He was trained as a surface warfare officer and took participation in second war with India in 1965 against the Indian Navy as a gunnery specialist.:223–224[14] In the war of 1965 he served in PNS Dhaka.:223–224[14] In 1969–71, Lt. Mirza served in the Submarine Command before reporting at the Naval Base Iqbal where he underwent in training as a military diver and war specialist in the Navy SEALs Teams of the Special Services Group of the Navy, later serving in the Eastern Pakistan where he participating in counter-insurgency operations before being assigned at the Submarine Command.[2]