Afzal Rahman Khan

Vice Admirall Afzal Rahman Khan
10th Defence Minister of Pakistan
In office 12 October 1966 – 5 April 1969
President	Field MarshalAyub Khan
Preceded by	Field Marshal Ayub Khan
Succeeded by	General Yahya Khan
13th Interior Minister of Pakistan
In office 5 December 1966 – 5 April 1969
President	Field Marshal Ayub Khan
Preceded by	Chaudhry Ali Akbar Khan
Succeeded by	LGen Abdul Hamid Khan
3rd Naval Commander-in-Chief
In office 1 March 1959 – 20 October 1966
Preceded by	VAdm Siddiq Chaudhrie
Succeeded by	VAdm S.M. Ahsan
Personal details
Born	Afzal Akram Rehman Khan 1921 British Indian Empire (now Pakistan and India)
Died	Karachi, Pakistan 2005
Citizenship	British Indian Empire  Pakistan
Nationality	British Subject (1921–1947) Pakistani (1947–)
Political party	None (Military Government)
Residence	Naval Headquarter (NHQ), Rawalpindi
Alma mater	Indian Naval Academy
Occupation	Military administrator
Cabinet	Ayub Khan Administration
Religion	Islam
Awards	Hilal-e-Pakistan Hilal-e-Quaid-i-Azam Hilal-i-Jurat
Military service
Nickname(s)	A.R. Khan
Allegiance	British Indian Empire  Pakistan (1947–1971)
Service/branch	Royal Navy Pakistan Navy
Years of service	1938–1969
Rank	Vice-Admiral
Unit	Naval Operation Branch (PN No. 006)
Commands	Naval Commander-in-Chief Commander Logistics Commander Pakistan Fleet DG Naval Intelligence (DGNI) PNS Tariq PNS Tippu Sultan
Battles/wars	World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Operation Dwarka

Vice-Admiral Afzal Rahman Khan (Urdu: افضل رحمان خان; born: 1921— 2005; usually shortened as A.R. Khan), (HPk, HJ, HQA), was a high profile military official who served as the Interior and Defence Minister under the military government of Field Marshal Ayub Khan. Khan was one of the leading active duty naval officers who held this government offices and left these offices when General Yahya Khan, Army Commander-in-Chief, instituted another martial law on 25 March 1969. Before being appointed as Defense and Interior Minister, Khan was the Naval Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Navy and was also the longest serving Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Navy whose tenure ran from 1959 to 1966.^[1] He was awarded Hilal-i-Jurat for his role in leading the navy in the Indo-Pakistani September War of 1965. Vice Admiral Afzal Rahman Khan is known as "Father of Pakistan's Submarine Service Branch", during which, he played an influential role in Pakistan Navy to induced PNS Ghazi and PNS Hangor submarines.

Naval career

Khan gained commission in Royal Navy as Midshipman in 1938, and had participated in World War II, along with the Royal Navy. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947 from Great Britain, he was inherited in newly created Pakistan Navy. On 30 September September 1949, Pakistan Navy's first destroyer, PNS Tariq was given commissioned in Pakistan Navy. Khan as serving as Lieutenant-Commander A.R. Khan was made commander of the ship, he was late made commander of PNS Tippu Sultan in 1950. As he was the Commander of the vessel formation, the vessel commenced a goodwill visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After the visit, the vessel formation made another good carried out e goodwill cruise of the Eastern Mediterranean, visiting Venice, Athens, Istanbul, Izmir and Crete. Throughout his career, Khan continued to elevated the ranks and also played an influential role in the expansion of Pakistan Navy's operations in West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Khan also helped established the Naval Intelligence in the Pakistan Navy as well helped commissioned the naval bases in Karachi.

In 1959, Rear Admiral A.R. Khan was promoted to three-star Vice Admiral, and assumed the command of Pakistan Navy. A.R. Khan is considered as Father of Submarine Service Branch of Pakistan Navy.^[2] Khan played an integral part in the induction of PNS Ghazi and PNS Hangor in Pakistan Navy, and sent large number of officers to the Naval academies of United States and United Kingdom.

Vice Admiral A.R. Khan was one of the mainstream leader during the 1965 Indo-Paki War. He had commenced the Operation Dwarka, and led the Navy in numerous battles. An integral of Navy, Vice-Admiral Khan led numerous successful naval operations in 1965, which led him to gain Hilal-i-Jurat after the war.

Civil Service

Khan completed his term from Pakistan Navy in 1966 and handed over the command of Pakistan Navy to Vice Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan. After his naval service, President Ayub Khan appointed the still-active duty Vice Admiral A.R. Khan served in the military government as his government minister. Khan's new military and government assignment reign for three years as the country's Interior and Defence Minister from 1966 to 1969.^[3] Khan resigned from the ministries as a protest when General Yahya Khan, instituted another martial law on 25 March 1969.^[4]

Post Retirement

After resigning from the government, Khan moved to Karachi where he lived a very quiet life and was put out of public life. He did not comment on Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and died peacefully in 1983 in Karachi.

Memorial and honors

PNS Akram: Named after the late Vice Admiral Afzal Rahman Khan who was the Commander-in-Chief from 1959 to 1966. It is the first Pakistan Navy's establishment to be commissioned on the Makran Coast. Located at Gwadar, the establishment was commissioned on 31 July 1987. It serves as a forward operating base for the Navy and acts as a depot for all naval personnel stationed west of Ormara.

References

1. Pillar of Pakistan. "Chiefs of Naval Staff".
2. Ahmed Tasneem, Vice Admiral (retired) Ahmed Tasneem; A.H Amin. "Recollections about 1965 war".
3. Pillar of Pakistan. "Defense and Interior Ministries:Vice-Admiral Afzal Rahman Khan".
4. Pillar of Pakistan. "Chief ExecutivesVice-Admiral Afzal Rahman Khan".

External links

• Official website of Pakistan Navy