Mujeeb Ahmad Khan Lodhi (1922 – before October 2018), SJ, TPk, best known as M.A.K. Lodhi, was a two-star rank admiral in the Pakistan Navy, a memoirist, and a defence analyst, writing in the News International.
He is known for his leadership in commanding the Western Naval Command and fleet commander during the third war with India in 1971, and was forcefully retired from his service in 1972 by President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. In 2017, he wrote and authored his memoirs, Ocean Rift: Memoirs of Admiral Lodhi, published in 2017 that recounted his memories during the events in 1971.
Biography
Lodhi served in the Royal Indian Navy, participating well during the World War II, he was one of few of the twenty RIN officers from the Executive Branch who opted for Pakistan Navy in 1947;: 9 he was the Lieutenant at the time of his transfer. He was a contemporary of Vice Admiral EC Kuruvila (1922–1997) with whom he served in World War II but were on opposite after the partition.: 9–10
Lodhi participated well during the second war with India in 1965, was one of the commanding officers of the Combined Task Group (CTG) that raided in Dwarka in India.: 83 Captain Lodhi was the commanding officer of the PNS Babur and had responsibility of guarding the station. Under Captain Lodhi's command, the PNS Babur took part in the firing the target at the light house's radars and return home safely to report to its base, and served until 1967 as Babur's CO.: 170–172
In 1969, Commodore Lodhi was stationed in East Pakistan and was appointed as administrator for the Chittagong Port, responsible for territorial limits.: 41 In 1970, he was promoted to two-star rank, Rear-Admiral, was subsequently appointed the fleet commander in the Western Naval Command as Commander Pakistan Fleet.: 437 : 194
During the third war with India, Rear-Admiral Lodhi commanded the Western Naval Command's Combined Task Group, comprising the one cruiser, five destroyers, two frigates, four submarines and one oiler.: 437 He also deployed his country's only long-range submarine, Ghazi that had to be deployed since he was not given any choice to support the Eastern Naval Command under Rear-Admiral Mohammad Shariff.: 47 He also appointed Commodore H.H. Ahmed as his command's chief of staff.: 198
After the signed surrender went into effect that marked the succession of East-Pakistan as Bangladesh, Rear-Admiral Lodhi was among the highest flag ranking officer, including Rear-Admiral Rashid Ahmed and Vice-Admiral Muzaffar Hassan, who were notably superseded by their juniors for the command assignments.: 77 Rear-Admiral Lodhi was subsequently forcefully retired from his service when the junior, Commodore H.H. Ahmed, became the nation's first chief of naval staff in April 1972.: 144 : 92
After his retirement, Rear-Admiral Lodhi deputed and worked with Royal Saudi Navy as its military adviser and remained associated with it for quite some time. Since 2015, he became associated with the News International where he writes column on defence and security.
In 2017, Lodhi's memoirs, Ocean Rift: Memoirs of Admiral Lodhi, were published. He died prior to October 2018.
References
External links
- "MAK Lodhi:Writer - The News International: Latest News Breaking, Pakistan News". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- Ladi, Rear Admiral M. A. K. (2017). OCEAN RIFT Memoirs of Admiral Lodhi. Islamabad, Pakistan: Royal Book Co., Pakistan. p. 570. ISBN 9789694074382.
