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{{short description|Pakistan Air Force Officer (1925-1990)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[Air Marshal]]
| name = Abdur Rahim Khan
| native_name = {{Nastaliq|عبدالرحیم خان }}
| native_name_lang =
| honorific-suffix = [[File:Hilal-e-Jurat Medal.png|50px]] '''[[Hilal-e-Jurat]]''' {{small|[[Hilal-i-Jurat|HJ]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|HQA]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|SPk]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|SK]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]]}}
| image = Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan.png
| image_size = 150px
| smallimage = 
| alt =
| caption =
| order =
| office = [[Commander in Chief (Pakistan Air Force)|Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[Pakistan Air Force]]
| term_start = 1 September 1969
| term_end = 2 March 1972
| alongside = 
| monarch =
| president = [[Yahya Khan]] {{small|(1969–71)}} [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] {{small|(1971–72)}}
| governor_general =
| primeminister =
| chancellor =
| governor =
| vicepresident = [[Nurul Amin]]
| viceprimeminister =
| deputy =
| lieutenant =
| succeeding = 
| constituency =
| majority =
| predecessor = [[Malik Nur Khan|Nur Khan]]
| successor = [[Zafar Chaudhry]] {{small|(As Chief of Air Staff)}}
| prior_term =
| order2 = [[Pakistani diplomatic missions|Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain]]
| office2 = 
| term_start2 = 11 May 1972
| term_end2 = 13 April 1977
| alongside2 = 
| monarch2 = 
| president2 = 
| governor_general2 = 
| primeminister2 = 
| chancellor2 = 
| governor2 = 
| vicepresident2 = 
| viceprimeminister2 = 
| deputy2 = 
| lieutenant2 = 
| succeeding2 = 
| predecessor2 = 
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| prior_term2 = 
| pronunciation =
| birth_name = Abdur Rahim Khan
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1925|10|25}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1990|2|28|1925|10|25}}
| death_place = [[Potomac, Maryland|Potomac]], [[Maryland, United States|Maryland]], United States
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| citizenship = [[British Subject]] {{small|(1925–1947)}} [[Pakistan]] {{small|(1947–1990)}}
| nationality =
| party =
| otherparty = 
| height = 
| spouse =
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| relations =
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| awards =
| blank1 =
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| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website = 
| nickname = A.R. Khan
| allegiance =
| branch = {{air force|British India}} {{small|(1944–1947)}} {{air force|PAK}} {{small|(1947–1972)}}
| serviceyears = 1942–72
| rank = [[File:AM Pakistan Air Force.png|10px]][[File:US-O9 insignia.svg|30px]] [[Air Marshal]]
| unit = [[No. 7 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 7 Squadron Bandits]]
| commands = Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Air Operations), [[AHQ (Pakistan Air Force)|AHQ]] [[Air Officer Commanding|AOC]] [[PAF Base Mauripur|PAF Base Masrur]] [[PAF Staff College]]
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
*{{small|[[Aerial warfare in 1965 India Pakistan War|Aerial Operations in 1965]]}}
[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
*{{small|[[Operation Chengiz Khan]]}}
*{{small|[[East Pakistan Air Operations, 1971|1971 East-Pakistan Air Strikes]]}}
| mawards = [[File:Hilal-e-Jurat.png|50px]] {{small|[[Hilal-e-Jurat]]}} [[File:Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam (1957-76).png|50px]]{{small|[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam]]}} [[File:Sitara-e-Pakistan (SPk) (1957-86).png|50px]]{{small|[[Sitara-e-Pakistan]]}} [[File:Sitara-e-Khidmat (SK) (1957-86).png|50px]]{{small|[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|Sitara-e-Khidmat]]}} {{small|[[File:Sitara-e-Basalat.png|50px]] [[Sitara-e-Basalat]]}} [[File:1939–1945 Star.png|50px]] {{small|[[1939-1945 Star]]}} [[File:Burma Star BAR.svg|50px]] {{small|[[Burma Star]]}} [[File:Ribbon - War Medal.png|50px]] {{small|[[War Medal 1939-1945]]}} [[File:Order of the Star of Jordan.png|50px]] {{small|[[Order of the Star of Jordan|Star of Jordan]]}}
| military_blank1 =
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| module =
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| footnotes =
}}
[[Air Marshal]] '''Abdur Rahim Khan''' {{post-nominals|country=GB, PK|list=[[Hilal-e-Jurat|HJ]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|HQA]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|SPk]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|SK]]&ensp;&ensp;[[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]]}} ({{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|عبدالرحیم خان }}}}; 25 October 1925 – 28 February 1990) was a [[Three-star rank|three-star]] [[air officer]] who served as the last [[Commander in Chief (Pakistan Air Force)|Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[Pakistan Air Force]] under [[President of Pakistan|President]] [[Yahya Khan]], from 1969 until 1972.

