Sanaullah Khan Niazi

{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix		= ShaheedMajor General
| name				= Sana Ullah Khan Niazi
| honorific_suffix		= HI(M), SBt
| native_name			= 
| native_name_lang		= ur
| image				=
| caption				= Sana (middle) with fellow troops in 2013
| nickname				= Soldiers’ General
| father				= Khan Ikhlas Khan
| birth_date			= 
| death_date			= 
| birth_place			= Daud Khel, Mianwali, West Pakistan
| death_place			= Upper Dir District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| burial_date			= 16 September 2013
| resting_place			= Daud Khel
| office				= GOC 17th Infantry DivisionSwat and Malakand
| successor				= Ghulam Qamar (temporarily)Javed Mahmood Bukhari
| term_start			= February 2013
| term_end				= 15 September 2013
| education				= * Officers Training School, Mangla
 Pakistan Command and Staff College
 National Defence University, Pakistan
 National Defense University (Republic of China)
| serviceyears			= 1983–2013
| allegiance			= 
| branch				= Pakistan Army
| unit				= 11 Baloch Regiment
| rank				=   Major General
| commands				= 

| battles				= Sierra Leone Civil WarUNAVEM IIIUNOMSIL

 Operation al-Mizan
 Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
 Operation Rah-e-Haq
 Operation Rah-e-Rast

| awards				=  Hilal-i-Imtiaz (M) Sitara-e-Basalat COAS Cane (1983)
| spouse				= married
| children				= 2
| relations				= Amin Ullah Khan (brother)Imran Khan (cousin)
| known_for				= *Establishing peace in Swat & Malakand
Launching development projects in Swat & Malakand<ref>

Major General Sana Ullah Khan Niazi , ,  (Pashto, ;10 September 1960 — 15 September 2013) also known as Soldiers’ General, was a two-star rank general in the Pakistan Army serving as GOC 17th Division, Malakand who lost his life in a roadside blast. He was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Basalat and Hilal-e-Imtiaz (M) on Pakistan Day in 2014 and 2015.

He is renowned for clearing the Malakand District division of terrorists in less than seven months and overseeing the security of 50,000 tourists. Additionally, he was known for launching a sports Gala and reopening the Kabal Golf Course for the youth of Swat, which subsequently led to the valley holding a national golf tournament after 20 years as well as an art exhibition for the first time in Swats history.

He is the brother of former MPA Amin Ullah Khan and cousin of former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan.

Early life 
He was born on 10 September 1960 in Daud Khel, Mianwali into a Pakhtun Niazi family. His father was SSP Khan Ikhlas Khan, a notorious police officer who served in Quetta for most of his career and was known as "fearless" for arresting Nawab Akbar Bugti in the 1970s.

Family 
He has 3 brothers, Rehmat Ullah Khan Niazi who at the time of Sanas passing was serving as Deputy IG Quetta Police, Amin Ullah Khan and Madad Khan. One of his paternal cousins is cricket legend and former PM of Pakistan Imran Khan.

Personal life 
Sanaullah is survived by his widow and two daughters.

Personality and interests
Colonel Moeen Yusuf Khan, one of his former staff officers, stated Sanaullah was "a difficult man to make angry and very easy to make happy." Moeen also writes that Sana was very fond of cars.

Military career 
Upon completing the 12th OTS course on 11 December 1983, he was commissioned into the army in the 11 Baloch Regiment. He was awarded the COAS cane by Zia-ul-Haq for achieving second place in the course.

On 9 September 2013, he inaugurated the Jashn-i-Kumrat sports festival in Upper Dir and gave a speech to the 3,000 participants that terrorists wouldn't be allowed to disturb the peace. He added that the festival would promote peace and tourism in the area.

Military schooling
He graduated from the Officers Training School in Mangla in 1983, Pakistan Command and Staff College in 1994, National Defence University, Pakistan, and the National Defense University (Republic of China) in 2012.

Legacy 
He was credited for establishing peace along with reviving tourism in the Swat Valley. Further known for working tirelessly in the recovery efforts and bringing back the residents of Swat Valley who were evacuated after the army launched an operation to clear the area from the occupation of terrorists.

He is known as the pioneer of the Malam Jabba Snow Festival, which was the first cultural event that took place after the military operation against the terrorists.

In a short span of seven months, he cleared the Malakand division of terrorists and oversaw the security of 50,000 tourists. He launched a sports Gala for the youth of Swat and reopened the Kabal Golf Course which subsequently led to Swat Valley holding a national golf tournament for the first time in 20 years. Additionally, an art exhibition took place for the first time in Swat's history.

Death 
After staying two nights above 10,000ft at Malatar troop post to boost the morale of soldiers following a deadly attack a year previously which killed 18 soldiers, Sanaullah and Lt Col Touseef Ahmed were travelling to the Battalion Headquarters of 33 Baloch which Touseef was the Commanding Officer of, from the Upper Dir District along the Afghan border when their vehicle drove over a bomb at 12:30pm planted by the Pakistani Taliban killing them along with their driver Lance Naik Irfan Sattar (33 Baloch) and injuring Havildar Ilyas and DQ21 Havildar Ghaffar. They were all airlifed to a military hospital in Rawalpindi.

Funeral 
His Janaza along with the other victims was held on 16 September 2013 and attended by army personnel, police officers, politicians and civilians.

Military personnel laid floral wreaths on his grave on behalf of President Mamnoon Hussain, COAS Kayani, CAS Tahir, CNS Asif, and CJCSC Khalid.

At an event later that evening, Kayani stated, “The General Officer has set towering example of leading from the front which is hallmark of leadership in Pakistan Army, we all salute his bravery.”

Aftermath 
In June 2018, the terrorist that planned the attack was killed in Afghanistan by a drone strike from the United States Army.

The terrorist that planted the device was arrested and sentenced to death by the COAS on 15 December 2018.

Memorials 
Sanaullah Colony, Maj Gen Sanaullah Khan Niazi Shaheed Cricket tournament, Maj Gen Sanaullah Memorial Football tournament, Maj Gen Sanaullah Khan Niazi Shaheed Toll Plaza, and Maj Gen Sanaullah Khan Niazi Shaheed Interchange are named after him.

Effective dates of promotion

Awards & Decorations

Foreign decorations

References 

1960 births
2013 deaths
Imran Khan family
Niazi family
Pashtun military personnel
Pakistani Muslims
Pakistani generals
20th-century military personnel
Terrorism victims
National Defence University, Pakistan alumni
Pakistani terrorism victims
Victims of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa casualties
21st-century Pakistani military personnel
United Nations Military Observers (people)
Pakistani military personnel killed in action
Recipients of Hilal-i-Imtiaz
Military personnel killed in the insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
People killed by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Pakistan Command and Staff College alumni
People from Mianwali District
Graduates of the Staff College, Quetta
20th-century Pakistani military personnel
People from Punjab, Pakistan
National Defense University (Republic of China) alumni
People of the insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pakistan Army officers
Baloch Regiment officers
Military personnel from Punjab, Pakistan
Pakistan Army personnel
Academic staff of Pakistan Military Academy
Pakistani expatriates in China