In September, 1983, I was a brigade commander attending a divisional exercise at Quetta when I received a telephone call that was to send me on a new posting to ISI. I was told I must fly to Islamabad immediately to report to the Director-General. To say I was apprehensive would be an understatement. I was filled with misgivings. I knew the reputation of ISI, I knew that all who worked within it were regarded with intense suspicion by their seniors as well as their peers, I knew that I had no previous intelligence training and, above all, I knew the reputation of the Director-General, General Akhtar to be that of a dedicated and demanding taskmaster. I had served under him previously when I commanded a battalion in his division. Now he was a lieutenant-general in charge of the country's most powerful military organization. Of the thirty or so brigadiers whose postings had been announced at that time I was the only one going to ISI. Within 72 hours I reported to my new boss.

On meeting General Akhtar one could not fail to be struck by his appearance. He looked a soldier. His physique was stocky and tough, his uniform immaculate, with three rows of medal ribbons denoting service in every campaign in which Pakistan has fought since partition from India in 1947. He had a pale skin, which he proudly attributed to his afghan ancestry, and he carried his years well. He was one of the most handsome generals of our country. He was 63 when he was murdered, but he looked a good ten years younger. He was almost never ill, though his only formal exercise was jogging. He attributed his good health and physical condition to his total abstention from drinking and smoking, moderate eating habits and afternoon naps.

By some he has been called the Silent Soldier. It is certainly true that he seldom revealed his inner thoughts to his subordinates. He was by nature secretive which, because of his responsibility for ISI and national security, became the predominant characteristic of Akhtar, the man. When he saw me that first day in his office he knew full well that I did not want the job. He started by asking me if I knew anything about ISI's role in Afghan war. I admitted I knew very little apart from rumors, whereupon he explained at considerable length the sort of work I would be doing. He emphasized that it would be an operational rather then an intelligence role that I would play. This allayed some of my fears, as I genuinely felt that I was completely unqualified for intelligence duties. He told me that he had selected me personally, and that my name had been endorsed by the president. By the time he had finished I was extremely excited by the task before me, and while I still had doubts, General Akhtar had persuaded me that the opportunity to play a major part in the Afghan Jehad was likely to be highlight of my career. From an unwilling, ignorant, and somewhat resentful recruit of ISI, Akhtar had quietly and convincingly converted me into a loyal and determined subordinate.

Perhaps he was deliberately being kind to me on that occasion, as he was normally a somewhat cold and reserved person outside of his close family. I would now say he was one of the most inscrutable generals in the Pakistan Army. He hated to be photographed, he had no real intimates, and nobody in whom to confide. Only rarely did I see him reveal his feelings in the three years I served under him. Always outwardly calm and severe he had no time for incompetents. He was a tough cold and hard general who was sure he knew wrong from right. If an officer did not meet his exacting standards he was out. In fact many of his subordinates disliked him as a martinet. They found him difficult to serve as sometimes he could be a bully. Nevertheless, I found that provided I did my job to the best of my ability, and stood up to him on important matters with a well reasoned argument, he would listen. During his time at ISI he made many enemies, both inside and outside the military. He was, for year, at the top KGB's hit lists, with a huge price on his head, but danger or unpopularity never concerned him. He was accustomed to both.

General Akhtar was from the East Punjab. Born in Peshawar on the 11th June, 1924, he was the son of Dr. Abdul Rahman Khan, who spent 30 years as a doctor in the NWFP government service. Unfortunately his father died when Akhtar was only four, so his mother took the family back to their native village in the Jullundar area of East Punjab. From then on his upbringing was humble, and in many ways hard. His formal education was at college in Amristsar, and then at the Government College in Lahore where he obtained a masters degree in economics in 1945. It was while at university that Akhtar's sporting skills were developed. He became a champion boxer, wrestler, and cyclist, acquiring a reputation for physical strength that was to stay with him throughout his life.

Akhtar joined the Indian Army, as an officer cadet in 1945 and was commissioned in early 1947. Little dreaming that one day he would command a successful guerrilla was against the Russian superpower and as a result would die in an act of sabotage. When Zia and Akhtar were killed the last two Pakistani Army officers who had been commissioned in India, had gone. Akhtar was a very junior artillery officer at the time of the partition of India and the birth of Pakistan. It was the time of the appalling horrors of mass murder and massacre associated with the dismantling of British India. What he witnessed was never forgotten and never forgiven. The slaughter of Muslims by Hindus and Sikhs sickened him. One one occasion. when he was employed on escort duty on a refuge train Hindu troops seized him and tied his hands. For a while it seemed that he would be executed, but the timely arrival of some Muslims saved him. For the rest of his life he regarded India as an implacable enemy, both of his country and his religion.

He fought against India three times before he faced the Soviets in Afghanistan. In 1948 he participated in the Kashmir war of independence which gave him the opportunity to operate with tribal Lashkars. He would often in later years, recall these experiences with pride and pleasure. With them he gained, at an early age, an understanding of the tribal psyche, idiosyncrasies, and methods of fighting, that eventually helped him plan and direct the Afghan war over thirty years later.

Akhtar attended the Pakistan Military Staff College at Quetta in 1957, and was an instructor and company commander at the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, from 1961 to 1964. Both these positing indicated that the authorities thought highly of Akhtar's abilities. The staff college was, and is, designed to train selected students for high rank. It is the school for potential senior officers, while only the best are selected to train Pakistan's officer cadets at the Military Academy.

