Code_Red

Brigadier Tariq Mehmood was a great comando, and a leathal wepon for Pakistan army. During 70s and 80s he successfuly completed Numerous missions, most of them are classified. All a person can know about him is through insiders of Pakistan army.

He was the last person who was evacuated from Dhaka (after Dhaka fall). He was most active in 80s during the Afgan war.

Anybody know about him more, please share.

Haris

i dont have any info on the hero, but i think ive heard the name, and would love to know about him so please post whetevr you may find on him and i'll look for it too.

Spock

Wasnt he in the SSG?

Code_Red

Special Services Group=SSG

He is deeply respected in Army Circles. i heard ppl talk about him with deepest respect. It is believed that Rajeeve Gandhi (prime minister of india in 80s) used to have briefings about his activities.

His death was very tragic. He used to lead a team of paratroopers of SSG every year in the horse and cattle show, which was held annually in Lahore. That fateful year his parachute did't open.

Haris

Oh yeah!! now i remember who he was. back when i was 7-8 in the late 80s i remmebr my grandma reading us this article about him describing his life and death. i only emember that it was either 88 or 89 and he had died recently.
I'd like to know more so please update if you find anything.
thanks

Code_Red

Here it is (as i heard)

After Iran's islamic revolotion, some iranian' occupied khana Qaaba with some hostages (year 79 or 80). The drama went on for some days then Saudi Gvernment asked pakistan for help. Pakistan in response sent a team of comandoos lead by TM. And he evacuated khana Qaaba without a single bullet fired. No hostage was injured. :k

It was One of his well known mission.

Mehrtaab

he was commandant SSG.....a courageous person.....infact a valuable asset of SSG to which they will always be proud of.....

....once in a physical efficiency excrcise, a big rock stone fell over his forehead and was broken into two pieces........therefrom, he was called "paththar torr' amongst his colleagues.......

he was a dintinguished officer, with a great career ahead.......every year, he`d lead the para drop landings (freefall) at 23rd march parade.......with Pakistan Flag......he added inspiration to us at those times....

he`d be ever-remember as a hero.......as regards detailed info about him, lemme find it out n post it some day..........

The_Jackal

Ahh yes, the brave actions of this man and many others like him have propelled Pakistan's small SSG into world military circles as a respectful and equally potent specail forces unit.

God bless our men and women in the armed forces.

Haris

a SALUTE to our armed forces!!!

Minerva

Back in school days I wrote a paper, well it was pretty comprehensive on Brig. TM's life. That was a prized possesion when my school asked me to submit all my assignments to be kept in the library. Since than I have not been able to get it back. And I was I believe 12-13... so sad I do not remember much...

Well, there was a comprehensive profile, family interviews in one of the urdu magazines during early 1990's...I will ask ammi abt it.

Minerva

Ok, it was Urdu Digest from the early 1990's. I will try to get my hands on that and so if anyone wants the detailed info, I can safely photocopy and send it via mail. No problem for me.

5Abi

Brig Tariq Mahmud a.k.a TM was a legend. I had seen his paratrooping displays annually at 23rd March parade in Rawalpindi. That was some 15 years ago. Those days he was at his peak. He has particiapted in many missions of national security implications and most of them are confidential and out of the public view. Only a few in the Army are aware of such missions.
Till his demise, he was big boss of Commando & Paratroop Org at Chirat and Attock Fort. One major crossing at Saddar in Pindi is named after him. Some of his adventures give impression of more like fables, tales of unbelievable nature. He was a great asset to the country. And something to be proud of for the Army.

Ich_dien

Hello all

this is my first time writing on this forum
and after reading ppl asking bout Brig TM i thought what better than this.
i belong to an army family and my father knew Brig TM since the start of his career as he was about 4 years junior to him.
Although i never had the pleasure of meeting TM personally but i became a fan of him ever since i first heard his name. Hope my little effort will be of some use to the people looking for info regarding TM who was lovingly called "TM Shah or Takkar Marr Shah" by his collegues and friends



Brig. Tariq Mehmood was born in 1938, got most of his education in Rawalpinidi. After his intermediate from Gordan College Rawalpindi he completed his BA from Government college Lahore. He was a member of the Government College cricket team, during that time cricketer Fazal Mehmood wrote an article in the newspaper “Pakistan Times” about future potential international Cricketers and TM’s name was mentioned in it(one of his class fellows at GC Lahore Javed Barki later became Captain of Pakistan Team).After completing his BA from G.C.Lahore he enrolled in University Law College Peshawar, but later joined army and when to PMA Kakul.

