23 Facts About Rahimuddin Khan

Rahimuddin Khan was a general of the Pakistan Army who served as the 4th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1984 to 1987, after serving as the 7th governor of Balochistan from 1978 to 1984.

Rahimuddin Khan served as the 16th governor of Sindh in 1988.

Rahimuddin Khan was part of military action during the 1953 Punjab disturbances, and later commanded 111 Brigade in Rawalpindi and II Corps in Multan.

Rahimuddin Khan's tenure saw widespread development, including the opening of Sui gas fields to Quetta, the construction of nuclear test sites in Chaghai, and the halting of the Baloch insurgency.

Rahimuddin Khan was credited with financial honesty, but suppressed mujahideen entering the province during the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

Rahimuddin Khan refused an extension of service as chairman joint chiefs, retiring in 1987.

Rahimuddin Khan was born on 21 July 1926, in Kaimganj, United Provinces, British India, to a Muslim Pathan Afridi family, with roots in Kohat and Tirah.

Rahimuddin Khan was the nephew of educationist Zakir Husain, later the President of India, and the son-in-law of Husain's brother, a Pakistan Movement figure and member of the first Constituent Assembly Mahmud Husain.

Rahimuddin Khan opted for Pakistan during independence in 1947, enrolling as Gentleman Cadet-1 of the Pakistan Military Academy.

Rahimuddin Khan attended Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Command and Staff College in Quetta in 1965, and was posted to Hyderabad in 1969.

Rahimuddin Khan served as inaugural commander of 111 Brigade in Rawalpindi in 1970.

Rahimuddin Khan served as Chief Instructor at the Armed Forces War College at the then National Defence College, Rawalpindi, until 1975.

Rahimuddin Khan was made Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee by General Zia-ul-Haq on 22 March 1984, a position he served in till 29 March 1987.

Rahimuddin Khan declined an extension of service at superannuation, and retired in 1987.

Rahimuddin Khan was appointed Governor of Balochistan on 16 September 1978.

Rahimuddin Khan declared an end to the operation, and announced a general amnesty for fighters willing to give up arms.

Rahimuddin Khan opened the Sui gas field to provide gas directly to Quetta and other Baloch towns for the first time.

Rahimuddin Khan consolidated the then-contentious integration of Gwadar into Balochistan, notified as a district in 1977.

Rahimuddin Khan oversaw the construction of nuclear test sites in Chaghai where tests were conducted in 1998.

Rahimuddin Khan became civilian Governor of Sindh, and governor's rule was imposed after citing emergency.

Rahimuddin Khan moved to create separate police forces for the city and the rural areas, but this was resisted after his resignation for fears of complicating the Sindhi-Muhajir relationship.

Rahimuddin Khan resigned in response to the attempt to limit his gubernatorial powers.

Rahimuddin Khan died on 22 August 2022, in Lahore, Pakistan, at the age of 96.