Nisha Rathode (Editor)

Robert Cawthome

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Years of service
  
19-??-1959

Rank
  
Major-General

Name
  
Robert Cawthome


Allegiance
  
United Kingdom  Pakistan

Service/branch
  
British Army  Pakistan Army

Commands held
  
Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence Chief of Staff

Battles/wars
  
World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

Battles and wars
  
World War II, Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

Sir Robert Cawthome (Urdu: رابرٹ کیتھوموم‎) was the founder of the Inter-Services Intelligence. He served as two star Major-General in the Pakistan army and later as 2nd director general of the ISI. He also formed the Pakistan Army Corps of Signals.

Career

Robert Bill Cawthome was born in Australia and was a major general in the British Indian Army in the British India. After independence of Pakistan and India, he moved to Pakistan and joined the newly formed Pakistan army. He formed Pakistan Army Corps of Signals and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff in the army. Cawthome founded the Inter-Services Intelligence in 1948 after Indo-Pak war which exposed weaknesses in intelligence gathering between the Pakistan Army, Air Force, Navy, IB and MI. The policies of the agency were his brain-child. He was promoted to two star Major-General in the army. In 1950 he became Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence preceding Syed Shahid Hamid. He was succeeded by Riaz Hussain in 1959. After his retirement, Cawthome moved back to the United Kingdom and lived there till his death. He still remains the longest-serving DG ISI, serving in the position for nine years.

References

Robert Cawthome Wikipedia