Lieutenant General (Retd) Noman Mahmood has been appointed as the first General Secretary of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, placing him in a key position within the emerging framework of Islamic defence cooperation.
Lt Gen (R) Noman Mahmood is the son of Shaheed Lieutenant Colonel Raja Sultan Mahmood, the commander of 32 Baloch who was martyred during the 1971 war in East Pakistan. Accounts of the conflict describe Lt Col Sultan Mahmood as having fought with determination after being informed that Major General Nazar Hussain, commander of the 16th Infantry Division, had reportedly been abducted in the Pirganj area.
According to accounts of the battle, Lt Col Sultan Mahmood moved towards the area with a small group of soldiers but came under attack from Indian forces. As his men were killed and ammunition ran out, he reportedly entered an enemy bunker armed with his pistol and fought at close quarters. He was eventually killed during the confrontation.
The bravery of Lt Col Sultan Mahmood was later documented in Indian military writings and newspaper reports. His actions were also referenced by Indian military officers, including Brigadier Joginder Singh Bakshi and Major General Lachhman Singh Lehl. A plaque at the Baloch Regimental Centre in Abbottabad also records accounts of the battle and his burial with military honours.
In 2012, Indian Army officer Major (Retd) Itebar Singh reportedly wrote to Noman Mahmood, who was then serving as a brigadier, recalling his father’s courage and informing him that Lt Col Sultan Mahmood had been buried with full military honours at Pirganj.
Noman Mahmood was around four or five years old when his father was killed. He later joined the Pakistan Army through the Baloch Regiment on September 11, 1987, continuing his family’s military tradition.
During his career, Noman Mahmood commanded an infantry division in North Waziristan and served as DG Analysis at ISI and Inspector General Communication and Information Technology at GHQ. He also served as Corps Commander Peshawar and later held the position of President of the National Defence University.
His appointment as the first General Secretary of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement marks a new role in his military career while also connecting his service with the legacy of his father, a Pakistani officer remembered for his role in the 1971 war.
