Muzaffar Hasan - The CAP Podcast #1

Vice Admiral Muzaffar Hasan served as both Commander-in-cheif and the Chief of Naval Staff during 1971. He speaks of the political scenario at the time, war strategy, and the role played by the Navy in the War.
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About Muzaffar Hasan

Vice Admiral Muzaffar Hassan, HQA, SPk, was the last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Navy from 1969 to 1972, and led the Pakistan Navy during the Indo-Pakistan Naval Operations of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. In 1972, he was later sacked and court-martial as Naval Chief of Staff, along with the Chief of Army StaffLieutenant-General Gul Hassan Khan and the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Abdul Rahim Khan. All of theseArmed Forces and Services commanders were forcefully retired in a stand-up military trial led by the Judge Advocate General Branch.

Naval career

Hassan joined the Royal Indian Navy as a Non-Commissioned Officer in 1932. He was later sent to United Kingdom where he attended the Britannia Royal Naval College where he graduated from there. He was quickly inducted in Royal Navy's Executive Branch and served in World War II (in European front) on behalf of Royal Navy. In 1947, he returned to British Indian Empire and briefly served in Royal Indian Navy (RIN). AfterIndependence and Partition of India, he was among one of the 20 Executive officers transferred to Pakistan Navy. At that time, he had reached the rank of Lieutenant. In 1952, as Commander, he was commanded PNS Tariq, the destroyer. At there, he accompanied Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, then Governor of Punjab Province, in a Hajj mission led by Pakistan Navy. He actively participated in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 where he, as Rear-Admiral, led the Navy's mild operation in the conflict

In 1967, he became commander of Western Naval Command, followed by another 2 star assignment. In 1968, he was made Commander Karachi, a senior staff appointment of Pakistan Navy. In 1969, he was promoted to Vice-Admiral in the Navy and assumed the Command of Pakistan Navy.

Chief of Naval Staff

As Chief of Naval Staff, he led the Pakistan Navy in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

He then lived in Karachi. Admiral Muzaffar Hassan died on May 24, 2012 at Karachi following a prolonged illness. He was buried in the Naval Graveyard.