In 1965 Pakistan and India went to war. Major Akhtar was the second-in-command of an artillery regiment deployed on the Burki front. He participated in the defense of Lahore, and helped drive back the massive Indian attack on that city on 6th September. His regiment was one of the first units to open fire on the advancing Indians, delaying them sufficiently to allow the Pakistani infantry to deploy for the defense of Lahore. His courage and skill was rewarded with promotion to lieutenant colonel and the task of raising a new artillery regiment at Nowhere. He had to raise the new unit in the minimum time and rush it to the Rajhistan front. Once again his guns went straight into action in the early hours of the morning. That such a new unit performed so effectively in battle for the first time was a reflection of the sterling qualities of leadership and training of the commanding officer.

After this war Colonel Akhtar was chosen to attend the Joint Services Staff College in England for a year. This was another indication that he was earmarked for higher things, although he detested paper work. His preference was for delegation or conferences where he could hear the views of his subordinates, make a decision, issue instructions, and then let his staff handle the paper.

Then, in 1971, came third clash with India. By this time Akhtar was commanding an artillery brigade. His regiments were among those Pakistani units that played a significant role in the military successes in the Kasur sector.

As a brigadier he attended the National Defense College in 1973, before being posted as an infantry brigade commander in Azad-Kashmir. Here he once again impressed his command with his untiring energy and professionalism. As a former artillery commanding officer who knew him well in those days said;

'During his tenure he actually scaled on foot the whole length and breadth of his area of responsibility. There was not a bunker, not a post, nor a weapon trench he did not visit. He personally tested most of the weapons and improved the defensive posture of his units... One evening we were out together in a forward locality, and from a vantage point we could clearly see a big town in Indian held Kashmir. He stood there and stared at the town for a long time. The lights in the houses were coming on one by one. He ground his teeth and said, "If only once I get the orders you will see what I do". He walked around like a caged lion ... his eyes reflected the intense feeling he felt for the pain and suffering of his fellow Muslims over there'.

At 50 he was given command of an infantry division, and he remained with it in Azad Kashmir for four years from 1974 to 1978. His climb up the promotion ladder had been slower than might have been expected from his bright start and earlier successes. In fact he was passed over the promotion in every rank from brigadier onwards, and yet eventually rose to full general. This was partly due to his introspective nature, and refusal to cultivate 'political' favors or seek out influential friendships. He did his job and did it well, but often more than this was needed to ensure accelerated advancement. His final appointment before going to ISI was as Adjutant General of the Army.

Akhtar was a difficult man to get to know well. He had a complex character with many facets. In his relations with his superiors he was a model of obedience and loyalty, but his handling of subordinates could at times be rough. Nevertheless, he always gained their respect. He worked himself remorselessly and expected the same from others.

I recall that at times he could be quite devious in his dealings with others if he fled it necessary for the good of the Jehad. The first time this occurred at a conference I was unaware of his tactics, and was acutely embarrassed. At the meeting and ISI analyst was describing the increased activities of the Mujahideen around Kabul. He measured it as a great success. General Akhtar interrupted to disagree. The argument became quite heated, with the analyst producing more and more evidence and statistics to prove his point.

Finally, the general said, 'I do not believe the reports of the embassies of the US, UK, or Pakistan on the Kabul situation. They are inflated and exaggerated. Use your head and professional judgment'. Then turning to me he said, 'You can ask him, he had not even issued the number of rockets that you claim have been fired on Kabul'. Not realizing what his game was I fell into the trap, and replied, 'They are correct, Sir. We have issued much more. In fact they have not included some engagements'. Before I could say more the general interrupted angrily: 'You have no idea as to what you have issued. Don't talk out of the back of your head'. My face turned red with anger and embarrassment, as he had seemingly deliberately insulted me in front of the others.

Afterwards he hastened to explain that I should not be upset by his remarks. He had intentionally argued with the analyst as he did not want a rosy picture presented of the Kabul situation. The general explained that, ' When I asked your views, I thought you would look towards me, so I could give you a signal [a wink]. Remember, in future, if I ask your views in open conference, never give the correct position as I am always as equally well informed as you'.

General Akhtar went on to tell me this was how he had to behave with the president during open conferences. Before such meetings he always carefully briefed Zia on the true situation, and gave him his own honest, frank, opinions. If, during the meeting, the president asked for his views he would always respond with what Zia wanted him to say. In public it was of great importance that disagreements on matters of substance should not be aired. Even as a normally straightforward professional soldier, Akhtar had to resort at times to intrigue for the good of the war effort.

In June, 1979, after only a year as Adjutant' General, Akhtar was posted as Director-General of ISI. He was picked for the job by President Zia. It was to be the summit of his military career. Although he was a lieutenant general leading the Afghan Jehad that Akhtar made his name. He could not know when he assumed his new duties that within six months he would be fighting the Soviet superpower, or that he would stay at ISI for eight years, coordinating and planning a guerrilla war that would eventually bring about the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. His contribution to the Jehad was decisive. Before he left on promotion in early 1987, he saw the signs of victory on the battlefield. Before he was murdered, along with his president, he saw the Soviets in retreat. Had he lived he would have seen all the years of struggle, all the lives lost, all the sacrifices of the Afghan people, thrown away, and the victory that had seemed so certain slip from the Mujahideen's grasp. At least he was spared all that.