ISI chief shares link with SRK

Pakistan’s new ISI chief, Lt Gen Zahir-ul-Islam, is the nephew of Indian National Army (INA) hero Shah Nawaz Khan and through him shares a tenuous link with Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan.

Islam’s father served as a brigadier in the Pakistan Army and Shah Nawaz Khan, who was a major general in the INA led by Subhas Chandra Bose was his uncle, said leading Pakistani defence analyst Ikram Sehgal.

“One son of Shah Nawaz Khan went with him at the time of Partition, while another, Mahmood Nawaz, stayed on in Pakistan and became a full colonel. In fact, Mahmood Nawaz went and met his father only after retirement as he could not travel to India while he was in service,” Sehgal said while providing details of the new ISI chief’s extended family.

Shahrukh Khan’s late mother Lateef Fatima was the adopted daughter of Shah Nawaz Khan, according to the Bollywood star’s biography.

First Published: Mar 10, 2012 23:30 IST