Man who led Pakistan Air Force in 1965 war with India is dead

ISLAMABAD: Air Marshal (retd) Malik Nur Khan, the former Pakistan Air Force chief who led his forces during the 1965 war with India has died after a long illness at the age of 88.

Khan, was also known as a sports administrator. He was born on February 22, 1923, was the Commander-in-Chief of the PAF during 1965-69.

He died at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi late last night.

He was commissioned in the British Indian Air Force in 1941 at the age of 18. He attended the Royal Indian Military College in Dehradun after completing his education in Lahore.

In 1959, Khan was appointed head of the Pakistan International Airlines on deputation.

He held this position till July 1965, when he replaced Air Marshal Asghar Khan as the PAF chief shortly before the India-Pakistan war.

He also served as Governor of West Pakistan from during 1969-70.

Khan saw action against the Israeli Air Force during the Six-Day War of 1973 when the Pakistan government sent a contingent to support Egypt.

Khan later served as president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

He was elected to parliament from his ancestral village in 1985 and later joined the Pakistan People's Party and contested the 1988 election on its ticket.

However, he failed to retain his seat and decided to quit politics.

His funeral prayers were offered at the Air Headquarters today and arrangements have been made for his burial in his ancestral village of Dandi in Chakwal district, a PAF spokesman said.