Abdul Rahim Khan

Abdur Rahim Khan (25 October 1925 — 28 February 1990) secretly referred to as Shan'tay Khan by subordinates, was a Pakistani former fighter pilot, three-star rank air officer, and diplomat, who served as the fourth and last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force from 1969 to 1972. After his retirement, he served as Pakistan's Ambassador to Spain until his resignation in 1977.

Along with Chief of General Staff Gul Hassan Khan, Abdur Rahim Khan is seen by many as playing a major part in forcing President Yahya Khan to resign in the aftermath of the India–Pakistan war of 1971. This action was facilitated by a letter drafted by Brigadier F.B. Ali who threatened to stage a coup if power was not handed over to civilian rule after Pakistan had lost the war and its territory of East Pakistan. Abdur Rahim Khan subsequently dispatched an aircraft to Rome to bring Zulfikar Ali Bhutto back to Pakistan promising him protection should President Yahya carry out any wrong move. Air Marshal Khan facilitated his rise to power and is widely viewed as a kingmaker in Bhutto's ascent.

In 1943, Khan graduated from Nowrosjee Wadia College and joined the Royal Indian Air Force.

This was her second marriage and she had two children from her previous marriage. Mehrunissa had two children with Khan, a daughter Mariam, born on 11 October 1964 and a son, Abid, born in 1965. Abid died in a car accident, sometime after his father's death.

Pakistan Air Force After the Partition of British India in August 1947, Flying Officer Abdur Rahim Khan opted for the Royal Pakistan Air Force. As one of its pioneer officers, he was part of the team that assisted Wing Commander Asghar Khan in establishing the RPAF Flying Training School and was appointed as a flying instructor at the school on 5 September.

At an air show in Lahore on 21 March 1948 which was held to promote the Air Force amongst the public, Flight Lieutenants Abdul Naeem Aziz and Abdur Rahim Khan, and Flying Officers Masroor Hosain and FS Hussain took part in the formation.

Squadron Leader Abdur Rahim Khan was appointed Officer Commanding No. 9 Sqn in February 1949 and returned to the same command from July 1950 to September 1950.

While serving on a tour to the United States in 1952, he became the first Pakistani pilot to fly at Supersonic speed. Wing Commander Abdur Rahim Khan became the first Commander of No. 32 Wing in August 1956. Later that year in December 1956, as a Group Captain, he was appointed Station Commander of PAF Station Mauripur.

In November 1964, Khan was promoted to Air Commodore and appointed Assistant Chief of Air Staff (ACAS) (Operations).

Post-war In March 1966, he represented Pakistan at a Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) seminar in the United States. In a presentation titled "Search and Rescue", Khan explained how the Government of Pakistan was committed to assisting in the search for any aircraft in distress over its territory and to render immediate assistance for the rescue of its occupants, regardless of what their nationality may be.

He was appointed as the Commandant of the PAF Staff College in May 1966. Thereafter, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Administration) in June 1968.

(Retd) Air Commodore Sajad Haider in his book, Flight of the Falcon, recalled flying Chief of General Staff Gul Hassan Khan to Dacca on 7 July 1969. It was on this trip that General Hassan hinted to him that Khan may become the next Chief of the Pakistan Air Force. He was promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal in August 1969. As Chief, Khan doubled the number of operational airfields, ordered for concrete aircraft pens and underground fuel storage facilities to be built, which proved effective during India's attacks on Pakistani bases during the 1971 War. On 29 January, Khan met with King Hussein who gave him a tour of Jordanian Army camps facing Israel. Afterwards, King Hussain decorated Khan with the Knight of the Order of the Star of Jordan.

Seeing the storm brewing in East Pakistan, Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan had ordered for large numbers of camouflaged revetments to be constructed at air bases. He also ordered for airfields to be protected by anti-aircraft guns including quad-mounted, half-inch machine guns supplied by the United States and Chinese built 14.5mm heavy machine guns beside 37mm cannons. He increased the amount of ground observers who proved successful in warning of approaching Indian aircraft. Additionally, the PAF's radar coverage was expanded and the command and control system was upgraded by adding Soviet P-35 radar, Plessey AR-1 low-level radars and Marconi Martello Condor ground-controlled intercept stations.

In an interview to The New York Times in December 1971, Indian Air Force Commander Pratap Chandra Lal, a former Royal Indian Air Force colleague of Khan's, described him as "a fine person and a first‐rate officer."

According to one source, during the meeting with both officers: "Bhutto initiated the discussion by saying, "Gentlemen, the country is going through one crisis after another and with the latest one being the strike by the police and for which no cooperation has been forthcoming from the army and the air force when asked for, I regret that a stage has come when we can no longer carry on like this. Therefore I am not prepared to run the government in this sort of an environment."

