46 Facts About Fasih Bokhari

Fasih Bokhari HI SI SBt PGAT was a Pakistani admiral who served as the Chief of Naval Staff from 1997 to 1999.

Fasih Bokhari was a well-known pacifist and a prominent political figure as the Chief of Naval Staff from 1997 until his voluntary resignation in 1999, which stemmed from his staunch opposition to the then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's instigation of the Kargil War with India, a conflict that Bokhari reportedly saw as an act of inappropriate and uncoordinated aggression from Pakistan and one that subsequently led him into a bitter dispute with Musharraf.

In 1999, Fasih Bokhari publicly disagreed and revolted against the decision of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to extend Pervez Musharraf's tenure as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee preceding the latter's supersession as the Chief of Army Staff.

Fasih Bokhari is notable for his war opposition stance, having called for public introspections about Musharraf's decisions related to the 1999 Kargil War in 2000.

In 2011, Fasih Bokhari was appointed the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau by President Asif Ali Zardari.

Fasih Bokhari was born in 1942 in British Indian Empire, now India and Pakistan.

Fasih Bokhari served in the Ghazi and did short training on submarine operations at the Naval Academy in Turkey.

Fasih Bokhari earned notability for his valor of actions in the third war with India in 1971 when he served as a torpedo officer in the Hangor.

Fasih Bokhari was pulled off the Submarine Command after Hangor reported back to its base and was sent to join the elite Special Services Group Navy after completing the quick training on special operations.

Fasih Bokhari led a Platoon that consisted of 80 men and was stationed in Karachi to defend the coastal areas from the advancing Indian Army.

Fasih Bokhari became disillusioned with his war career and immediately submitted his resignation in the face of what he considered bleak prospects in the Navy for his future.

Fasih Bokhari was sent to France where he attended the Ecole Militaire and graduated with a staff course degree in 1975.

Fasih Bokhari studied under then-Colonel Jehangir Karamat who had profound influence on his critical thinking and authored his thesis on the war studies, required for his master's degree which he attained in 1984.

From 1985 to 1991, Captain Fasih Bokhari was posted at the Navy NHQ and served as the Director of Naval Operations and director of the naval warfare operation plans.

At the NHQ, Rear-Admiral Fasih Bokhari was appointed DCNS until 1995 when he was promoted to the three-star assignment.

From 1995 to 1997, Vice-Admiral Fasih Bokhari commanded the Pakistan Fleet as its commander when he took over the command from out-going Vice Admiral Shamoon Alam Khan.

In 1995, Vice-Admiral Fasih Bokhari was elevated as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff under Admiral Mansurul Haq.

Vice-Admiral Fasih Bokhari became involved in the acquisitions and indigenous production of Agosta 90B submarines, with the French assistance.

On 1 January 1997, Vice-Admiral Fasih Bokhari was promoted to four-star rank admiral and took over the command of the Navy from the dismissed Admiral Mansurul Haq as Chief of Naval Staff on 5 February 1997.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari provided his crucial support for naval base to be established in Balochistan, Pakistan, which was made operationalized on 26 April 1997.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari was the naval chief when India announced that the country conducted the series of nuclear tests under codename Operation Shakti on 12 May 1998.

Fasih Bokhari attended the informal meeting with Chairman Joint Chiefs General Jehangir Karamat and Air Chief Marshal PQ Mehdi, the Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force, at the residence of General Karamat.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari made a case for the support of nuclear ambiguity and pointed out that Pakistan still had the nuclear capability and recommended the "wait and watch" policy to see the world's reaction.

At the National Security meeting held on 13 May 1998, Admiral Fasih Bokhari again stressed his stance on opposing atomic tests and was joined by Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz who argued against the tests in a fear of economic sanctions.

At the meeting, Admiral Fasih Bokhari again exhorted for practicing the nuclear ambiguity and strongly urging restraint.

On 6 October 1998, Admiral Fasih Bokhari invited Chairman joint chiefs General Karamat to deliver the lecture on civil-military relations at the Naval War College where the General Karamat pressed for the idea of reestablishing the official National Security Council that would take on the perennial problem posed to the country, with military having the representation.

At the public circle, Admiral Fasih Bokhari criticized General Karamat for resigning but Karamat defended his actions as "right thing" to do as he lost the confidence of a constitutionally and popularly elected Prime Minister.

At the country's news media, Admiral Fasih Bokhari became well known for his publicly questioning the military strategy behind the Kargil infiltration and gave criticism on General Musharraf's inability for not taking the Navy into the planning stage, while the latter hoped for Navy's intervention to support the nation's defence after the conflict had reached an impasse.

The appointment to the Chairman Joint Chiefs was only meant to be temporary and it was hoped that Admiral Fasih Bokhari would be appointed to the post.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari telephoned the Prime Minister Sharif and announced his intention to resign from the command of the Navy despite the Prime Minister urging to complete his tenure.

On 5 October 1999, Admiral Fasih Bokhari resigned from the command of the Navy as the news media construed Admiral Fasih Bokhari's resignation merely as unhappiness over not being appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari maintained in 2002 that his resignation came only after realizing that General Musharraf and Prime Minister Sharif had decided to topple each other and he did not want to be part of these "dirty games".

Admiral Fasih Bokhari's revolt saw the meltdown of the civil-military relations between the elected civilian government and the military leaders that eventually led to the military taking over the civilian government by dismissing Prime Minister Sharif on 12 October 1999.

In 2007, Fasih Bokhari became the President of the Pakistan Ex Servicemen Association which he remained until 2010 before becoming the Convenor of The Save Pakistan Coalition in 2010.

On 17 October 2011, Fasih Bokhari was appointed Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau by the then-President Asif Ali Zardari, which the president confirmed his appointment.

Fasih Bokhari's appointment was met with the controversy when then-Opposition leader Nisar Ali Khan raised objection to the nomination on technical grounds but was rejected by the President Zardari.

In 2002 and again in 2011, Admiral Fasih Bokhari pressed for constituting a commission that would introspect the events that led to the Kargil War and showed his willingness to testify before an inquiry commission that would be formed by the government of the day.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari, Pakistan's naval chief from 1997 to 1999, was a great proponent of maritime co-operation with India and believed that it would benefit both countries.

In 2002, Admiral Fasih Bokhari quoted that: he knew about General Musharraf's plans to topple [Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif and did not want to be part of these "Dirty Games".

Admiral Fasih Bokhari noted that a power struggle between an elected Prime Minister and appointed-Chairman joint chiefs ensued and relations were severely damaged after the Kargil war.

Fasih Bokhari contended that the Lahore Declaration process was the best trajectory for Pakistan and should be continued through a political dialogue.

Fasih Bokhari further added that any rupture in the dialogue process would set the country back.

Fasih Bokhari realised that this meeting was held to secure his support against the elected government.

Admiral Fasih Bokhari is mentioned multiple times by Ayesha Siddiqa in her book Military Inc.

Fasih Bokhari is quoted directly, as well as cited in multiple other places as an observer of the events and ideology that are described within the military.

In 2012, Brian Coughley, the historian of Pakistan, found it strange that Admiral Fasih Bokhari did not inform the government or President Tarar if he had the prior knowledge of intended martial law against the elected government.