Akhtar Abdur Rahman
Akhtar Abdur Rahman (11 June 1924 – 17 August 1988), was a Pakistan Army general who served as the 5th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1987 until his death in 1988. He previously served as the 7th Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence from 1979 to 1987. During both Indo Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, he oversaw action with his own unit 45 Field Regiment Artillery (Fateh Qasar-i- Hind 1971) in Sundra and Hussainiwala sectors respectively.
Akhtar Abdur Rahman | |
|---|---|
| 5th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
| In office 29 March 1987 – 17 August 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Rahimuddin Khan |
| Succeeded by | Iftikhar Ahmed Sirohey |
| 7th Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence | |
| In office 21 June 1979 – 29 March 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Muhammad Riaz Khan |
| Succeeded by | Hamid Gul |
| Adjutant general GHQ | |
| In office 1977–1979 | |
| General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 12th Infantry Division | |
| In office 1974–1977 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 June 1924 Peshawar, British India(now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) |
| Died | 17 August 1988 (aged 64) Bahawalpur, Pakistan |
| Cause of death | Plane crash |
| Spouse | Rashida Akhtar Khan (m. 1951 - 1988) |
| Children | Akbar Akhtar Khan, Humayun Akhtar Khan, Haroon Akhtar Khan, Ghazi Akhtar Khan |
| Alma mater | Government College University Faisalabad |
| Occupation | General, Army Officer, Soldier |
| Civilian awards | Sitara-e-Basalat |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Pakistan |
| Branch/service | Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1947–1988 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | 45 Field Regiment Artillery (Fateh Qasar -i- Hind 1971) |
| Commands | 45 Field Regiment Artillery (Fateh Qasar -i- Hind 1971), Artillery Headquarters of 4 Corps, GOC 12th Army Division, Murree DG Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) |
| Battles/wars | Indo-Pakistan War of 1948 Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 Soviet–Afghan War |
| Military awards | Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) Sitara-e-Basalat Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) |
As the DG ISI, General Akhtar collaborated with the Central Intelligence Agency and masterminded the resistance network of the Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviet Union, eventually managing to force the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Due to his close friendship with President of Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq, General Akhtar was widely considered to be the second most powerful man in the country during General Zia's eleven-year military dictatorship. He died in a plane crash which also killed General Zia and the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Lewis Raphel. After his death, his sons, Humayun Akhtar Khan and Haroon Akhtar Khan, became politicians and were eventually elected as the Members of Parliament and headed the key ministerial portfolios several times.