In 1972, [[Air Marshal|Air-Marshal]] Abdur Rahim Khan along with the [[Pakistan Army]]'s [[Commander in Chief (Pakistan)|Commander-in-Chief]] [[Lieutenant-General]] [[Gul Hassan Khan|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 of Pakistan|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, British India|Punjab]] in [[British India|India]] on 25 July 1925.<ref name="The New York Times, Browne">{{cite news|last1=Browne|first1=Malcolm W. Browne|title=Man in the News|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/29/archives/key-pakistani-military-leader-abdul-rahim-khan.html|accessdate=6 August 2017|work=The New York Times|agency=The New York Times|date=29 December 1971|location=Islamabad, NY Times Bureau|language=en}}</ref> He hailed from a [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] family.{{rp|56–57}}<ref name="National Book Foundation, Azam">{{cite book|last1=Azam|first1=Ikram|title=From Pakitan [sic] to Pakistan: From Jinnah's Pakistan to Today's Pakistan|date=1992|publisher=National Book Foundation|location=Karachi, Sindh, Pk|pages=288|edition=1st|language=en}}</ref>

===Career in the military===
====World War II and Pakistan====
He joined the [[Royal Indian Air Force]] (RIAF) and was [[Commissioned officer|commissioned]] as [[Flying officer]] in 1943.<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/> He participated in the RIAF's bombing missions against [[Imperial Japan|Japan]] in the [[Burma Campaign 1944–45|Burma theater]] in [[World War II]].<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/>

After the [[Independence of Pakistan|independence]] of [[Pakistan]] as a result of [[Partition of India|partition]] of [[British India|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 [[RPAF College|Air Force Academy]] (the RPAF college).<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/> In 1950s, he was sent to [[United Kingdom]] where he attended the [[Imperial Defense College]] where he graduated with a staff course degree.<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/> He later went to the [[United States]] to attend the staff college and underwent to complete a pilot's training on the [[First-generation jet fighter|jet aircraft]].<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/>{{better source needed|date=August 2020}}

In 1952, he became the first [[Pakistan]]i pilot (and probably the first Asian pilot) to break the [[sound barrier]].<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/> Upon returning to Pakistan, he was given the command of [[No. 11 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 11 Squadron]] (''Arrows''), the only squadron equipped with jet fighters.<ref name="Pride">{{cite web|title=Abdur Rahim Khan {{!}} Pride of Pakistan {{!}} Commemorations {{!}} PrideOfPakistan.com|url=http://prideofpakistan.com/detail-who-is-who.php?name=AbdurRahimKhan&id=396|website=prideofpakistan.com|publisher=Pride|accessdate=6 August 2017|language=en}}</ref> He also commanded the [[No. 9 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 9 Squadron]] (''Griffins'').<ref name="Pride"/>{{better source needed|date=August 2020}}

His command assignment included his role as [[commandant]] of the [[PAF Air War College|Air War College]] and [[Air Officer Commanding|AOC]] of [[PAF Base Masroor|Masroor Air Force Base]] in [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], Pakistan.<ref name="Pride"/>

In 1965, [[Air Commodore|Air Cdre]] Khan was appointed as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Air Operations and participated in detailing the [[Indo-Pakistani Air War of 1965|air operations]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1965|second war]] with [[India]].<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/>