He passed out from PMA in 1960 and was commissioned in 2nd Battalion of The Baloch Regiment. He was selected for Special Services Group (SSG) in 1963, on completing his commando training he was posted to the Shaheen Company of 1st commando battalion..

In 1965 when SSG was preparing for Operations in Kashmir Capt T.M. was selected to go to USA for an advance course, but he dropped himself from it to go into battle with his commrades. During the 1965 war he was awarded Sitara-e-Juraat (SJ) for his heroic actions in the Kargil Sector. He was promoted to the rank of Major in 1970 and was posted to Peshawar as the commandant Para Training School.

In 1971 T.M again went into action, this time in East Pakistan. He lead a team of 25 Commandos to captrue a bridge over the river Braham-Putra from the enemy, he was hit by two bullets but continued to fight till the mission was successfully complete. He was awarded his second Sitara-e-Jurat (SJ) in 1971.

1973 he was posted to 3rd commando battalion and in 1974 he was promoted to the rank of Lt.Colonel. He took command of 3rd Commando battalion in March 1977. In the summar of 1977 some tribals blocked the KaraKuram Highway which links Pakistan and China. TM was given the task to get the road opened, he completed the mission with full success, for this he was awarded Sitara-e-Bisalat (S.Bt.). In 1979 he was promoted to Full Colonel and in 1982 he was made a Brigadier and posted as commandant SSG.

In 1983 he led a team to free a PANAM airplane from hijackers at Karachi internation airport, the hijackers opened fire when the plane’s generator failed killing and injuring some passangers but due to SSG’s quick action soon all the hijackers were killed saving many lives. In the later 1987-88 he lead operations against criminals in Sindh.

Brig T.M always lead the team of SSG paratroopers during the 23rd March parade carrying the National Flag, he did this last on 23rd March 1989.

On 29th May 1989 he led the team of SSG paratrooper for a free-fall at Army Aviation School,Raholi near Gujranwala, this jump was part of Army Aviation’s Passing Out parade. His parachute didn’t open.

bdamir

PMA excercise in 4th term have a name "TM raiders" in the memory of Tariq Mahmood.

Haris

a true hero!
thanks for the info
Ich_dien

Golden_Scorpion

MY Memories with TM (the gr8 hero)

He had para Jumps in Peshawar he had to go for the Free Fall.. as he was the expert of the Free fall Jumps... ONe of Our Family Frend is also in SSG so he had to jump for th free fall as well... it was only a mont or so ago before his Shahadat...
I could't go to the para jumps with the Frend.. due to some reasons.. and.. After a day or two he gave me the Pics.. as he was Commando and was a gr8 fan of TM he told me many things abt TM and.. I really hate my self Y I missed to see a person like this...

And.. after a month or so... we hered the News... I was really Depressed... and... cursing my self.. Y I never met him...

coOoLBreeze

He was a great asset to Pakistani nation and Muslim Ummaa..
Many of his missions are classified and only a few high ranking military personals has access to those files , or his co commandos knows about those missions...

the way he died ( embraced Shahdah) was tragic.
His first Parachute didnt open and the ropes got mixed up, so babdly, he cut those ropes with the dagger he had, and tried to open the backup Parachute. that also got cut, coz at that moment the amount of velocity with which he was coming down was enormous. He tried his best till the end, but unfortunately he lost both of his parachutes.
The moment he hit the ground, it was estimated that due to high momentum his body mass was bout 200 TONS.

Anyway, this is what I got to know from some one I know in the Army.

May ALLAH bless his soul in the finest place of Heaven.

Salute to Pakistan's Military

Haris

golden_scorpion
were u in the army too?
do you have pratrooping, skydiving experience?
do tell me. thanks.

Golden_Scorpion

No Haris... I am not in Military.. BUT lots of Frends there

Bazi77

Guys, I am not quiet sure, how much you really know about this hero, he was graduated from Gordon College, Rawalpindi. He was a good cricket player, he use to play cricket with Akram Zaki during his college days, his dad was a professor at Asghar mall college. He had 3 other brothers and they all reside at one point at time at their haveli located on College rd, Rawalpindi, cloe to Gordon College.
Even though General Mitha is the pioneer of SSG, Brig TM Shaheed was one of the best asset SSG ever had. He was young around 12 years age when he fell from the tree and broke his arm so bad that bone came out of skin but instaed of telling his parents, he decide to stay quiet because he was climbing from the tree when accident happened. In the night time his dad heard him squeek because of pain and when he turn on the light he saw the bone out of skin and took him to the doctor, during surgery, this brave boy didnot even had tear in his eye.
He was made for this job and was always the first to go in and last to come out, in 1971 he was in Dhaka and right now even if you guys want check some of the sites for war criminals, MUKTI BAHNI ( Bangladeshi *******s) consider him criminal because of his bravery and commando actions in Dhaka. He was the officer in command to get the direct order from General "if you hear or see the fire, burn the place down". He fullfill his duty so well that Dhaka Airport which was almost no fly zone because of terrorist activity in the surrounding areas, was free again in 34 hours.
He was the last officer on that rank that left Dhaka, after fall. At the time of his Shahdat, Indian Govt had a prize on his head. He is buried in Dhoke Khaba grave yard clsoe to Commitee chowk on Muree rd and after his shahdat, two army guards guarded his grave for 1 whole year.

