Air Marshal
Abdur Rahim Khan

Hilal-e-Jurat
HJ  HQA  SPk  SK  SBt
عبدالرحیم خان
Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force
In office
1 September 1969 – 2 March 1972
PresidentYahya Khan
(1969–71)
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
(1971–72)
Vice PresidentNurul Amin
Preceded byNur Khan
Succeeded byZafar Chaudhry
(As Chief of Air Staff)
Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain
In office
11 May 1972 – 13 April 1977
Personal details
Born
Abdur Rahim Khan

(1925-10-25)25 October 1925
Died28 February 1990(1990-02-28) (aged 64)
Potomac, Maryland, United States
CitizenshipBritish Subject (1925–1947)
Pakistan (1947–1990)
Nickname"Shantay" Khan
Military service
Branch/service Royal Indian Air Force (1944–1947)
 Pakistan Air Force (1947–1972)
Years of service1942–72
Rank Air Marshal
UnitNo. 7 Squadron Bandits
CommandsDeputy Commander-in-Chief (Air Operations), AHQ
AOC PAF Base Masrur
PAF Staff College
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

Awards Hilal-e-Jurat
Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam
Sitara-e-Pakistan
Sitara-e-Khidmat
Sitara-e-Basalat
1939-1945 Star
Burma Star
War Medal 1939-1945
Star of Jordan

Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan HJ  HQA  SPk  SK  SBt (Urdu: عبدالرحیم خان ; 25 October 1925 – 28 February 1990) was a three-star air officer who served as the last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force under President Yahya Khan, from 1969 until 1972.

In 1972, Air-Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan along with the Pakistan Army's Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Gul Hassan was prematurely retired from military service over his refusal to use Pakistan Air Force aircraft in Lyallpur to buzz over crowds of police agitation, demanding pay raise. Later he joined the Foreign Service and served as Pakistan Ambassador to Spain till 13 April 1977, when along with General Gul Hassan Khan, who was then the Pakistan Ambassador to Greece, he resigned as a protest against the rigging of the general elections held in 1977

Biography

Family background

Abdur Rahim Khan was born in Rawalpindi, Punjab in India on 25 July 1925.[1] He hailed from a Punjabi Gujjar family.: 56–57 [2]

Career in the military

World War II and Pakistan

He joined the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) and was commissioned as Flying officer in 1943.[1] He participated in the RIAF's bombing missions against Japan in the Burma theater in World War II.[1]

After the independence of Pakistan as a result of partition of India on 14 August 1947, he opted for Pakistan and joined the newly established Pakistan Air Force (PAF) while taking up the instructor position in the Air Force Academy (the RPAF college).[1] In 1950s, he was sent to United Kingdom where he attended the Imperial Defense College where he graduated with a staff course degree.[1] He later went to the United States to attend the staff college and underwent to complete a pilot's training on the jet aircraft.[1]

In 1952, he became the first Pakistani pilot (and probably the first Asian pilot) to break the sound barrier.[1] Upon returning to Pakistan, he was given the command of No. 11 Squadron (Arrows), the only squadron equipped with jet fighters.[3] He also commanded the No. 9 Squadron (Griffins).[3]

His command assignment included his role as commandant of the Air War College and AOC of Masroor Air Force Base in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.[3]

In 1965, Air Cdre Khan was appointed as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Air Operations and participated in detailing the air operations during the second war with India.[1]

Air Commander-in-Chief

On 1 September 1969, Air Commodore Khan was promoted to three-star rank, Air Marshal, and was appointed Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Air Force, serving under President Yahya Khan.[3] During this time, he paid a visit to China to strengthened military relations between two nations.[4]

In 1971, Air Marshal Khan led the PAF during the third war with India. He issued directives banning the Bengali pilots flying for the bombing missions after a one pilot attempted to defect to India, but the attempt was made unsuccessful by the second pilot.[1]

Air Marshal Khan played a critical and pivotal role in turning over President Yahya Khan's administration and helped Zulfikar Ali Bhutto assuming the presidency on 20 December 1971.[1] Air Marshal Khan became known as the strongest military influence in the country.[1]

Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain

On 11 March 1972, Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan was appointed designate Pakistan Ambassador to Spain.: 144 [5] He presented his diplomatic credentials to Juan Carlos I in Barcelona. On 13 April 1977, he resigned his post in protest against allegations of riggings during the general elections held in 1977.: 536 [6] He immediately appealed and called for the removal of Prime Minister Bhutto over his undemocratic actions.: 536 [6]

Death, personal life, and public image

After the military takeover of civilian government by General Zia-ul-Haq, the Chief of Army Staff, Abdul Rahim left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and moved to United States.[3] He bought an estate in Potomac, Maryland in the United States, and lived until his death due to Kidney failure on 28 February 1990.[3]

Abdul Rahim Khan was married to Princess Mehrunissa Khan,[7] the only child of the beloved but unofficial third queen of the Nawab of Rampur. They got married in London when Rahim Khan was serving as a Group-Captain (Col.) in the Air Force.[8]

Abdul Rahim Khan was described as "soft‐spoken" and was fond of golf, polo, classical Indian music; and he avoided making slighting remarks about his Indian adversaries.[1]

Awards and decorations

Hilal-e-Jurat

(Crescent of Courage)

1971 War

 Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam

(Crescent of the Great Leader)

(HQA)
Sitara-e-Pakistan

(Star of Pakistan)

(SPk)

 Sitara-e-Khidmat

(Star of Service)

(SK)

 Sitara-e-Basalat

(Star of Good Conduct)

1957

 Tamgha-e-Diffa

(General Service Medal)

1. 1965 War Clasp

2. 1971 War Clasp

Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War

(War Star 1965)

 Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War

(War Star 1971)

 Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War

(War Medal 1965)

 Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War

(War Medal 1971)

Pakistan Tamgha

(Pakistan Medal)

1947

 Tamgha-e-Jamhuria

(Republic Commemoration Medal)

1956

 1939-1945 Star Burma Star
War Medal

1939-1945

 India Service Medal

1939–1945

 Queen Elizabeth II

Coronation Medal

(1953)

 Order of the

Star of Jordan

Foreign Decorations

Foreign Awards
 UK 1939-1945 Star
Burma Star
War Medal 1939-1945
India Service Medal 1939–1945
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
 Jordan Order of the Star of Jordan

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Browne, Malcolm W. Browne (29 December 1971). "Man in the News". The New York Times. Islamabad, NY Times Bureau. The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  2. ↑ Azam, Ikram (1992). From Pakitan [sic] to Pakistan: From Jinnah's Pakistan to Today's Pakistan (1st ed.). Karachi, Sindh, Pk: National Book Foundation. p. 288.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Abdur Rahim Khan | Pride of Pakistan | Commemorations | PrideOfPakistan.com". prideofpakistan.com. Pride. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  4. ↑ Air Marshal's Visit to Peking (Beijing) Reflects Lively Military Contacts between China and Pakistan, Blinken Open Society Archives
  5. ↑ Rizvi, H. (2000). "Civilian Interlude" (googlebooks). Military, State and Society in Pakistan. U.S.: Springer. p. 300. ISBN 9780230599048.
  6. 1 2 Majumdar, R. (1998). Pakistan: Jinnah to the present day (2 ed.). Lahore, Pakistan: Anmol Publications. ISBN 9788174888648.
  7. ↑ Mehrunissa Khan. An extraordinary life: Princess Mehrunissa of Rampur, (Blue Leaf, 2006)
  8. ↑ Vatsala Kaul. "The princess diaries : Mehrunissa of Rampur" Archived 13 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine Harmony Magazine, October 2004
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