====Air Commander-in-Chief====
{{Gallery|File:Hilal-e-Jurat Medal.png|[[Hilal-e-Jurat]]|width=100|height=200|lines=1|align=left|mode=nolines|noborder=no}}On 1 September 1969, [[Air Commodore]] Khan was promoted to three-star rank, [[Air Marshal]], and was appointed [[Commander in Chief (Pakistan Air Force)|Commander in Chief]] of the Pakistan Air Force, serving under [[President of Pakistan|President]] [[Yahya Khan]].<ref name="Pride"/> During this time, he paid a [[state visit|visit]] to [[China]] to strengthened military relations between [[China and Pakistan|two nations]].<ref>[https://catalog.osaarchivum.org/catalog/osa:d48f8fc5-36b8-40f0-98ba-8482bb4546cb Air Marshal's Visit to Peking (Beijing) Reflects Lively Military Contacts between China and Pakistan], [[Blinken Open Society Archives]]</ref>

In 1971, [[Air Marshal]] Khan led the PAF during the [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1965|third war]] with [[India]]. He issued directives banning the [[Bangladesh Air Force|Bengali pilots]] flying for the bombing missions after a [[Matiur Rahman (military pilot)|one pilot]] attempted to defect to [[India]], but the attempt was made unsuccessful by the [[Rashid Minhas|second pilot]].<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/>

Air Marshal Khan played a critical and pivotal role in turning over President Yahya Khan's [[President Yahya Khan|administration]] and helped [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] assuming the [[Pakistani presidency|presidency]] on 20 December 1971.<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/> Air Marshal Khan became known as the strongest military influence in the country.<ref name="The New York Times, Browne"/>

==Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain==
On 11 March 1972, Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan was appointed designate [[:Category:Ambassadors of Pakistan to Spain|Pakistan Ambassador to Spain]].{{rp|144}}<ref name="Springer, Rizvi">{{cite book|last1=Rizvi|first1=H.|title=Military, State and Society in Pakistan|date=2000|publisher=Springer|location=U.S.|isbn=9780230599048|pages=300|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZwGIDAAAQBAJ&q=Gul+Hassan++Abdul+Rahim+Khan+removed&pg=PA144|language=en|chapter-format=googlebooks|chapter=Civilian Interlude}}</ref> He presented his diplomatic credentials to [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|Juan Carlos I]] in [[Barcelona]]. On 13 April 1977, he resigned his post in protest against allegations of [[Vote rigging|riggings]] during the [[1977 Pakistani general election|general elections]] held in 1977.{{rp|536}}<ref name="Anmol Publications, Majumdar">{{cite book|last1=Majumdar|first1=R.|title=Pakistan: Jinnah to the present day|date=1998|publisher=Anmol Publications|location=Lahore, Pakistan|isbn=9788174888648|edition=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VdY-AQAAIAAJ&q=Abdul+Rahim+Khan+resigned+their+Ambassadorial+posts|language=en}}</ref> He immediately appealed and called for the removal of Prime Minister Bhutto over his undemocratic actions.{{rp|536}}<ref name="Anmol Publications, Majumdar"/>

===Death, personal life, and public image===

After the [[Operation Fair Play|military takeover]] of [[Government of Pakistan|civilian government]] by General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], the [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]], Abdul Rahim left the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Pakistan)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] and moved to [[United States]].<ref name="Pride" /> He bought an estate in [[Potomac, Maryland|Potomac]], [[Maryland]] in the [[United States]], and lived until his death due to [[Kidney failure]] on 28 February 1990.<ref name="Pride" />

Abdul Rahim Khan was married to Princess [[Mehrunissa Khan]],<ref>Mehrunissa Khan. ''An extraordinary life: Princess Mehrunissa of Rampur'', (Blue Leaf, 2006)</ref> 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|Group-Captain]] (Col.) in the Air Force.<ref>Vatsala Kaul. [http://www.harmonyindia.org/hportal/VirtualPageView.jsp?page_id=955 "The princess diaries : Mehrunissa of Rampur"] ''Harmony Magazine'', October 2004</ref>

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.<ref name="The New York Times, Browne" />

