Talat Masood - Military Career

Military Career

Masood is a military scientist and engineer who has played a major role in the engineering projects of Pakistan Army. Talat Masood joined Pakistan Army in 1951 and two years later, he was inducted into the Corps of Engineers where he received his B.Sc. (Hons). in mechanical engineering with the distinctions from Army College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. He remained associated with civil projects constructed by the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers. He then attended the National Defence University, Islamabad and completed his Master's degree in Strategic studies in 1957. He then started his engineering career from DESTO where he led several military projects. He was a project manager of the Armoured personnel carrier project, designed for the Pakistan Army. He remained associated with Pakistan Army's military project until he retired from the army. Talat participated in 1965 Indo-Pak War and the 1971 Winter war, where he had briefly served in the Indo-Pak front. After the 1971 war, Talat Masood was given transferred to Defence Science and Technology Organization (DESTO) where he was in charge of weapon development projects. In 1974, Talat was transferred to Pakistan Ordnance Factories where he was one of the noted military scientists who were involved in Pakistan's nuclear weapons program.

General Masood was then transferred to Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) where he was put in charge of several military's classified weapon technology projects. At HIT, General Talat Masood also worked as an Engineer-in-Chief of Pakistan Army Engineering Corps of Pakistan Army, heading and supervising several classified military and weapon technology projects. In 1986, he was made given transfer to DESTO where he was put deputy in charge of the Missile Integration Programme, and led the Army Engineer Battalion to developed the mechanical and electrical components and technologies required in the missiles.

In 1987, He was made the principal commander (Colonel Commandant) of Pakistan Army Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME). Lt. Gen. Masood was chairman and chief executive of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Board, where he oversaw the modernization and expansion of military technologies. He retired from Pakistan Army in 1991.