Content area
Full text
Colonel Aga Javed Iqbal passed away in Dubai on July 16, 2013. He was from the first generation of postindependence officer corps that joined Pakistan army right after independence. He was from the generation that absorbed all the best traditions of British Indian army and carried it forward in the formative years of the army of the new nation. He was born in Montgomery (now renamed Sahiwal) on 23rd October 1930. He was commissioned with the 3rcl PMA Long Course and joined Probyn's Horse on 16 July 1951. Probyn's Horse was numbered 5 in 1922 reorganization but it is the only cavalry regiment of India and Pakistan still known as Probyn's Horse. He was adjutant of the Regiment from 6 September 1953 to 19 February 1954. In 1947, when Indian army was divided, cavalry regiments were also divided among successor states. Indian share was twelve cavalry regiments while Pakistan got six (5th Probyn's Horse, 6th DCO Lancers, 10th Guides Cavalry, 11 PAVO Cavalry, 13th DCO Lancers & 19th KGO Lancers). Famous 4th Hodson Horse was allotted to India and that number was vacant. In 1956, Pakistan raised 4th Cavalry and Probyn's Horse provided personnel under the command of Iqbal for the new regiment. After helping in raising of 4th Cavalry, he served as an instructor in the Tactical Wing of School of Armor. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel rank he rejoined Probyn's Horse as commandant on 29 December 1966 taking command from Lieutenant Colonel Sabiruddin. He remained in command till 12 April 1969 when he handed over to Lieutenant Colonel (later Lieutenant General) S.R. Kallue. In 1971 war, he was Colonel Staff of 6th Armored Division. He was retired from the army in early 1972.
Colonel Iqbal was a regimental officer par excellence. Probyn's Horse was his first love. He carried forward the traditions of British predecessors where regiment formed the backbone of the institution. Lieutenant Colonel Maqsood Ali Khan remembers an incident when one day Colonel Iqbal's wife Joy asked him "What is wrong with Javed? He gets up in the middle of the night, scribbles something on the pad and goes back to sleep". "Those", Maqsood replied "are the points which keep everyone hopping in the regiment from morning to night and...