HMS Choudri
Vice Admiral Haji Mohammad Siddiq Choudri MBE (Urdu: حاجى محمد صديق چودھری; b. 1912—27 February 2004), popularly known as HMS Choudhri, was a Pakistan Navy admiral who was the first native Commander in Chief of Pakistan Navy.
Vice Admiral Haji Mohammad Siddique Choudri HPk, MBE, HI(M) | |
|---|---|
Choudhri pictured in the uniform of an officer in the Royal Indian Navy | |
| Navy Commander in Chief | |
| In office 31 January 1953 – 28 February 1959 | |
| President | Iskander Mirza (1956–58) |
| Governors General | Khawaja Nazimuddin (1948–51) Malik Ghulam Muhammad (1951-55) |
| Preceded by | RAdm James Wilfred Jefford |
| Succeeded by | VAdm Afzal Rahman Khan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mohammad Siddiq Choudri 1912 Batala, Gurdaspur, British Indian Empire (Present-day India) |
| Died | 2004 (aged 91–92) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Resting place | Military Graveyard |
| Citizenship | British India Pakistan |
| Nationality | British Subject (1921–1947) Pakistan (1947–2005) |
| Alma mater | Rashtriya Indian Military College Britannia Royal Naval College |
| Civilian awards | Hilal-e-Pakistan |
| Nickname(s) | HMS Choudhir Admiral Choudhri |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Royal Indian Navy (1930–1947) Pakistan Navy (1947–59) |
| Years of service | 1930–1959 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral (S/No. PN-001) |
| Unit | Navy Executive Branch |
| Commands | Commander Pakistan Fleet Deputy C-in-C (Operations) |
| Battles/wars |
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| Military awards | Hilal-e-Imtiaz (military) Order of the British Empire |
In 1953, he was appointed as second Commander-in-Chief after taking over the command from Royal Navy's Rear Admiral J.W. Jefford, and served under two Governor-Generals from 1953 to 1956, and then under President Iskander Mirza from 1956 until 1959. He resigned from his command due to differences regarding the navy's plans of modernization and to end the interservice rivalry with Army GHQ, Pakistan MoD, and the Presidency on 26 January 1959. He was one of the only few military officials who resigned from their commission over the disagreement with the civilian government and was eventually succeeded by Vice-Admiral A. R. Khan on 28 February 1959.
He died on 27 February 2004 and was buried in military graveyard in Karachi with full military honors.