Former Azad Kashmir President Major General (retd) Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan Thursday passed away in Rawalpindi after prolonged illness, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The funeral prayers of the late President will be offered at the Race Course Ground, Rawalpindi tomorrow (Friday).

Major General (retd) Muhammad Anwar Khan was born on May 9, 1945 in Dera Sadozai, Poonch District, Kashmir. He was a career soldier and politician who served as the President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir from August 25, 2001 to August 23, 2006. He was replaced by Raja Zulqarnain Khan. He belonged to an elite Sudhan family.

Sardar Anwar received his early education from the village Tain and then got recruited into Pakistan Air Force on January 7, 1963. He served until October 1966 when he was selected for the commission in the Pakistan Army.

On 15 April 1967, he was commissioned in the Azad Kashmir Regiment. He was a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, Pakistan Navy Staff College, Karachi and National Defence College, Rawalpindi. He also attended the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania and received a Master's Degree in War Studies.

During a span of 35 years of a distinguished Army career, he held various important commands of staff and instructional appointments. He commanded two infantry battalions, and a brigade and as Major General commanded two infantry divisions. As a young officer he also actively participated in 1971 war in the Kashmir Sector. He made a significant contribution to the leadership development within the Pakistan Army as an Instructor at the Pakistan Military Academy, School of Infantry and Tactics, Command and Staff College, Quetta and as the Chief Instructor at National Defence College, Islamabad from December 1996 to December 1998. He retired from the army as Vice Chief of General Staff (VCGS) in July 2001. He also served as the colonel commandant of the Azad Kashmir Regiment till April 2003.

He was married and had three sons and two daughters.