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12th Infantry Division
Active1948- Present
Country Pakistan
Branch Pakistan Army
TypeDivision
Size20,000 men (though this may vary as units are rotated)
Part ofX Corps (Pakistan)
HeadquartersMurree, Punjab (Pakistan)
Nickname(s)Chinar Division
ColorsGreen & Gold
EngagementsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Siachen conflict
Indo-Pakistani War of 1999
War on terror
Commanders
General Officer CommandingMajor-General Muhammad Irfan
Notable CommandersMajor General Muhammad Kaleem Asif
Major General Faheem ul Aziz
Major General Najam ul Hassan Shah
Major General Sohail Ahmed Khan

12th Infantry Division, the largest Pakistani Army infantry division, is currently based in Murree, Punjab close to Azad Kashmir. The Chinar Division's headquarters are located in the Murree Hills Cantonment. The brigades of 12th Division are deployed all across Azad Jammu Kashmir and the Line of Control. With 6 Infantry Brigades, 1 Divisional Artillery brigade and a number of supporting units of Air Defence, Supply, Engineering, Signals and Remount & Veterinary Corps under its command, 12th Infantry division is the largest division of Pakistan Army.[citation needed]

History

The division was formed in 1948, from troops allocated to Pakistan from the old British Indian Army. It was the first division sized formation to be created by the Pakistan Army (the three prior ones, 7th (Golden Arrow), 8th and 10th infantry divisions predated Pakistan).

1948 Kashmir War

The division went into combat against the Indian army in Kashmir. A notable action was the recapturing of Skardu from the Indian forces, accomplished with help from tribesmen from the tribal areas.

1965 Indo-Pakistani War

In between the wars the division was active on the ceasefire line, where fighting broke out on several occasions. In 1965 the division undertook Operation Grand Slam, whereby under the command of 7th Infantry Division, it attacked and captured Chamb, and then moved on and captured territory beyond the river Tawi, ending up in a position 6 km ahead of Jammu. Although its performance was greatly lauded at the time, its commander Maj-Gen Akhtar Hussain Malik was privately criticised by General Ayub Khan, for abandoning several posts in Kashmir which were then taken by the Indian forces, and for losing the strategically vital Hajir Pir Pass (this would not be retaken until after the ceasefire).

1971 Bangladeshi War

Six years later, the division went into action again, this time in Poonch-Ranjouri sector. Despite being outnumbered by Indian forces, the formation managed to advance nearly 50 km, all the way to Ranjouri. Unfortunately dogged Indian resistance meant that it was unable to capture Poonch itself. During the war, it was commanded by Maj-Gen Mohammad Akbar Khan.

Recent history

Since 1971, the formation had been deployed on the Line of Control, dividing the Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, where sporadic fights break out with Indian forces, and occasionally full-fledged actions develop. In 1991, the division defeated an Indian incursion into the Neelum Valley.

List of GOCs (Commanders)

References

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