When Jinnah asked Sam Manekshaw to join Pakistan Army

By Editorji News Desk
Published on | Dec 01, 2023

Sam 'Bahadur'

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the Army chief who led India to victory in 1971 war against Pakistan

But in his own words 'you would have had a defeated India' if he had accepted a request by Jinnah

During the Partition in 1947, not just the country but the Indian Army was partitioned as well

Army officers were given the option to choose between the Indian Army and the Pakistan Army

Then Major Sam Manekshaw was faced with a similar situation. His parent unit the 12th Frontier Force Regiment became part of the Pakistan Army

Jinnah himself asked Manekshaw to join the Pakistan Army and said that an officer like him had great career prospects there

Maneskaw, however, chose to stay with India. He was briefly transferred to the 16th Punjab Regiment

What Manekshaw said

'Jinnah had asked me to join the Pakistan army in 1947. If I had, you would have had a defeated India [in 1971]'