Iftikhar Ali Khan (general)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Iftikhar Ali Khan (died August 22, 2009), HI(M)
, SBt, was the former Secretary of Defence
and Chief of General Staff (CGS)
of the Pakistan Army
. He was the elder brother of National Assembly
opposition leader Nisar Ali Khan. He died on August 22, 2009 of a heart attack.
in October 1962 in the 26th PMA Long Course. In his army career, Iftikhar Ali Khan served as the Chief Instructor of Armed Forces War College at the then National Defence College
, Rawalpindi from April 1991 to May 1993. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in May 1993 and did a brief stint as Commandant National Defence College, Rawalpindi till June 1993. He was then appointed as Commander XXXI Corps
, Bahawalpur
where he stayed for another two and a half years.
In January 1996, Iftikhar Ali Khan was sent as the Chief of General Staff
at the Army GHQ before finally retiring from the army in May 1997. He then stayed as Defence Secretary of Pakistan
from May 1997 to October 1999. He opted out of the secretarial position once 1999 military coup took place.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Iftikhar Ali Khan (died August 22, 2009), HI(M)
Hilal-i-Imtiaz
The Hilal-i-Imtiaz, English: Crescent of Excellence, Urdu: هلال ا متيا ز , is the second highest civilian award and honor given to both civilians and military officers of the State of Pakistan|Pakistan armed forces by the Government of Pakistan...
, SBt, was the former Secretary of Defence
Defence Secretary of Pakistan
Defence Secretary of Pakistan is the highest bureaucratic position within the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan. Following is the list of the defence secretaries to date....
and Chief of General Staff (CGS)
Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)
Chief of General Staff, shortly abbreviated as CGS, is the most coveted position within the Pakistan Army. Although four-star Chief of Army Staff is the nominal head of the land forces, CGS is the operational and intelligence lead of the institution...
of the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
. He was the elder brother of National Assembly
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
opposition leader Nisar Ali Khan. He died on August 22, 2009 of a heart attack.
Military career
Iftikhar Ali Khan was commissioned in the Pakistan ArmyPakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
in October 1962 in the 26th PMA Long Course. In his army career, Iftikhar Ali Khan served as the Chief Instructor of Armed Forces War College at the then National Defence College
National Defence University, Islamabad
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the Ministry of Defence of Government of Pakistan, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy...
, Rawalpindi from April 1991 to May 1993. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in May 1993 and did a brief stint as Commandant National Defence College, Rawalpindi till June 1993. He was then appointed as Commander XXXI Corps
XXXI Corps (Pakistan)
The XXXI Corps is an active military administrative corps of is one of the Pakistan Army. Commonly known as 10th Corps, it is currently assigned to active corps Punjab Province. The corps is currently the major part of Southern Military Command of Pakistan Defence Forces...
, Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur , located in the province of Punjab, is the twelfth largest city in Pakistan. The city was once the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The city was home to various Nawabs and counted as part of the Rajputana states...
where he stayed for another two and a half years.
In January 1996, Iftikhar Ali Khan was sent as the Chief of General Staff
Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)
Chief of General Staff, shortly abbreviated as CGS, is the most coveted position within the Pakistan Army. Although four-star Chief of Army Staff is the nominal head of the land forces, CGS is the operational and intelligence lead of the institution...
at the Army GHQ before finally retiring from the army in May 1997. He then stayed as Defence Secretary of Pakistan
Defence Secretary of Pakistan
Defence Secretary of Pakistan is the highest bureaucratic position within the Ministry of Defence of Pakistan. Following is the list of the defence secretaries to date....
from May 1997 to October 1999. He opted out of the secretarial position once 1999 military coup took place.