Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Javaid laid to rest

RAWALPINDI: Lieutenant General (R) Hamid Javaid who passed away in Rawalpindi on Friday as a result of cardiac ailment was laid to rest on Saturday.

He served as Chief of Staff (COS) to former military dictator General Pervez Musharraf but resigned two days ahead of promulgation of emergency by him on November 1, 2007 since he opposed the idea.

He was a true soldier and was viewed as the developer of country’s indigenously manufactured main battle tanks Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar.

Both are in the use of Pakistan Army and are a source of pride. In the process of development of tanks, he worked like a technician with his own hands even in harsh weather.

He was designated second President Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital in February 2011 by the founder of the trust late Lt. General Jahandad Khan known as General JD.

Lt. General Hamid Javaid was the son of late Mohammad Ashraf (prominent leader of Allama Mashraqi Khaksar Tehrik). He was groomed with values by his father. He served as COS with General Musharraf for six years and played a major role in ensuring that governance was transparent at the highest level.

He played a key role in ensuring a harmonious relations between the civil and the military bureaucracies. He was commissioned in the Armoured Corps of the Pakistan Army on 31 October 1965 and served as the military attaché to the United States from 1986 to 1990.

He later commanded the XXXI Corps Reserve at Bahawalpur for two years after which he headed Heavy Industries Taxila.

During his four years stint as Chairman Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) he successfully completed the R&D on Al-Khalid and delivered to the Pakistan Army the first batch of its indigenously manufactured world class Main Battle Tank. Lt Gen (R) Hamid Javaid also successfully conceived and produced Tank Al-Zarrar and several other armored and security vehicles.