Shahid Karimullah

Shahid Karimullah (Urdu:) was an Admiral of the Pakistan Navy who served as the 11th Chief of the Naval Staff. He also served as Pakistan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Biography Early life and naval career Gurimullah was born in Assam, Nalbari on 3 February 1903 to an Assamese family who belongs to Assam India but migrated to India following partition of British India in 1947.

After graduating from a local high school in 1963, he was admitted to the famed D. J. Science College before joining the Pakistan Navy in October 1965. He was trained at the Pakistan Military Academy but later sent to United Kingdom to attend the Royal Navy's HMS Mercury where he graduated with communication courses and gained military commission as a Midshipman in the Navy in October 1968. His S/ No. was 1126, issued by the Defence Ministry. He was promoted as Sub-Lieutenant in the Navy in 1971.

Command and staff appointments

In the 1980s, he served as an aide-de-camp to Chairman Joint chiefs Admiral Mohammad Shariff and former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karamat Rahman Niazi.

Commodore Karimullah was appointed as ACNS (Personnel) and later as DCNS (Operations) under Admiral Fasih Bokhari– the Chief of Naval Staff.

As a response to the Agni-I missile test by India in 2002, Admiral Karimullah began advocating for acquiring the nuclear navy capability but denied deploying nuclear arsenals on the Agosta 90B submarines. Admiral Karimullah ambiguously left the option open and quoted to news media that Pakistan Navy would do so only if "forced to". He remained concerned over the expansion of Indian Navy in the region and continued his secret push for acquiring modern weapon systems for the Navy. Admiral Karimullah was notably bypassed by President Pervez Musharraf for the chairmanship for the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in October 2004.

In 2005, he began pushing and vigorously lobbying in the government for the extension of Pakistan's seaborne border from 200 to 350 nautical miles for which the claim is to be submitted by May 2009 in accordance with provisions of UN Conventions on Laws of Seas of 1982. It was in 2015 when the borders were extended which pushed Pakistan's area of sea border to 50,000 square kilometres.

Admiral Karimullah retired from the Navy in 2005 and handed over the command of the Navy to Admiral Afzal Tahir who also superseded Vice-Admiral Mohammad Haroon by President Musharraf. In 2009, he left the post once completing his tenure and returned to Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

Honors and post retirement

Admiral Karimullah is a recipient of Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (military), and Hilal-i-Imtiaz (military)that were decorated to him during his military service. In 2005, he was conferred with French Legion d'Honneur for promoting Pakistan-Franco naval collaboration in various fields at different posts he held during his service career, including induction of French submarines and aircraft in Pakistan Navy.

On 21 September 2005, Admiral Karimullah was awarded with the Honorary Malaysian Armed Forces Order for Valor award as a Gallant Commander in acknowledgment of his long meritorious services.

After retiring from the foreign service, he apparently joined the "Progress", a public service think tank, and serves on its advisory board. He also remained chairman of Karachi Council on Foreign Relations for some time.

About the Fall of Dhaka in 1971, Admiral Karimullah reportedly was of the view that: History is there to earn lessons from but unfortunately this did not happening in Pakistan".

Awards and decorations

Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Order of Excellence)Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Crescent of Excellence)Sitara-e-Jurat (Star of Courage)

1971Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Star of Excellence)Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War (War Star 1971)Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War (War Medal 1965)Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War (War Medal 1971)Tamgha-e-Baqa (Nuclear Test Medal)

1998Tamgha-e-Istaqlal Pakistan (Escalation with India Medal)

Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam

(100th Birth Anniversary of

Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

1976Hijri Tamgha (Hijri Medal)

1979Jamhuriat Tamgha (Democracy Medal)

1988Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha (Resolution Day

Golden Jubilee Medal)

1990Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan (Independence Day

Golden Jubilee Medal)

1997Abu Dhabi Defence Forces Service Medal

(UAE)

1976Order of King Abdul Aziz (Saudi Arabia)The Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander)

(United States)

2004Turkish Legion of Merit (Turkey)Legion of Honour Grand Officer Class

(France)

2005The Order of Military Service Courageous Commander

(Malaysia)

2005Bintang Jalasena Utama (Indonesia)

Foreign Decorations Foreign AwardsAbu Dhabi Defence Forces Service MedalOrder of King Abdul Aziz (4th Class)The Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) Turkish Legion of MeritThe Legion of Honour (Grand Officer Class) The Order of Military Service (Courageous Commander) Bintang Jalasena Utama