PESHAWAR: Funeral prayer of former Inspector General of Frontier Corps and World War-II veteran, Brig retired Mahmud Jan, was offered at the Kernal Sher Khan Shaheed Stadium here on Thursday.

Brigadier Jan, 95, passed away on Wednesday. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, IGFC and a large number of politicians, serving and retired civil and military officials attended the funeral. A contingent of the Frontier Corps rendered a final guard and he was laid to rest with full military honours at the Charsadda Road Graveyard. A floral wreath was laid on his grave on behalf of the IGFC.

Born in 1920 in Peshawar, Mahmud Jan attended Edwardes College, Peshawar. He was selected in the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun. He received his commission in Dec 1941 and joined army`s 1st Battalion Rajputana Rifles (now 3 Guards). In WW-II he was part of the 8th army. He saw action on various battlefronts in Europe and Africa and mainly in the famed Monte Cassino campaign by allies in Italy, receiving multiple gunshot wounds from a German position during pitched battle.

After 1947 he joined the 2nd Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army. He oversaw `Operation Curzon` in Razmak during which the army withdrew from the tribal areas following Jinnah`s instructions.

Thereafter, he fought the Kashmir War in 1948. He became senior instructor at the Staff College, Quetta, and later served as deputy commander CENTO and military attaché to Turkey and was Honourary Counsel General of that country until a couple of years ago. He commanded the School of Infantry at Quetta (1966-68) and from 1969 to 1971 he also served as IGFC. After retirement he was appointed as adviser to the president on Fata.

Brig Jan was the oldest living Edwardian. He had lived through events that appear in history books. On Jinnah`s visit to Edwardes College, Mahmud Jan as a student had lifted him on his shoulders.

His `Soyem` will be held in Peshawar at 27, Shami Road at 11:00am on Friday (today).