zamir


Ahmad Zamir, was a three-star rank admiral in the Pakistan Navy. Prior to his death in 1985, he was serving as the managing director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering from 1983 until 1985.

Biography

Ahmad Zamir's original name was Zamir Ahmad but changed to Ahmad Zamir to ease pronunciation. His family was an ultraconservative who followed the strict teachings of the Islam, and was initially homeschooled by their father. His younger brother, Khurshid Ahmad is a well known economist and a political figure in the country. Despite his family's strict religious adherence, Zamir, in the Navy, was nonetheless described as moderate person.
He attended a technical college in Delhi. His family emigrated to Pakistan after the partition of India on 14 August 1947. He transferred to Forman Christian College in Lahore, then attended NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi. However, he left his studies without completing the B.E. program. He was selected for the Pakistan Navy.
He was sent to the United Kingdom as a cadet in 1950. Four year later he returned and became a Lieutenant in the Navy. His career in the Navy progressed well, and participated in the second war with India in 1965 as Lieutenant-Commander, and was later trained at the Pakistan Military Academy in 1966–68. In 1969, Cdr Zamir was posted in East-Pakistan where he was instrumental in setting up the Pakistan Marines's battalions with the elements of the Baloch Regiment. In 1970, Captain Zamir was made commanding officer of the Pakistan Marines.
After the Pakistan Eastern Command surrendered at the end of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, he spent three years as a prisoner of war. In 1974, Captain Zamir was repatriated to Pakistan from Zero Point under the agreement signed with India. He continued his military service with the Navy, and was appointed as Director-General of Naval Intelligence with the rank of Commodore in 1975–77. In 1977, Cdre Zamir was appointed as DCNS of Operations, and later elevated as Chief of Staff under naval chief, Admiral Karamat Rahman Niazi, in 1979.
As of 1979, Rear-Admiral Zamir was Commander Pakistan Fleet. Vice-Admiral Ahmad served as the Secretary of Defence Production from April 1981 until August 1982. By October 1984, he was the managing director of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
According to his brother, Khurshid Ahmad, Zamir was in the running for Chief of the Pakistan Navy when he died in 1985.