== Awards and Decorations ==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
|{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Hilal-e-Jurat.png|width=130}}
|{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam (1957-76).png|width=130}}
|
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Pakistan (SPk) (1957-86).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Khidmat (SK) (1957-86).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Basalat.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Diffa.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War Ribbon.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=War Medal 1965(Tamgha-e-Jang, A.H.1385).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award‐star|ribbon=Pakistan Independence Medal 1947.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Republic Medal 1956 (Pakistan).png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=1939–1945 Star.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Burma Star BAR.svg|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon - War Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon India Service Medal.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=QE II Coronation Medal 1953.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Order of the Star of Jordan.png|width=130}}
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
|'''[[Hilal-i-Jurat|Hilal-e-Jurat]]'''

''(Crescent of Courage)''

'''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 War]]'''
|'''[[Civil decorations of Pakistan|Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam]]'''
''(Crescent of the Great Leader)''

''(HQA)''
|
|-
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Sitara-e-Pakistan]]'''
''(Star of Pakistan)''

''(SPk)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Sitara-e-Khidmat]]'''
''(Star of Service)''

''(SK)''
|'''[[Sitara-e-Basalat]]'''
''(Star of Good Conduct)''

'''1957'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Diffa]]'''
''(General Service Medal)''

'''1. [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965 War]] Clasp'''

'''2. [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 War]] Clasp'''
|-
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War]]'''
''(War Star 1965)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War]]'''
''(War Star 1971)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1965)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1971)''
|-
|'''[[Pakistan Medal|Pakistan Tamgha]]'''
''([[Pakistan Medal]])''

'''1947'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Tamgha-e-Jamhuria]]'''
''(Republic Commemoration Medal)''

'''1956'''
|'''[[1939-1945 Star]]'''
|'''[[Burma Star]]'''
|-
|'''[[War Medal 1939-1945|War Medal]]'''
'''[[War Medal 1939-1945|1939-1945]]'''
|'''[[India Service Medal]]'''
[[India Service Medal|'''1939–1945''']]
|'''[[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal|Queen Elizabeth II]]'''
'''[[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal|Coronation Medal]]'''

'''(1953)'''
|'''[[Order of the Star of Jordan|Order of the]]'''
'''[[Order of the Star of Jordan|Star of Jordan]]'''
|}

=== Foreign Decorations ===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" style="background:#006400; color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center" |'''Foreign Awards'''
|-
! rowspan="5" |'''{{flag|UK}}'''
|'''[[1939-1945 Star]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=1939–1945 Star.png|width=130}}
|-
|'''[[Burma Star]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Burma Star BAR.svg|width=130}}
|-
|'''[[War Medal 1939-1945]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon - War Medal.png|width=130}}
|-
|[[India Service Medal|'''India Service Medal 1939–1945''']]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ribbon India Service Medal.png|width=130}}
|-
|'''[[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=QE II Coronation Medal 1953.png|width=130}}
|-
!'''{{flag|Jordan}}'''
|'''[[Order of the Star of Jordan|Order of the]]''' '''[[Order of the Star of Jordan|Star of Jordan]]'''
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Order of the Star of Jordan.png|width=130}}
|}

== See also ==
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100314013820/http://paffalcons.com/cas/rahim-khan.php Bio of Air Marshal A Rahim Khan]

{{S-start}}
{{S-mil}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Nur Khan]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)|Commander-in-Chief, Pakistan Air Force]]|years=1969 – 1972}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Zafar Chaudhry]]}}
{{End}}

{{Military of Pakistan}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Abdul Rahim}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:1990 deaths]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:People from Rawalpindi]]
[[Category:People from Potomac, Maryland]]
[[Category:Indian military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Pakistani flying aces]]
[[Category:Pakistani test pilots]]
[[Category:Pakistani aviation record holders]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Air marshals of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:Pakistani conscientious objectors|K]]
[[Category:Military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
[[Category:Chiefs of Air Staff, Pakistan]]
[[Category:Recipients of Hilal-i-Jur'at]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Pakistan to Spain]]
[[Category:Pakistani expatriates in Spain]]
[[Category:Pakistani emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths from kidney failure]]

Abdur Rahim Khan - Revision history

Bot at 02:40, 11 December 2022