His efforts in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, and accounts of bravery in East Pakistan, prompted Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to accept a recommendation to decorate Arif with the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) and the Sitara-i-Basalat in 1974, after his release by the Indian Army as a prisoner of war.
In 1984, Arif was finally appointed to four-star rank and appointed as vice chief of army staff of Pakistan [REF].