In 1971, he was the Chief of General Staff at the Army GHQ and allegedly either executed or approved military operations in East Pakistan. As CGS of Pakistan Army, he was heading the military operations and intelligence during this period. It is also alleged that he was the "intellectual planner" of Pakistan Army's crackdown in the East and that he preferred a military solution of the political crisis looming over the horizon of Pakistan during 1971. He lacked foresight as was viewed by some of his colleagues in Pakistan Army as "short on strategic vision but good as field commander".