Jul
30
by Imran H. Khan & Faiz M. Khan
Early Life and Education
Air Marshal Inam ul-Haque Khan was born on 25 May 1927 in Patiala, India. He was educated at the Aligarh Muslim University where he attained his BSc and MSc. Following the partition of India in 1947, he emigrated to Pakistan and witnessed an advertisement for the Pakistan Air Force, which would change the trajectory of his life forever.
In 1948, he joined the Pakistan Air Force after seeing an advertisement and was directed to attend the RPAF College at Risalpur. He was commissioned in the 5th GD(P) Course in 1949, graduating as a fighter pilot in December 1949. Remarkably, he achieved the unique distinction of winning the coveted Sword of Honor, Best Pilot Trophy, and Ground Subjects Trophy – securing all three trophies and establishing himself as an exceptional aviator from the very beginning of his career.
Military Career and Squadron Commands
Air Marshal Khan’s operational career was marked by significant achievements in squadron leadership and command positions. He raised and commanded No 16 Squadron equipped with F-86F Sabre aircraft, demonstrating his capability as both a leader and tactician. His command experience extended to leading two fighter wings: No 32 Fighter Ground Attack Wing and No 33 Fighter Ground Attack Wing.
According to his own recollections, he commanded a Fighter Wing first at Mauripur in 1960 and then, upon return from China in 1968, another Fighter Wing at Sargodha. He revitalized Risalewala AFB as a secondary base to Sargodha during the Indo-Pakistani air war in 1965 as Wing Commander.
Service as Air Attaché to China
Following the 1965 war, Air Marshal Khan served as the first Air Attaché in Beijing, China, marking a significant diplomatic assignment that reflected the growing military cooperation between Pakistan and China. This posting was crucial in developing the military relationship between the two nations and demonstrated his ability to serve Pakistan’s interests on the international stage.
Command in East Pakistan (1971)
Air Cdre Khan took over as Air Officer Commanding (AOC) East Pakistan on 31 March 1971, replacing Air Commodore M.Z. “Mitty”Masud. He commanded the PAF’s only fighter presence in East Pakistan – No. 14 Squadron equipped with 16 F-86 Sabre aircraft, facing overwhelming odds against 10 Indian Air Force squadrons deployed around East Pakistan.
Throughout the summer of 1971, Khan provided essential air support to Pakistan Army operations, which proved “pivotal in achieving success in most operations” including successful campaigns at Feni near Chittagong. His squadron conducted ground attack missions, reconnaissance, and troop support operations across the province. During the December 1971 war, Khan implemented an intensive Combat Air Patrol (CAP) strategy, launching pairs of F-86s every half hour from dawn of 4 December to intercept incoming Indian raids. Pakistani sources claimed his pilots shot down 11 Indian aircraft between 3-6 December, while Indian records acknowledge 3 losses to PAF in air combat.
Strategic Decision and Sacrifice: When Dhaka’s Tejgaon airfield was cratered and rendered inoperable by Indian bombing on 6 December, Khan concluded operations were impossible and evacuated his remaining Sabre pilots to Burma via Twin Otter aircraft on 8-10 December. Despite having evacuation opportunities, he chose to remain at his post until the war’s end, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to duty. He was subsequently captured as a prisoner of war.
Khan’s leadership exemplified professional military conduct while commanding vastly outnumbered forces in increasingly hostile territory.
Post-War Career and Senior Leadership
In 1974, Air Commodore Inam ul-Haque was repatriated to Pakistan under the agreement signed with India and Bangladesh and was allowed to continue his service, eventually attaining the three-star rank in the Air Force. Rather than ending his career as a prisoner of war, this experience seemed to strengthen his resolve and dedication to the Pakistan Air Force.
Following his repatriation, he was appointed as ACAS (Operations) at Air Headquarters, a crucial position that placed him at the center of Pakistan Air Force’s operational planning and strategy. His final appointment within the PAF was as the first Air Officer Commanding, Air Defense Command, where he was responsible for establishing and developing Pakistan’s air defense capabilities as a three-star Air Marshal.
In 1976, he was appointed as the first Director General Joint Staff in the newly established Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Headquarters, marking another pioneering role in Pakistan’s military structure and demonstrating his strategic thinking and organizational capabilities.
Political Career and Cabinet Service
In 1979, Air Marshal Khan transitioned from military service to political life when he was inducted into the Federal Cabinet during President Zia-ul-Haq’s administration. Air Marshal Khan was appointed as Interior Minister in the Zia administration until 5 July 1978. From 1978-82, he served as the Minister of Housing and Works. In 1980-81, he also led the Ministry of Water and Power. He resigned and retired from the PAF in 1982. His cabinet service reflected his versatility and ability to serve Pakistan in multiple capacities beyond the military.
Awards and Recognition
Air Marshal Khan’s distinguished service was recognized through several prestigious awards. The PAF awarded Hilal-e-Jurat to Air Commodore Inam ul-Haque Khan for his service as PAF commander in East Pakistan. He was also bestowed with Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military). These decorations reflected not only his personal courage but also his leadership and strategic contributions to the Pakistan Air Force.
Final Years and Death
Air Marshal Inam ul-Haque Khan died of natural causes on 10 August 2017 at the age of 90 after being ill for some time. His funeral prayers were held at PAF Base Noor Khan on 11 August 2017, and he was buried in the PAF cemetery there.
Comments
Leave a Reply