People come and go but legend stays forever, LONG LIVE PAKISTAN>

nstar777

Haris

Welcome to the forum Bazi77 and thanks for sharing the info.

One great commando he was. A legend in true sense.

Haris

Last year on the 6 Sep show on PTV, his family was invited; wife, daughter and son.
Mrs Brig TM narrated the scenario from the day he was martyred while jumping.
It was quite hard to imagine how they must have felt that day...

Mrs TM said she was sitting with other officer wives in a front row, the atmosphere was festive and relaxed, as normally is on military display days when friends and families of all officers gather and create a rather carnivalish mood. As Birg TM jumped and became visible, she had her eyes fixed on her husband, but was relaxed; after all her husband was a seasoned jumper and she had gone through this many times. But suddenly she felt that TM hadnt released the parachute at the right moment when he was supposed to, she felt he must be trying to display a brave act to his juniors, but a moment later again he hadnt opened up when expected, and as he became more visible on ground, everyone realized both parachutes hadnt opened and Brig TM was struggling, he somersaulted a few times to cut speed somehow, but of course to no use and right in front of his family, TM hit the ground as they all watched helplessly in shock.
Another officer present that day on the ground who knew the family and was also present at the 6 Sep function last year said that having witnessed this nerve-wrecking incident, Mrs TM though clearly shocked and devestated, behaved in an exemplary manner like an martyred officer's wife should and her display of courage on the ground was equally fitting for her husband's wife and was very brave.

Khushaalkhan

I was too young when this horrible incident took place. At that time there were many rumours about his death. Many people believed that basically he was killed, it was considered to be a conspiracy against that hero. What I remember people used to say that both the parachutes were intentionally packed in way that they should not be able to be opened.
I dont know whether it is true or not but we lost that hero, who really changed the whole structure of our Special Services Group.

Bazi77

Brig Syed Tariq Mahmood Shaheed death was not planned, anytime when parachute are packed, two officers have to sign on the report and it is almost like after a plane crash, they look for engineers and crew who ok'd the flight, same way when ever accidents happens in Forces, they always get to the bottom of it, that is a second factor that sometime those reports dont come out for public review.
There was a committee, Major General Zafar Malik was incharge and they review all the facts and figures and after numerous weeks of hard work and efforts, they declared it was an accident. Right after Brig TM's shahdat, one of his companion Havaldar Liaquat from Chakwal had the similar accident in Lahore during Horse & cattle show, He also got Shahdat and left 3 little babies under 6 years of age orphans.
Once again, we have numerous heroes in our history and for some reason their names dont become part of media but I think its good, other wise once public would know, what they have done for this nation and country, they will make their graves like a SHRINE and probably start going there for prayers and blessings.....
So far 9 personnals in Pak Forces had got Shahdat cause of different accidents during Paratrooping and Free falls, its part of the risk they took during their services, only one was during war time and that was in Fazlka border when paratrooper was shot during raid and later on his body was discovered with 13 bullett holes from Indian custody.
Long Live Pakistan.

Khushaalkhan

Thanks Bazi, we are extremely thankful to you for updating us about that great hero. We sometime remain ignorant, now just imagine after so many years I came to know that there was an inquiry and there was no conspiracy involved.

Haris

Thanks for the details Bazi77

Have you been associated with the military?

Bazi77

My family is from Mandra (District Rawalpindi) and there are only two things us folks know how to do? Agriculutral and Defense Forces. My whole family, one way or another related to Pak Forces. My Grand father, Late Sajawal Khan, was in police but my dad served in Pakistan Air Force and also in UAE Air Force, he is also EX SSG.
I reside in Atlanta, USA and for some odd reasons cant really say much about my relation with military but I did my time and if mother land ever need me again, I will not hesitate to pick my weapon.

May Allah bless our country and long live Pakistan.

MKF

It seems to me that you are some how associated with CENTCOM as its HQ is in ATLANTA as well and it covers Pakistan as well.