Siddique Salik

Education and military service

Siddique Salik was born in a Manglia, a village, located in Kharian Tehsil of Gujrat District, Punjab, India to on 6 September 1935. He hailed from a Jat clan of Punjab and his family was traditionally Peasant who worked in a local farm. He was educated in Lahore, having attended the Islamia College in the Civil Lines in Lahore in 1955.

He graduated with a bacherlor degree in English literature and later obtained master degrees' in English Literature and international relations from Islamia College in 1960.

After college graduation, he taught British literature in various colleges in Lahore as visiting professor while working as an associate editor for the Associated Press. In 1964, he joined the Pakistan Army when he gained commissioned as 2nd Lt. after trained as an infantry in the Guides Cavalry of the Frontier Force. Lieutenant Salik led a platoon during his participation in second war with India in 1965. In 1966, he was promoted as an army captain and joined the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) as a War correspondent. In 1969, he was promoted as Major while serving as military journalist in the ISPR.

War Appointment and military service in East Pakistan

In 1970, Major Salik was posted in Dacca, and became the public relations officer (PRO) in the ISPR East Pakistan of Eastern Command. Majori Salik served as a military media correspondent but soon realized that the separate section of army had began a successful mutiny and advised for the formation of truth and reconciliation commission to end the bloodshed, though his advises were not heeded.

He joined the senior military staff at the GHQ Dacca as a PRO, working to release official statements made by the Eastern Command that was led by its Commander East, Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan, and later A.A.K. Niazi. On 20 December 1971, he was taken as war prisoner by the Indian Army when Commander East A.A.K. Niazi signed to concede the defeat and was flown to Calcutta to be imprisoned in the military barracks alongside with Niazi and Admiral Sharif . While in prison, he was described by the Indian Army's officials as "intelligence, indefatigable, and admirable who was ignored by Niaz and others."

About the war prisoners, Major Salik reportedly maintained that the most of the war prisoners were given thought that in mere two-to-three months, they will be repatriated back to Pakistan via trains to Wagha checkpoint and ships Karachi port. However, these hoped were dashed when the prisoners had to wait years to be repatriated to Pakistan.

Witness to Surrender and Inter-Services Public Relations

Under the population transfer agreement signed between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, Major Salik returned to Pakistan when he was repatriated by Indian Army to Pakistan Army in 1973. Major Salik testified against AAK Niazi during the interviewing process of the War Enquiry Commission. Major Salik continued his military service and remained associate with the ISPR, working on the public relations. During this time, he began working towards writing the memoirs and book that would recounts the events that led to the Fall of Dhaka, which he titled as "Witness of Surrender."

In 1977, Major Salik was promoted as Lieutenant-Colonel and published his book despite reservation within the military in 1979. The book has its significance and considered an eyewitness report on the committed atrocities committed under the responsibility of Pakistani military and the Mukti Bahini (lit. Liberation Front), since the War Report was never declassified.

Lt. Col. Salik also published the Urdu version of the book, title as: ميں نے ڈھاكه ڈوبتے ديكھا (lit. Witness to Surrender) in 1986, which was a translation of his English text. In his book, Salik presented a view of soldiers and sailors serving in the army and navy in a crucial period of insurgency and the politics that revolved around the Yahya administration, which eventually led to the nation's break-up.

In 1979, Lt. Col. Salik joined the army staff at the Army GHQ as PRO, and began working as speechwriter for President Zia-ul-Haq. In 1981, he was promoted as Colonel in the army, and during this time, Col. Salik remained in charge of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB), though he was not appointed minister. In 1982, Col. Salik was permanently appointed as Press Secretary for President Zia at the Army GHQ. In 1985, he was promoted as one-star rank army general, Brigadier, and was appointed Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) when his was promotion and appointment was approved by then-vice army chief General K.M. Arif.

During his tenure as DG ISPR, he became widely known in the public circles in country when he acted principle source of information on Pakistani military deployment in response to Indian Army's massive military exercise.

On 19 August 1988, Brig Salik was among who died in a mysterious plane crash while he was traveling with President Zia and American ambassador Arnold Lewis Raphel; he was buried in his local village with full military honors.

Authorship, memoirs, and family

During his lifetime, Brig. Salik authored 9 books on military and politics; of which, six were written in Urdu and three were written in English. In 1974, he wrote and published his first memoir, "Hamah Yārān̲ Dozak̲h̲", that recorded his life spent as war prisoner under the Indian Army. His book and novels also included:

His novel, Ta damay tehreer, is a contemporary satire which provides humor while discussing the political events in his country.

Brig. Salik is survived by his widow, three daughters and a son. His son, Sarmad Salik, is a political journalist who has worked for PTV News and currently working as the director of current affairs for the ARY News.