An ethnic Pashtun, he retired from the Pakistan Army in 1962 due to the autocratic rule of Ayub Khan. Afterwards, he was involved in business and joined politics.[4]
He was repeatedly arrested by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s for his political beliefs and was in jail for more than three years with Amnesty International declaring him a prisoner of conscience in 1974. During a medical checkup, he escaped from custody and took political asylum in the United States in 1975 becoming a citizen in 1981.[5]
He married Nancy Habiba Jilani in 1949 and they had 4 children. Their son Mian Arshad Jilani and three daughters Hadia Jilani Roberts, Halima Jilani Raza, and Habiba Jilani Freeman. At the time of his death, Mian Ghulam Jilani had 9 grandchildren.[6]
British Indian Army career
He completed his officer's training at the Rashtriya Indian Military College at Dehra Dun in British India and was commissioned as second lieutenant on to the Special List, Indian Land Forces on 1 February 1936 and attached to the 2nd battalion the Royal Scots Regiment on 24 February 1936 for a years experience before joining his British Indian Army regiment.[7] He was accepted for the Indian Army on 24 February 1937 and posted to the 4th battalion 19th Hyderabad Regiment. His seniority as a second lieutenant was antedated to 3 February 1935 and he was promoted Lieutenant 3 May 1937.[8] He was later appointed acting Captain and then appointed Adjutant of the 4/19th 1 October 1940.[9]
Captured at Singapore
During the Second World War, the fourth battalion 19th Hyderabad Regiment was sent to Singapore with the British Indian Army. Jilani was captured and taken prisoner by the Japanese in 1942. He was a prisoner of war for nearly forty months. During this period, he was tortured and kept in solitary confinement for seven months. Whilst a prisoner of war he was promoted Captain.[10] He was mentioned in despatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Malaya in 1942.[11]
Shortly after World War II, the movement for independence from the British resulted in Partition of British India in 1947. Jilani threw his energy and enthusiasm behind it.
Pakistan Army career
Kashmir Operations
He joined the newly formed Pakistan Army and was the 42nd senior most officer (PA–42), commanding 4 Frontier Regiment. A few weeks later he took a leave of absence from the army to volunteer as a fighter in Kashmir, fighting for its independence and right to join Pakistan. In April 1948, he was appointed Commanding Officer at Gilgit where he remained until the ceasefire.
His troops played a major role in establishing what would later become the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. He fought a guerrilla war in northern Kashmir engaging two divisions of the Indian Army subsequently taking over Baltistan.
As GOC 15th Div he along with (then) Brig Rakhman Gul MC Inspector General Frontier Corps served under (then) Maj Gen Attiqur RahmanMCGOC 7th Infantry Division who was the Force Commander for the Bajaur Campaign of October 1960. After the Nawab of Dir Sir Shah Jehan Khan and his son Khan Shahabud Din Khan of Jandol were captured on 28 October 1948, Maj Gen Attiqur Rahman MC moved back to Peshawar and Jilani took over as Force Commander.
Retirement
After retiring from the army, he was hired by Fakhrudin Valika as a General Manager with the Valika Group in Karachi.
His wife Mrs. Nancy Habiba Jilani filed a writ petition against his detention, and the judgment of the Lahore High Court was authored by Nasim Hasan Shah, J. and is reported as: Mrs. Habiba Jilani V Federation of Pakistan (PLD 1974 Lahore 153). The Lahore High Court declared the detention valid.
In a crackdown on his party, a smear campaign was launched against him and Jilani was frequently arrested. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto then attempted to bribe Jilani with offers of high positions—all to no avail. Nonetheless, all charges against Jilani were repeatedly dismissed by the courts. Amnesty International adopted him as a "prisoner of conscience" in 1974.
Escape from Jail
Jilani managed to escape from guards during a hospital visit in 1975 and was granted political asylum in the United States. He became a US citizen in 1981.
US Residency
After becoming a citizen of the United States, he gave speeches at colleges, government organizations, and veterans organizations. He shared his experiences in Pakistan and discussed global military affairs.[14]
^"Pakistani Gen. Mian G. Jilani". washingtonpost.com. 13 March 2004. Gen. Jilani was military attache at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington from 1952 to 1955 and helped to negotiate Pakistan's membership in the Baghdad Pact, a Western-sponsored military pact later called the Central Treaty Organization. He also helped to negotiate Pakistan's membership in the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, a defense alliance. He retired from the Army in 1962, citing the autocratic rule of Pakistani President Mohammad Ayub Khan. He later was involved in business ventures and ran successfully for membership in the provincial legislature of the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan
^"Pakistani Gen. Mian G. Jilani". washingtonpost.com. 13 March 2004. Gen. Jilani spoke against then-President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's repressive regime and was repeatedly arrested and jailed for more than three years.
^"Pakistani Gen. Mian G. Jilani". washingtonpost.com. 13 March 2004. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Nancy Habiba Jilani of Fairfax; a son, Mian Arshad Jilani of Solon, Ohio; three daughters, Hadia Jilani Roberts of Fairfax, Halima Jilani Raza of Alexandria and Habiba Jilani Freeman of Nashua, N.H.; and nine grandchildren.
^"Pakistani Gen. Mian G. Jilani". washingtonpost.com. 13 March 2004. He spoke at colleges and government agencies and to veterans organizations about his experiences in Pakistan and about world military affairs.
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