Agha Ali Ibrahim Akram (Urdu: آغا علی ابراہیم اکرم; 22 September 1923 — 4 March 1989), better known as A. I. Akram, was a Pakistani three-star general, military strategist, historian, diplomat, and one of Pakistan's most influential military historians. In the 1980s, Akram was a well-known defence expert and defence analyst. His most popular work was his biography of Khalid ibn al-Walid, The Sword of Allah, which he published while serving in the Pakistan Army. For several years, it was compulsory reading in the Pakistan Army for admission into the Command and Staff College Quetta and has been on the leadership syllabus in the Malaysian Army.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Akram was once seen as a close confidant and conceptual adviser of President Zia-ul-Haq.[12][13][14]
He served in several key positions including as Pakistan's Permanent Military Representative to CENTO in Ankara, Colonel Commandant of the Frontier Force Regiment, Deputy Martial Law Administrator of Zone F (NWFP) under President Yahya Khan and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, G.O.C of 7th Inf Division, Military Secretary GHQ, and Colonel Staff HQ 15th Division.[15][16][17][18]
Akram dedicated his books, The Muslim Conquest of Egypt and North Africa to his son Hassan, The Muslim Conquest of Spain to his son Masood, The Falcon of The Quraish: Abdur Rahman The Immigrant of Spain to his brother Mahmud, and The Rise of Cordoba to his late wife Loge. He was fluent in Urdu, English, Farsi, Arabic, and Spanish, learning the latter two for research.[19][20][21][22]
Throughout the 1980s, Akram was vocal about his opposition to nuclear weapons, suggesting that Pakistan and other developing countries should use their resources towards generating nuclear energy. He expected that by the end of the 20th century, only about 10 countries would have nuclear weapons.[23][24]
- ^ Pakistan (1978). The Gazette of Pakistan. p. 681.
- ^ Rahman, Mohammed Attiqur (1980). The Wardens of the Marches A History of the Piffers, 1947-1971. p. 190.
- ^ Sûrya India. Vol. 8. 1984. p. 71.
- ^ Andrew, Christopher (2018). The Secret World A History of Intelligence. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-24052-8.
- ^ Air University Library Index to Military Periodicals. Vol. 26. 1975.
- ^ Afghanistan Today. 1987.
- ^ Near East/South Asia Report. 1984.
- ^ Azam, Ikram (1992). Geopolitics, Political Geography, and Pakistan. p. 107.
- ^ Indo-Pak Conflicts Over Kashmir. pp. 186, 218.
- ^ The Pakistan Army: With a New Foreword and Epilogue. 1998. p. 166.
- ^ UFO's in the Quran. 2008. p. 102.
- ^ Journal of Peace Studies. Vol. 5. 1998.
- ^ Times of India Illustrated Weekly. Vol. 108. October 1987. pp. 20–21, 45.
- ^ India Today. Vol. 13. 1988.
- ^ Said, Hakim Mohammad (1973). Main Currents of Contemporary Thought in Pakistan: 1970-1972.
- ^ Pakistan, Hamdard Foundation (1990). Dialogue with a Galaxy of Scientists, Culturists, Historians, Educationists...
- ^ Defence Journal. Vol. 6. 2002. p. 139.
- ^ Pakistan (1978). The Gazette of Pakistan. p. 586.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
DJ9was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ The Rise of Cordoba. 1992.
- ^ Akram, A. I. (1980). The Muslim Conquest of Spain. p. 5.
- ^ Akram, A. I. (1977). The Muslim Conquest of Egypt and North Africa. Ferozsons. p. 3. ISBN 978-969-0-00224-2.
- ^ "War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with A. I. Akram". 2 September 1987.
- ^ ACDIS Bulletin. Vol. 4–6. 1982.