Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan, HJ, HQA, SPk, SBt was a 3-star general and air officer who served as the last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force between 1969 and 1972. He later was discharged by the JAG Branch from the Air Force as former Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of Pakistan Air Force, along with the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of Pakistan Army Lieutenant-General Gul Hassan Khan and Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Navy, Vice-Admiral Muzaffar Hassan on March 3, 1972. 

 

Abdur Rahim Khan was commissioned in the British Indian Air Force on 5 June 1944. During his post independence service in the PAF, he was the first commander of its only jet squadron, No. 11 Squadron, and No. 9 Squadron. He became a member of MACH Buster's Club by breaking the sound barrier in United States of America. He was the first Asian to have achieved this honour.

 

In later years he commanded Mauripur base as well as the PAF Staff College and held appointments Director of Plans and Director of Operations as well as ACAS (Operations) and later, ACAS (Administration) at the Air Headquarters. In between, he also qualified courses at the RAF Staff College, Andover and the Imperial Defence College in London.

 

During his tenure he visited China due to the military co-operation between the two nations. He was awarded the Hilal-i-Jurat for his command in 1971 Indo-Pakistani war.

 

Abdur Rahim Khan was married to Princess Mehrunissa Khan, the only child of the beloved but unofficial third queen of the Nawab of Rampur. They got married in London when Rahim Khan was a group captain.

 

Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan was sent as an Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Spain on May 11, 1972. Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan served as Ambassador until April 13, 1977, when he again resigned in protest against the rigging of elections in Pakistan by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto the Prime Minister of Pakistan and his party the Pakistan People's Party. Hence after, Air Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan decided to settle down in United States of America. He lived in Potomac, Maryland until he died of renal failure on February 28, 1990.

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