As soon as Bhutto finished, Gul Hassan, immediately stood up and confronted Bhutto, saying to his face, "Well that's all right Mr President but let me also make it clear that this kind of non-cooperation will continue if the demands placed on the services and especially on the army is not lawful. And as far as I am personally concerned I want to make it quite clear that I am ready to quit right now." After Gul Hassan's statement, Bhutto "wore a mischievous smile" and promptly handed over two file covers to Gul Hassan and Abdur Rahim Khan. Inside were resignation letters prepared for them to sign. Gul Hassan, showing contempt, threw the file back at Bhutto, who then attempted to shake his hand."

Later life and death After resigning, Khan considered moving to the United Kingdom. His wife wrote that, to him, it seemed to be in "economic decline & full of racial prejudice." According to her, Khan, who was respected by his American counterparts, went to the American ambassador in Madrid and asked for political asylum in the United States. The same year, Khan and his family moved to Virginia and resided in the home of a United States Air Force colonel before moving into their own home. In 1980, Khan sold his home in Islamabad to put a down payment on a house in Potomac, Maryland in the United States.

Khan underwent a successful kidney transplant in December 1989 and developed a fever soon after. He returned home for about a week before doctors quickly readmitted him. By February 1990, his kidney was functioning well, but other organs began to fail. He contracted a viral infection from his hospital stay in Washington, which the medical team couldn't identify. His primary surgeon was on holiday, and the junior surgeons were unable to save him. His wife witnessed him slip into a coma and he remained on life support in intensive care for four days. During this time, Mehrunissa wrote that he was unaware of his surroundings as he had lost all cognitive functions and was brain dead. His wife was advised to go home, as it was only a matter of time. On 28 February 1990, his heart failed and he died at the age of 64. He was given an Islamic funeral and buried with full military honors in Maryland.

In the 2009 book, "Flight of the Falcon," (Retd) Air Commodore Sajad Haider wrote a "requiem" dedicated to Khan: "Rahim Khan had been virtually exiled and sent to Spain as the Ambassador around this time. He called me from Madrid and asked what had happened. I briefly gave him the gist. He invited me to visit him in Spain on my way back to Pakistan. I frankly told him I had no money for a ticket. He arranged my travel and I left my son Adnan with Capt TK Khan who was the Naval Attaché in London and spent two wonderful nights as the guest of Rahim Khan. He was generous and empathetic. We sat till very late and I gave him a run down on the PAF with details of my Court-Martial. He had tears rolling down his eyes as he listened to how his service had been debased. He later resigned and moved to the US and lived hand to mouth till his sudden death from a wrong diagnosis by the American medics post a kidney transplant.

For the umpteenth time in our short history, yet another gallant and true son of the soil departed, but with dignity and courage. Air Mshl Rahim Khan passed away in oblivion, silently and gently – just like the man he was. The media announced his demise in a matter of fact way – without remorse or sorrow. But let us make no mistakes; his death tore many hearts; the hearts of those airmen, soldiers, seamen and friends all over the world who idolized him, especially those from the Pakistan Air Force. They loved his mumblings, which were straight forward truths, uttered with typical dignity, humour and large heartedness. Those who knew him would say unflinchingly that never in his life, had Rahim Khan spoken about any one with malice; not even his worse detractors and enemies.

He was a man at the helm at a time of the most lucrative opportunities, which were exploited by many so called friends as the PAF entered the Mirage-III contracts with Marcel Dassault. He died on the fringes of poverty like the few honest and courageous men left in Pakistan. None of his beneficiaries and the parasites living in the lap of luxury in London ever bothered to even call him during his last, desolate years. We, the majority of fighter pilots of his era, will cherish his memory for his compassion and incredible love for the Pakistan Air Force. He set stunning examples of grit and courage by flying deep inside enemy territory and destroying their assets during the 1965 War. I was an eye witness to him leading from the front. His only weakness and failing was that he was magnanimous with even those snakes who derided him while breeding on his kindness. He always gave them the benefit of the doubt and his worst retribution was to send such contemptuous officers on lucrative postings abroad or to the helm of the PIA. May Allah rest his soul in heavenly peace."

Dates of rank

Awards and decorations

PAF GD(P) Badge RED (More than 3000 Flying Hours)Hilal-e-Jurat

(Crescent of Courage)

1971 WarHilal-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 Valour)

1959Tamgha-e-Diffa (Defence Medal)

1. 1965 War Clasp

2. 1971 War ClaspSitara-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)

1947Tamgha-e-Qayam-e-Jamhuria (Republic Commemoration Medal)

19561939-1945 StarBurma Star

1939–1945Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)Order of the Star of Jordan (Wisam al-Kawkab al-Urduni)(Knight)1970

Foreign decorations