M. A. Rahman

Air Vice Marshal
M. A. Rahman
ایم اے رحمان
Portrait as a Group Captain, c. 1949
Commander-in-Chief
Pakistan Air Force
In office
(acting)
30 September 1961 – 20 October 1961
Air Attaché to Embassy of Pakistan, Washington, D.C.
In office
December 1964 – January 1968
6th Chief of Staff
Pakistan Air Force
In office
29 March 1959 – 25 November 1964
Commander-in-ChiefAir Marshal Asghar Khan (1957-1965)
Preceded byMaqbool Rabb
Succeeded byMohammad Akhtar (as Deputy Chief of Air Staff)
Other offices
Air Officer Commanding
No. 1 Group PAF
In office
16 December 1955 – November 1957
Commander PAF Station Kohat
In office
April 1952 – May 1953
In office
August 1947 – November 1947
3rd Commandant PAF College
In office
October 1949 – June 1951
Preceded byNur Khan
Commander PAF Station Peshawar
In office
November 1947 – September 1948
Officer Commanding
No. 10 Squadron RIAF
In office
23 August 1946 – 8 May 1947
Preceded byHaider Raza
Personal details
BornMirza Abdul Rahman
(1920-01-01)1 January 1920 (RIAF Records)[1]
(1921-07-10)10 July 1921 (RPAF Records)[2]
Sialkot, Punjab Province (British India)
Died(1989-11-25)25 November 1989 (aged 68 or 69)
Pakistan
EducationNo. 1 EFTS, Begumpet
Air Command and Staff College
Imperial Defence College
Military service
Branch/service Royal Indian Air Force (1940-1947)
 Pakistan Air Force (1947-1968)
Years of service
1940-1968
Rank Air Vice Marshal
CommandsPAF College
PAF Station Peshawar
PAF Station Kohat
No. 10 Squadron RIAF
Battles/wars
AwardsIndividual PAF Golf Championship (1960)

Mirza Abdul Rahman[a] (1 January 1920[b] — 25 November 1989) better known as M. A. Rahman, was a former two-star rank air officer who was among the pioneering officers of the Pakistan Air Force. He served as its sixth Chief of Staff from 1959 to 1964.

Throughout his career, he held several key positions, including Commander of PAF Station Kohat and Peshawar, Commandant of PAF College, Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations), Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Administration), and Chief of Staff.[3]

Early life

Mirza Abdul Rahman was born on 1 January 1920[1] or 1922[3] or 10 July 1921[2] in Sialkot.[3]

Service years

Royal Indian Air Force (1940-1947)

Mirza Abdul Rahman was commissioned into the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) on 30 November 1940 as an Acting Pilot Officer at the Initial Training School in Lahore. He was promoted to pilot officer on 15 February 1942 and began training at No. 1 EFTS, Begumpet. By 20 December 1943, he rose to flying officer and joined No. 7 Sqn RIAF in Campbellpur as a squadron pilot, after training with No. 152 OTU.[4]

On 1 April 1945, he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and served as a squadron pilot with No. 1 Squadron in Imphal until 8 August 1945. The squadron then moved to Kohat and he continued his role as a Flight Lieutenant, also serving as Adjutant to the United Kingdom, until 30 April 1946 when he was attached to the Personnel Holding Unit.[c][4]

After his promotion to Squadron Leader, he commanded No. 10 Sqn stationed in Chakeri from 23 August 1946 to 8 May 1947.[4]

Pakistan Air Force (1947-1968)

Following the Partition of British India on 14 August 1947, he joined the Royal Pakistan Air Force and was promoted to Wing Commander and appointed Commander of Station Kohat. In November 1947, he assumed command of PAF Station Peshawar. By October 1949, he was promoted to Group Captain and became the 3rd Commandant of the PAF College.[4] He was selected for the Air Command and Staff College on 13 August 1951.[5]

On 16 December 1955, he was promoted to Air Commodore and appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group RPAF. At the time, the RPAF was organised into two groups: No. 1 Group Headquarters for Operations, based in Peshawar, and No. 2 Group Headquarters for Maintenance, located at Drigh Road.[6] In November 1957, he was selected to attend the Imperial Defence College in London.[7] On 29 March 1959, he became Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Air Force.[4]

Air Commodore M. A. Rahman won the PAF Golf Championship by beating Air Marshal Asghar Khan by one stroke on 12 December 1960. The tournament, played over 36 holes, was the first of its kind in the Armed Forces, with Mirza Abdul Rahman leading with a score of 84.[8]

While serving as Chief of Staff, he was promoted to Air Vice Marshal on 23 December 1961.[3] He also briefly served as acting Commander-in-Chief for nearly a month while Air Marshal Asghar Khan traveled to Bangkok for the 19th SEATO Military Advisors Conference in late 1961.[9][10][11] He served as Chief of Staff until 25 November 1964.[12] He was appointed as the Air Attaché to Washington, D.C. in December 1964.[13]

Later life

On 1 October 1969, he assumed the charge of office as a new Member of the Pakistan Central Public Service Commission.[14]

Death

Mirza Abdul Rahman died on 25 November 1989 in Pakistan.[4]

Effective dates of promotion

InsigniaRankDate
Air Vice Marshal23 December 1961[3]
Air CommodoreDecember 1955
Group CaptainOctober 1949
Wing CommanderAugust 1947
Squadron Leader23 August 1946
Flight Lieutenant1 October 1944 (acting)
Flying Officer30 May 1942
Pilot Officer30 November 1940 (acting)
15 February 1942

Notes

  1. ↑ Urdu: مرزا عبدالرحمن
  2. ↑ He had three different birth dates, see #Early life.
  3. ↑ Temporary assignment location where military personnel are placed while awaiting a new posting, transfer, or reassignment.

References

  1. 1 2 "Service Record for Air Vice Marshal Mirza Abdul Rahman 1647 GD(P)". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 "History of PAF: Pioneering Officers". Retrieved 2024-09-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Air Commodore Promoted Air Vice-Marshal". 24 December 1961.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982. Pakistan Air Force. 1982. p. 222.
  5. ↑ Air Command Staff School course. The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore. 14 August 1951.
  6. ↑ Air Commodore Syed Mansoor Ahmad Shah (2002). The Gold Bird: Pakistan and Its Air Force, Observations of a Pilot. Oxford University Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-19-579772-5.
  7. ↑ Course in U.K. The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore. 25 November 1957.
  8. ↑ "A-Com. Rahman Wins Individual Championship". 13 December 1960.
  9. ↑ B.R. Roberts Arrives In Peshawar. The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore. 12 October 1961. Oct. 11—Air Commodore B. R. Roberts (retired), Secretary-General of the British Commonwealth Exservices League, arrived here today. Shortly after his arrival he called on Air Commodore M. A. Rehman, acting Commander in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force.
  10. ↑ P.A.F. Chief Leaves For Karachi. The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore. 30 September 1961. Sept. 29. Air Marshal, M. Asghar Khan, Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force, will leave here for Karachi tomorrow on way to Bangkok to attend the 15th conference of the SEATO Military Advisers
  11. ↑ Asghar Khan Back In Peshawar. The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore. 22 October 1961. Oct 21—The Pakistan Air Force Chief, Air Marshal Asghar Khan returned here yesterday on completion of tour of Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.
  12. ↑ Air Marshal Syed Shabbir Hussain; Squadron Leader M. Tariq Qureshi (1982). History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982. Pakistan Air Force. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-19-648045-9.
  13. ↑ Diplomatic list. 1964.
  14. ↑ Annual Report for the Year. 1970. p. 1.
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