General Muhammad Musa was born on 20 November 1908. He got commission from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun on 1 February 1935. He was posted to 6th Royal Battalion, the 13th Frontier Force Rifles as a Platoon Commander in 1936. He served with distinction in Pakistan Army and rose to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Armed Forces from 1 April 1957 to 17 September 1966.